First two pictures are from an Albanian SKS rifle, which I believe was used by the Albanian people's militia. The stock says "LEZH," and there is a city in Albania called "Lezhë," so I imagine the rifle came from there. The wood was split through LEZH, but I glued it together; this native stock wood was prone to splitting in other places. There also appears to be "FCJ" or "FLJ" carved on the handguard.
The second stock is from a Chinese SKS, with Albanian names on it. This has a number of carvings: "AH," "T. SH," "G. M," and what looks like "G MORTELI" with "84 MORAV BERAT 86" underneath. G MORTELI sounds like a name, while MORAV BERAT sounds like the town Moravë which is in Berat County of Albania. G MORTELI perhaps had the SKS from 1984 to 1986 while in Moravë, on duty. There were other users as seen by the other initials. The stock saw hard service seen in handling marks, and large repaired tang cracks.
A number of SKS's, including Albanian, Chinese, and Russian variants, sometimes with mixed countries' parts, and Chinese T53 Mosin-Nagants, have been imported from Albania recently. These often have graffiti, bearing names, cities, and dates, sometimes from a number of users. (A few rifles even have been entirely coated in graffiti!) The dates on the SKS's usually run into the 1990's. Despite the fact these SKS's usually appear heavily used in combat based on condition, these probably saw only militia action. Albania did not participate in the Yugoslavian wars, and I have never seen Albanian graffiti bearing political themes, like on their Yugoslav counterparts. None of these likely went to the Albanians in Kosovo during the war there in 1998-9, as those weapons were supposedly turned in to the UN. However, some of these may have seen use during the Albanian anarchy in 1997 - but I have never seen one specifically dated to that.
During 1949-1953, the American (and initially British) intelligence agencies attempted numerous abortive operations at infiltrating Albania via boat and parachute landing. The infiltrators were displaced native Albanians, with the goal of causing a WWII-like insurrection to overthrow the Communist government. The global aim was to make a new front in the Cold War, in retaliation for Korea. Two factors doomed the operation. First, the Albanian population would not fight without being supplied weapons first, and nobody wanted to be the "first" partisan. Second, there was a Soviet agent and other sources leaking information which caused most the infiltrators to be immediately captured. So, Albania's official paranoia on every side was with some merit.*
Not much is known about Albania under Communism during the Cold War, but I recently got some information via text message from an Albanian immigrant. Whether or not the information is totally exact, there are some fascinating details:
*. I reference The Great Betrayal by Nicholas Bethell, Hodder and Stoughton, 1984.
The second stock is from a Chinese SKS, with Albanian names on it. This has a number of carvings: "AH," "T. SH," "G. M," and what looks like "G MORTELI" with "84 MORAV BERAT 86" underneath. G MORTELI sounds like a name, while MORAV BERAT sounds like the town Moravë which is in Berat County of Albania. G MORTELI perhaps had the SKS from 1984 to 1986 while in Moravë, on duty. There were other users as seen by the other initials. The stock saw hard service seen in handling marks, and large repaired tang cracks.
A number of SKS's, including Albanian, Chinese, and Russian variants, sometimes with mixed countries' parts, and Chinese T53 Mosin-Nagants, have been imported from Albania recently. These often have graffiti, bearing names, cities, and dates, sometimes from a number of users. (A few rifles even have been entirely coated in graffiti!) The dates on the SKS's usually run into the 1990's. Despite the fact these SKS's usually appear heavily used in combat based on condition, these probably saw only militia action. Albania did not participate in the Yugoslavian wars, and I have never seen Albanian graffiti bearing political themes, like on their Yugoslav counterparts. None of these likely went to the Albanians in Kosovo during the war there in 1998-9, as those weapons were supposedly turned in to the UN. However, some of these may have seen use during the Albanian anarchy in 1997 - but I have never seen one specifically dated to that.
During 1949-1953, the American (and initially British) intelligence agencies attempted numerous abortive operations at infiltrating Albania via boat and parachute landing. The infiltrators were displaced native Albanians, with the goal of causing a WWII-like insurrection to overthrow the Communist government. The global aim was to make a new front in the Cold War, in retaliation for Korea. Two factors doomed the operation. First, the Albanian population would not fight without being supplied weapons first, and nobody wanted to be the "first" partisan. Second, there was a Soviet agent and other sources leaking information which caused most the infiltrators to be immediately captured. So, Albania's official paranoia on every side was with some merit.*
Not much is known about Albania under Communism during the Cold War, but I recently got some information via text message from an Albanian immigrant. Whether or not the information is totally exact, there are some fascinating details:
- 3 years of military service was mandatory
- Albania was afraid of both the USA and Russia
- China was friends with Albania, until becoming "traitors" in the 1960's
- Albania did not like Kosovo, Yugoslavia or Greece
- Albania was fine with Italy
- No regular Albanians liked the dictator Enver Hoxha
- Albanians did not get information from outside the country
- Albanians were afraid of the police, as your actions could affect your whole family, and family or friends might rat you out
- Some Albanians escaped to the mountains, or to America, but then their families were affected adversely; for example, family members could not attend a college for seven generations
- The government destroyed all churches but a few for historical purposes, and religion was not allowed (though ~80% of Albanians are Muslims)
- Albanians learned the beginning of Albanian history including the ~500 years of Turkish rule (as opposed to starting with Communist domination)
- The government controlled how much food you could receive, such as a certain amount of meat each day
- All Albanians dressed the same
- You could get a good paycheck but there was nothing to buy; you did not own your house, but you did own your car
- There were no taxes and no rent, but you had to pay for electricity
*. I reference The Great Betrayal by Nicholas Bethell, Hodder and Stoughton, 1984.