Enver Hoxha
1908 – 1985 Albanian Communist dictator of Albania
Stalinist ruler who made Albania the world's first officially atheist state.
- Religion
- From a Muslim (Bektashi) family, he became a hardline atheist and in 1967 declared Albania the world's first officially atheist state, banning all religion and closing every mosque and church.
- Affiliations
- Party of Labour of Albania. His regime ran an intense cult of Hoxha alongside total state atheism.
Hoxha ruled Albania for four decades as one of the most isolated Stalinist regimes on earth, breaking successively with Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union and China. In 1967 he abolished all religion and declared Albania an atheist state, persecuting clergy of every faith. His long rule combined pervasive surveillance with a cult of his own leadership.
Connections
- influenced Joseph Stalin — Remained a devoted Stalinist long after de-Stalinization.
- rival of Josip Broz Tito — Broke sharply with neighboring Yugoslavia.
- rival of Josip Broz Tito — Neighboring Albania's leader turned bitterly against him.
- ally of Mao Zedong — Aligned with China before breaking with it too.