In September 1962, Halil Tërnaku, an Albanian from Shkodra who had been living in Italy for five years, wrote to the Albanian diplomatic mission in Rome to request the release of his family from internment. He had left Albania in 1956, first for Yugoslavia and then for Italy, but his wife and children had remained behind, suffering the consequences of his escape. In the handwritten letter, Tërnaku recounted his life, his imprisonment, his departure from the country, and his inability to live peacefully while his family continued to be held in internment. Four months later, the Ministry of the Interior's response would be negative. The refusal was signed by Major General Nevzat Haznedari, one of the well-known names in the repressive apparatus of the communist dictatorship.
Halil Tërnaku was born on December 13, 1914 in Shkodra. In the letter dated September 16, 1962, he stated that on December 13, 1956, he had crossed into Yugoslavia and on April 27, 1957, he had arrived in Italy. His account did not attempt to hide the past. He admitted that he had thought about escaping from Albania, spoke about his imprisonment and the decision he had made after being released from prison. He also mentioned a friend named Enver, with whom he had shared difficult years and who had helped him in certain circumstances of his life.
He had spent several years in Italy, but he had not been able to detach himself from what he had left behind. In his letter, he wrote about his wife and children who had been interned, about the efforts he had made to help them, and about the shame he felt before the people who knew him, because he was unable to change the fate of his family.
"I don't want to live anymore, I'm ashamed to appear in front of my friends," he wrote, describing the situation he was in.
In another part of the letter, Halili explained that he had asked for help before and that he hoped that the Albanian authorities would finally agree to the release of his family. A lot of time had passed since his departure and, according to what he wrote, his wife and children continued to suffer a punishment for which he felt responsible. He was willing to accept the mistakes of the past, as long as they were not kept in exile any longer.
Finally, he begged the Albanian representative to consider his request and intervene with the authorities in Tirana. The letter ended with a respectful formula, as required by official communication of the time, even though the man who wrote it was addressing representatives of a regime from which he had left.
The request arrived in Albania and was reviewed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On January 6, 1963, in a letter classified “Secret”, addressed to the Central Committee of the Party of Labor, the Ministry announced that it had studied the letter of Halil Ternak, who requested the release of his family from internment.
"We do not believe that she should be released, as her stay in the village, which is close to the border, poses a risk of escape," the response said.
Further, the authorities left open only one possibility: "If Halil Tërnaku is to be repatriated, that issue has room to be considered."
The document was signed by Major General Nevzat Haznedari, deputy director of Directorate II. For the Ministry of Interior, the reason for not releasing the family was their location near the border and the fear that they might escape. The letter did not mention any criminal offense committed by Halil's wife or children. The very possibility that they might leave Albania was considered sufficient to continue the internment.
The other condition was even more significant. If Halil returned to Albania, the authorities could reconsider the case. So, to seek the release of his family, he had to agree to return to the country from which he had fled and entrust his fate once again to the same state apparatus that had ordered the internment of his people.
The preserved documents do not contain any information about the further fate of Halil Tërnaku and his family. It is not known whether he ever returned to Albania, whether he was able to see his wife and children again, or how many more years they remained in exile. What remains documented is his request of September 1962 and the refusal of January 1963, signed by Nevzat Haznedari.
The story of Halil Ternak is a testament to the way the communist regime extended punishment beyond the individual it considered an opponent. A man's escape could determine the lives of his wife and children for years to come. They did not need to commit any act against the state to be considered dangerous. A family connection to a fugitive and the suspicion that they might one day follow the same path were enough.
In his two-page letter, Halili had recounted almost his entire life, hoping that the story would be enough to convince the authorities to release the family. In the Interior Ministry’s response, none of his concerns were addressed. There was no mention of the children, the years of internment, or the conditions in which they lived.
There was only an assessment of the risk of escape and the signature of Nevzat Haznedari.
For Halil Ternaku, his wife and children were the reason he wrote from Italy. For the Albanian state, they were people who should continue to be kept away from the border, but not let go.
