The last show of exhibition “Fates of Albanians who survived the Mauthausen Camp” was in Durres city. We moved the exhibition after Tirana in Vlora and Durres because in these cities were arrested a considerable number of people during the nazi regime in Albania 43-44. More than 600 people were arrested also in Durres, during an operation of Germans in 20 November 43. A memorial for this event is placed in Shijak Durres to remember the people arrested, killed and sent to concentration camp.
In the opening ceremony of exhibition in Durres, was present the Minister of Standards and representative of Durres city in Parliament, Mrs Milva Ekonomi, the mayor of Durres Municipality Mrs Emiriana Sako, director of National History Museum, Mr Dorian Koci and many other personalities of Durresi city.
A tour in the exhibition explanied the whole story of this project, the historical timeline and itinerary and fate of Albanians sent to concentration camp and story of survivals. In the ceremony we had the relatives of some of people survived from Mauthausen: Petraq Konduri, the sun of Stefan Kondurit (one of the survivors featured also in the documentary of the project) witnessed again the memories of his father about the sufferings in the camp. His father worked in the crematorium, and was forced to burn the other dead or half dead prisoners in the camp.
The story of Ahmet Cekaj, one of 8 survivors included in our documentary, was told by his son, Fasilli Cekaj. All the participants watched the documentary and discussed with each other about those tragic days in our history. Documentary here.
Exhibition was visited by the students of High Schools in Durres, accompanied by their teachers of history. Director of DMO ALBANIA, Mrs Eva Kushova, announced the next steps of this project, which is education in focus. A forum with academics and teachers of history will follow in May. Meanwhile the curricula for students and teachers of history to include this part of history are prepared by the historian Marenglen Kasmi.
A competition for essays will be open for students of High Schools also a workshop with students in three cities Tirana, Durres, and Vlora will follow.