Koçi Bako (1906 or 1905–1941) was an

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

activist. An early member of the Communist Group of Korçë, he is the first martyr of the Communist Party of Albania since its creation.

History

Bako was born in

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...

, today's Albania, back then still

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

in 1905 or 1906. He was an orphan. An

autodidact Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning and self-teaching) is education without the guidance of masters (such as teachers and professors) or institutions (such as schools). Generally, autodidacts are individua ...

, he worked as an artisan and as a shepherd. He became communist of the early hours affiliated with the first Albanian communist group in Korçë.
According to

Enver Hoxha Enver Halil Hoxha ( , ; 16 October 190811 April 1985) was an Albanian communist politician who was the authoritarian ruler of Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985. He was First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania from 1941 unt ...

's memoirs, Bako kept a copy of the

Communist Manifesto ''The Communist Manifesto'', originally the ''Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (german: Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei), is a political pamphlet written by German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Commissioned by the Comm ...

as a precious thing, and had given to him to translate. On 8 November 1941, an anti-Italian and

anti-Fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

demonstration was held in Korçë. The ''

carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign polic ...

'' and the police intervened brutally and ended on opening fire on the crowd. Bako was shot dead somewhere close to the monument of

Themistokli Gërmenji Themistokli Gërmenji (1871 – 1917) was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter. One of the activists of the Albanian National Awakening and the leader of the Albanian irregulars from 1909 to 1914, he became the prefect of poli ...

, while many others were wounded. He became the first martyr of the Communist Party which was founded on 8 November. His monument resides in Korçë. Streets are named after him, and he appears in Albanian

stamps Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents to ...

.Stamp ‹ Koci Bako, by Pandi Mele
/ref> He posthumously received the Albanian honorary title " People's Hero".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bako, Koci Albanian communists Albanian anti-fascists 1900s births 1941 deaths People from Korçë People from Manastir vilayet Albanian resistance members 20th-century Albanian people Heroes of Albania People shot dead by law enforcement officers Deaths by firearm in Albania