Bloody November 1943/ Durrës under the impact of Allied bombing

2026-05-22 19:38:00, Kulturë Aleksandër Cangonja

November 1943 found Albania in complete political and military chaos. After the capitulation of fascist Italy in September, the country was immediately occupied by German Wehrmacht troops. In this context of World War II, the coastal city of Durrës – as a strategic port hub – became a primary target for Allied aviation and naval fleets.

Through six official documents of the General Command of the Royal Gendarmerie, which were closed with the classification "Res" (Reserves), the days of horror, material destruction and the names of civilian victims that bled the city between November 2 and 11, 1943, are revealed.

Chronology of Attacks: From November 2 to November 11

The first documented attacks began on the afternoon of November 2. In the first report sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Political Office) in Tirana, it is stated verbatim: "The Command of the Gjindarmeri Durrës District telegraphs that in that city on the 2nd of November at 14:30 foreign planes made an incursion over Durrës, bombing only a few military targets; the civilian population suffered no damage." However, this was only the beginning. The next day, on November 3, the attack took on much more serious proportions, combining air and sea. According to the same document, in the early hours of the morning: "...on the 3rd of November at 2:30 a.m. foreign fleets and planes bombed, causing the following damage: they sank two small merchant ships that were in Porta, one of which was Albanian, and damaged an Italian ship, injuring three of the crew." After a relative calm of several days, another destructive wave hit the city on the night of November 7. Colonel Hysni Peja, Commander-in-Chief of the Gjindarmeria, reported on November 8, 1943: "The Durrës District Command informs us that last night at 10 p.m., enemy planes bombed the city of Durrës... the house of Cen Fan was completely destroyed; 4-5 other houses in the Varosh neighborhood were damaged..." The bombings did not stop in the following days. An urgent telegram handwritten by Deputy Prefect Kastrati on 11 November (11/XI) confirmed the successive attacks on the port area and fuel depots: "Yesterday at 13 o'clock foreign aircraft made an incursion on this city, bombing the vicinity of the port of Agis without causing any damage to people. Likewise today at 7/25 they dropped bombs on Agis without causing any damage to people and some damage to buildings." These strikes on the "Agip" and "Molos" points are also confirmed in the summary report of 12 November, which adds that the planes "made an incursion on Durrës, strafing Agip, burning a fuel depot."

Bloody November 1943/ Durrës under the impact of Allied bombing

Human Tragedy: Who were the civilian victims?

Beyond the destruction of infrastructure, such as the bombing of the guardhouse at the National Bank or the burning of warehouses, the greatest tragedy was the loss of human lives. Durrës at that time was a cosmopolitan city where Albanians, Italian workers and mechanics who remained after the capitulation, as well as refugees from other European countries coexisted. Documents dated November 21, 1943 (signed by Lieutenant Colonel Mahmut Golemi) provide an accurate list of the names of the victims of the "Lule" and "Varosh" neighborhoods.

From the air-sea bombing of November 3 in the Lule neighborhood, the following remained:

Killed:

1. “Kristo Deda of Panajoti, 22 years old, from Gjinokastra”

2. “Llambri Mihali i Petros, 40 years old, from Durrës, worker”

Injured:

1. “Alfonso Vicenzo of Dameni, aged 38” (Italian citizen)

2. “Demeniko Vicenzo i Mikeli, 36 years old, Italian citizen, resident of Durrës”

3. “Jani Deda of Panajoti, 15 years old, from Gjinokastra” (Who was sent for treatment to the “State Hospital of the country”).

As for the bombing on the night of November 7 in the Varosh neighborhood, the report specifies the identities of the other victims:

Killed:

1. “Stefan Prifti i Koço, born in Mashkullorë (Gjinokastër), born in 1895, by trade, a carpenter, resident in Durrës.”

2. “Kalluçi Orguso, of Angelos, born in Monopoli (Italy) dl1919, farmer, resident in Durrës”

Injured:

1. “Lundnig Heir of Leopold, born in Kety (Hungary) in 1880, living with the Fani family in Durrës.”

2. “Lo Bruno Luigi i Gioveni, born in Monopuli (Italy), Italian citizen, resident near Mezzarolli in Durrës”

Bloody November 1943/ Durrës under the impact of Allied bombing

The historical commemoration of a city that remembers nothing!

These archival reports are not simply bureaucratic documents of a bygone era; they are a testament to the sacrifice of our citizens. The names of Stefan Prifti, Kristo Deda, Llambri Mihali and others — whether Albanians or foreign citizens who had made Durrës their home — deserve to be remembered with respect. The city of Durrës, which rose from the ruins of war and bombings that destroyed our historic neighborhoods like 'Lule' and 'Varosh', today bows before their memory. This documentary encourages us to implement a project to place a commemorative plaque near the historic Port area, so that younger generations will never forget the high price for peace and freedom that our city paid.