My name is Erald Pashaj, from Tirana, Albania and I am the grandson of Iljaz Pashaj, (1908-1992), an ex-member of Garibaldi Battalion.

While navigating the internet about the new Democratic Memory Law in Spain, I found your organisation and I was astonished by the great work that you are doing as IBMT to keep alive the history and the sacrifice of all those men and women that fought for democracy and freedom in those turbulent years in Europe. Congratulations!

In Albania we also have our own organisation, the Association of Families of Volunteers of the Spanish War, founded in 1996, but unfortunately, we are a small group of families, around 50 to 60 people, who individually have done a lot to keep the memory and philosophy of our grandfathers alive. 

Albanian volunteers in Spain, including Iljaz Pashaj (top right).

There were 34 Albanian volunteers in the Spanish War of 1936-39 from various Albanian regions.  Some departed from Albania, some from Kosovo (at that time part of ex-Yugoslavia) and some from other countries, like my grandfather who at the time was studying medicine in Paris. 

Nine of those volunteers lost their life in the battlefield. Some of them didn’t return to Albania after the war when it became a communist country. Also, some of the returned volunteers didn’t marry, so today our community is small but compact and intellectually in an advanced level in historical memory. 

Today, we have a special stand in our National Historical Museum that demonstrates the courage and contribution of Albanians in the Spanish war and their aspiration for a better world. 

My grandfather was pharmacist, indeed a very well-known and respected pharmacist in Albania. He was the director of the biggest pharmacy in Tirana, the capital of the country. He dedicated all his life to his work and family. He was never engaged in politics in Albania, and always his story was an inspiration for me and our family. That’s the reason that we are very sensitive to everything related to the Spanish war and democracy overall.

It’s a pleasure to see your activities and contribution to the memory of international brigades.