Dervishe Curri, widow of the legendary leader of Tropoja and one of the central figures of the Albanian National Movement, Bajram Curri, remained for decades one of the most silent voices of our history. Her fate, fragile and filled with pain, reflects better than any other story the ordeal of patriotic families of this country.
In the difficult post-war years, as Albania was rapidly entering an iron-clad communist regime, Dervishe Curri found herself faced with a new tragedy. In 1946, her son-in-law, Ragip Meta, was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment, leaving behind his wife and two young daughters, who fell entirely into Dervishe Curri's care. Widowed, in advanced age, and with a meager pension of only 2,600 lek per month, she was forced to bear the heavy burden of survival.
In April 1950, desperate and exhausted by the endless years of suffering, she wrote a long and heartfelt letter to the regime’s leader, Enver Hoxha. The letter, obtained by VNA, is a shocking document of that period – a direct testimony to the pain of a simple woman turning to power with the only hope of mercy.
She begins the letter with a deep politeness:
"Comrade Enver,
"A few days ago I came to your mother's with the intention of meeting you, but I was not lucky, since you were not here."
Dervishe Curri explains to the head of state her difficult living conditions in Shkodra, her meager income, and the responsibility she has left on her shoulders after her son-in-law's imprisonment. She pleads for a review of Ragip Meta's case, hoping that his age, innocence, and family loyalty to the national cause could be grounds for pardon.
In its lines, one finds an inner pain but also an unwavering faith in justice, no matter how unattainable it may seem: "Comrade Enver, my great suffering, especially now in my old age, and the belief that Bajram Curri's son-in-law should not be a traitor... compel me to turn to you with prayer...".
She tries to remember that the entire Curri family had always served the Albanian nation and state, and that Ragip Meta could have simply been a victim of the circumstances and suspicions of the time: "...the weak environment with which that work has certainly compromised...".
At the end of the letter, he indicates that he will wait for a response with the belief that the words of a patriotic family like his will be heard. “I will wait until 25/IV/1950 for a response from you at Hivzi Hoptan, Kavaja Street, No. 41, in Tirana.”
Tirana, 18/IV/1950
DERVISH CURRI
(Widow of Bajram Curri).
