Liri Belishova

Liri Belishova (born 5 March 1923)[1] was a member of the Politburo of the Party of Labour of Albania and an important political figure in Albania between 1944 and 1960.[2]

Early life, education and career

Born in the village of Belishovë, Mallakastër, she attended the Queen Mother Pedagogical Institute, along with Nexhmije Hoxha, Ramize Gjebrea, Fiqiret Shehu and Vito Kapo.

Belishova joined the National Liberation Movement of Albania and lost one eye. During 1946 and 1947 she was Albania's president of the Popular Youth (Rinia Popullore).

The death of her husband, Nako Spiru, in 1946, an alleged suicide, led to her dismissal from her role and she was sent from Tirana to Berat to teach.

After Nako Spiru was rehabilitated, as a result of the Yugoslav-Albania split, in 1948, Belishova was rehabilitated as well, and became a member of the Politburo of the Party of Labour of Albania from 1948 to 1960.

She attended, along with Ramiz Alia, the Marxist Leninist institute of the Moscow State University from 1952 to 1954, and married during this period her second husband, Maqo Çomo, who was Minister of Agriculture.

In 1960, during the Soviet-Albanian split, Belishova was arrested on charges of being pro-Soviet and a friend of Nikita Khrushchev.

In 1991, after 31 years of internment, in Mallakaster, she returned free to Tirana.[2]

Private life

Belishova had a daughter, Drita Çomo (Tirana 1958 – Tirana 19 February 1981), from her husband, Maqo Çomo.

Drita Çomo, a poetess, died from cancer at age 23. Drita's works, most notably Dritë që vjen nga humnera (English: "Light that comes from the abyss") were published posthumously in Albania.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Elsie, Robert (2012). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. New York: I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. p. 345. ISBN 1780764316.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Robert Elsie (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-8108-6188-6.
  3. ↑ Si e vrane drita Comon, from Aleko Likaj.