World War II in Albania

World War II in Albania
Part of the European theatre and Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II
Clockwise from top left: Albanian refugees crossing the border to Yugoslavia in April 12, 1939, Ballists and Communists converse during Mukje Agreement 1943, Italian troops in Durrës, Communist Partisans fighting in Tirana 1944, Partisans march through Tirana after occupying it 28 November 1944
Date 1939 – 20 December 1944 Location Albania Result LANÇ victory Establishment of the Democratic Government of Albania
Belligerents
LANÇ Balli Kombëtar (until 1943)	Legality Movement Northern Epirus Liberation Front	Italy (until Sep. 1943) Albania (Italian Protectorate)  Germany (from Sep. 1943) Albania (German Client) Balli Kombëtar (from 1943)
Commanders and leaders
Enver Hoxha Spiro Moisiu Mehmet Shehu Haxhi Lleshi Baba Faja Martaneshi Midhat Frashëri[a] Ali Këlcyra[a] Xhem Hasa[a] † Safet Butka  Hysni Lepenica †	Abaz Kupi Ndoc Çoba Vasileios Sachinis   Grigorios Lambovitiadis	Victor Emmanuel III Benito Mussolini Francesco Jacomoni Alberto Pariani Renzo Dalmazzo Shefqet Verlaci Mustafa Merlika-Kruja Maliq Bushati Eqrem Libohova Adolf Hitler Theodor Geib Hermann Neubacher Josef Fitzthum Mehdi Frashëri Rexhep Mitrovica Fiqri Dine Ibrahim Biçakçiu Xhafer Deva
Strength
1942 ~4,000 1944 ~40,000[1]	More than 700,000 Axis troops were stationed[2][3]
Casualties and losses
Around (including civilians) 28,000 killed 12,600 wounded 44,500 imprisoned or deported[4]	Axis and collaborators: 26,595 killed 21,245 wounded 20,800 prisoners[4]

In Albania, World War II began with its invasion by Italy in April 1939. Fascist Italy set up Albania as its protectorate or puppet state. The resistance was largely carried out by Communist groups against the Italian (until 1943) and then German occupation in Albania. At first independent, the Communist groups united in the beginning of 1942, which ultimately led to the successful liberation of the country in 1944.

The Center for Relief to Civilian Populations (Geneva) reported that Albania was one of the most devastated countries in Europe. 60,000 houses were destroyed and about 10% of the population was left homeless.

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