DOCUMENTS/ From properties to companies, the extortion of the wealth of famous merchants by communism

2023-05-31 14:30:00, Kulturë CNA

DOCUMENTS/ From properties to companies, the extortion of the wealth of famous

Viron Prodani brings to the readers' attention the history of famous Albanian merchants, who did business with the most popular firms of the time abroad.

The Albanians, especially the Korcars, were known for trade and Prodani has listed with facts and documents how the communist system was able to destroy assets created for decades.

"The Law of Extraordinary War Profits Tax 1945", is the book that contains 200 authentic documents about private properties throughout Albania and about the Law of Extraordinary War Profits Tax in 1945.

This book talks about what the author has described as the "Evil Plague" communism, which for three years exterminated private property, robbed gold and other assets created and accumulated by Albanian families over generations. An era that surrounded the land border with thorns thus quarantining all the people.

In Chapter V of this book of authentic documents, more is revealed about real estate foreclosure.

This resulted in the elimination of traders, businessmen, industrialists and large and medium-sized entrepreneurs from 1946 to 1948.

One of the features of this book is that it shows everything about trade and who were the biggest traders from Korça, where they are mentioned: Lluka Fundo, Athanas Sheko, Selim Mborja, Rexhep Merdani, Dhimitri Zado, Theodhos Ballauri, Ilo Argjendari, Gaqi Cingo , Grigor Philo.

DOCUMENTS/ From properties to companies, the extortion of the wealth of famous

Extraordinary taxation of war profits

Upon taking power, the communists in the years 1945-1948 began the elimination of political opponents, merchants, industrialists and large and medium-sized entrepreneurs.

The third Sector was created in the Ministry of Internal Affairs that had the right to seize gold.

The goal was the destruction of private property, the creation of state property, the accumulation of gold reserves through taxes, confiscations and punitive measures.

According to Article 1 of Law 37, all profits realized by citizens and foreigners of commercial industrial activity would be subject to an extraordinary tax.

In the documentation of the Ministry of Finance, there is a large number of entities that have been punished according to article 15, 16, 17 of the law no. 37, dated January 13, 1945 and Article 3 of the addition to the law.

In the order signed by the Ministry of Finance, addressed to all prefectures, it was stated that if the taxpayers did not pay the first installment, austerity measures such as the seizure of real estate, the seizure of real estate and the seizure of assets will be rigorously applied. movable in the hands of others. Meanwhile, the measure of political imprisonment was taken for traders who are not willing and do not inspire confidence.

Thus, Prodani also shows the monetary values, which were taken from the traders by the government with documents and figures.

DOCUMENTS/ From properties to companies, the extortion of the wealth of famous

Famous Korchar traders

Athanasius Sheko

His father, Viske Sheko, paid taxes as a baker and then expanded the family's commercial activity. In the year 1900-1925 correspondence, invoices, liquidation of goods with Greek firms, such as Kipuros firm. Correspondence with S. Themelin in Ioannina and the Fundo brothers in Thessaloniki for the supply of textiles, pens, dyes. Trade went to Italy, France, Germany, England and Vienna, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary and many other countries.

Luke Fundo

Another great merchant of Korça was Lluka Fundo, who started his activity from 1909-1944.

Fundo had extensive commercial activity with well-known firms. From England, from the Williamson, Philips, Manchester firms, he imported sanitary, electrical, household items, radios, manufactures and gramophones.

In Thessaloniki, through the name of Josif Fundos, he imported furniture, bicycles, work tools, glassware, pianos, electrical, hydrosanitary items, items for fighting diseases in agricultural plants. While in the Soviet Union, it imported cement. There were also offers from England and Sweden for these items.

From 1936-1944, the Fundo firm had relations with the Petrosian firm in Piraeus. Through this company, he imported goods from Greece, Italy, Austria, England. He exported beans and other items to these countries. So, he imported cotton textiles from Italy.

Lluka Fundo was general agent for the Cunard Lines passenger ship line and for this there are 1824 documents.

DOCUMENTS/ From properties to companies, the extortion of the wealth of famous

Who is Viron Prodani?

DOCUMENTS/ From properties to companies, the extortion of the wealth of famous

Viron Prodani was born in the city of Korça. He graduated in Tirana in 1968 for Finance-Accounting. From 1969 to 1992, he worked in the cities of Rreshen and Korça in various enterprises. From 1992 to 2006, he worked in the State High Control and the General Directorate of Taxes until he retired. From 2009 to 2023 he published:

- The vendors

-Pandeli Cale, 1874-1923

- Korça Brewery, 1928-1945

-Development of trade, production and other services in Korça 1500-1946

- A little history about the national lyceum of Korça, the professors and the lyceum students

-United States

-World Emigration 1820-1989

-Albanian emigration 1884-1945

-Albanian immigrants in the United States of America, 1930 census

-The contribution of Albanian immigrants to the USA in the First and Second World War

-Albanian immigrants in the Port of New York 1868-1945

-The 1940 federal census in the United States of America