The Pioneers of Enver ( sq, Pionierët e Enverit, literally The Pioneers of

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 ...

) was a

pioneer movement A pioneer movement is an organization for children operated by a communist party. Typically children enter into the organization in elementary school and continue until adolescence. The adolescents then typically join the Young Communist League ...

functioning in

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

during its communist period. Formed as Debatik, an acronym for United Boys of Communist Ideas ( sq, Djemtë E Bashkuar Anëtarë Të Ideve Komuniste) on 10 February 1942, the movement continued as Organization of Pioneers ( sq, Organizata e Pionierëve). After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, it was supervised by the

Labour Youth Union of Albania , colorcode = , logo = , chairperson = , secretary = , founded = November 23, 1941 , dissolved = 1991 , ideology = , membership = 200.000 , international = WFDY , national = Democratic Front (1945–1991) , headquarters = Tirana, P ...

, the youth wing of the

Party of Labour of Albania The Party of Labour of Albania ( sq, Partia e Punës e Shqipërisë, PPSh), sometimes referred to as the Albanian Workers' Party (AWP), was the ruling and sole legal party of Albania during the communist period (1945–1991). It was founded o ...

History

The organization started as Debatik, an acronym for United Boys of Communist Ideas ( sq, Djemtë E Bashkuar Anëtarë Të Ideve Komuniste) on 10 February 1942, and continued as Organization of Pioneers ( sq, Organizata e Pionierëve) after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. In 1985, after the death of the communist leader

, it was renamed as Pioneers of Enver ( sq, Pionierët e Enverit, literally The Pioneers of

). It effectively ended with the

fall of communism in Albania The fall of Communism in Albania, the last such event in Europe outside the Soviet Union, started in December 1990 with student demonstrations in the capital, Tirana, although protests started in January that year in other cities like Shkodra ...

in 1991. The association created activities for children up to 14 years old, was in charge of the summer Pioneer camps of Albania, organised the pioneers palaces and their yearly national music, language, literature, and painting competitions, and published two magazines, the scientific '' Horizonti'', and the two, more generalistic, ''

Pionieri ''Pionieri '' was a monthly magazine published in communist Albania, by the Pioneers of Enver organization, also called Central Committee of the Union of Albanian Working Youth. The magazine, although politicized, is remembered to have influenced ...

'', for ages 8–14. The organisation affected the school life and academic development of children. Children, at their 8th or 9th year of age, needed to say an admission pledge in order to be accepted in the organization. The organisation within a school would hold elections among them to choose the children school leaders.

In media

'' Debatik'', a 1961 movie, is a fictional production, dedicated to the creation of the organization in 1942. '' Guximtarët'', a 1970 movie, describes pioneer summer camps and pioneer

mountaineering Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, a ...

. '' Shoku ynë Tili'', a 1981 production, described how the organization would affect children's lives academically and socially.

References

{{Authority control Youth organizations based in Albania Pioneer movement 1942 establishments in Albania 1991 disestablishments in Albania People's Socialist Republic of Albania Youth organizations established in 1942 Organizations disestablished in 1991 Hoxhaist organizations