Çelo Hoxha

Çelo Hoxha
CitizenshipAlbania
Alma materInstitute of History, Academy of Albanological Studies (MA, PhD)
OccupationsHistorian
Journalist & columnist
OrganizationInstitute for the Study of the Crimes and Consequences of Communism (ISKK)
Known forResearch on the history of the communist regime in Albania

Çelo Hoxha is an Albanian historian and author, who has served as director of the Institute for the Study of the Crimes and Consequences of Communism (ISKK),[1] and is known for his research on the political repression during the communist period in Albania.[2][3]

Life and career

Hoxha studied and received master and doctoral degrees at the Institute of History of the Academy of Albanological Studies in Tirana.[2]

His work concentrates on documenting political persecution, statal institutions, and other mechanisms of repression under communist Albania,[4] with a particular interest on what he calls "the illigitimacy of communist power in Albania".[5]

Hoxha has been and employee of ISKK since its establishment in 2010, participating in institutional activities and public exhibitions addressing communist-era persecutions, and subsequently has served in various leadership roles, including as deputy director and then director.[6] As director of ISKK he has emphasized the need for a clearer teaching of the communist dictatorship in Albanian school curricula, focusing on history education and collective memory.[7]

Hoxha is the author of numerous studies and articles, and has contributed to large-scale projects such as the multi-volume Encyclopedia of Victims of Communist Terror, published by ISKK.[3]

His 2014 book "Crimes of the Communists during the War, 1941-45" (Albanian: "Krimet e komunistëve gjatë luftës në vitet 1941-1945"), sparked a public debate 5 years after being published,[8] and has been one of the most debated study books in the post-communist period in Albania.[3][9]

Besides his academic activity, he has also worked as a journalist and columnist for different newspapers.[2]

References

  1. ↑ RedaksiaLexo (2024-05-30). "Hoxha paraqet në Kuvend, raportin e Institutit të Studimeve për Krimet e Komunizmit për vitin 2023". www.lexo.al. Archived from the original on 2 Sep 2024. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  2. 1 2 3 "Communist Dictatorship in Albania (1944-1992), About the author". CommunistCrimes.org. Archived from the original on 5 Mar 2026. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  3. 1 2 3 "Participants: Dr. Çelo Hoxha - Executive Director, ISKK". The Institute for the Research of Communism ( www.kommunizmuskutato.hu ). Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  4. ↑ "Çelo Hoxha: "Duhet të kryhen studime më të thellura, që prekin thelbin e komunizmit"". Instituti i Studimit të Krimeve dhe Pasojave të Komunizmit (ISKK). Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  5. ↑ "Dr. Çelo Hoxha Explores the Illegitimacy of Communist Power in Albania at "Open Seminars"". Sami Frasheri Institute. 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  6. ↑ "Instituti i Studimeve për Krimet dhe Pasojat e Komunizmit në Shqipëri hapi ekspozitën "Shqipëria komuniste: realiteti dhe propaganda"". Institute for the Study of the Crimes and Consequences of Communism (ISKK). Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  7. ↑ "History education and school curriculum after the 90s". Institute for Democracy, Media & Culture. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2026-04-19. Çelo Hoxha, director of the Institute for Research on Communism Crimes and Consequences (ISKK) focused his discussion on the poor explanation of the concept of dictatorship. He said that in the school curriculum, students should be taught the truth about volunteer work, socialist property, cooperatives, etc. Such concepts "were not true" because "voluntary work was compulsory, socialist property was not anyone's, and cooperatives meant the farmer owned nothing". The ISKK director noted that only an accurate explanation of concepts can improve the quality of education.
  8. ↑ "Analiza - 'Krimet e komunistëve gjatë luftës', një libër që (nuk) provokon". Syri | Lajmi i fundit (in Albanian). 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  9. ↑ "Lüer: Në Shqipëri mungoi ndjekja penale për krimet e komunizmit..." Gazeta Standard (in Albanian). 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2026-04-19. Një libër i Institutit të Studimeve të Krimeve të Komunizmit, ISKK me titull "Krimet e komunistëve gjatë luftës në vitet 1941-1945" është në qendër të debatit.