Forsaken Albania

By Artan Lame
Rome, 1941. Another component of the manouvres to create the facade of the preservation of the independence of Albania following the Italian invasion, was also the integration of the Albanian Armed Forces within the Italian forces. In this context, in the ranks of the Royal Italian Guard, the Regiment of the Royal Albanian Guard was also created, which had presentation and ceremonial functions. The Royal Italian Guard (today the Presidential Guard), was made up of the Tank Regiments, which have the same uniforms to this day, very majestic and quite striking. For the Albanians to integrate totally into this Guard from an appearances point of view, a ceremonial unifrom was designed specially for them based on the Albanian national costumes, in two types: one with thick woollen fabric leggings and the other based on the fustanella. The Royal Guard discharged duties in Albania, the principle government buildings ( Military HQ, the Royal Palace and the Prime Minister’s Building). At given days of the year, the Albanians were also on service at the Royal Palace in Rome. This Reginment existed up until 1943, to later on be dismantled together with the Italian Army in September of the same year.
Thhe photograph shows two soldiers of the Regiment of the Royal Albanian Guard, on ceremonial guard duty in front of the main Porte of the Royal Palace in Rome. Quirinale, at that time the Seat of the Monarch of Italy, who was also Albania’s Monarch, in 1946 became the seat of the President of teh Italian Republic. The two Albanian guards, standing in front of the Guard Boxes are wearing ceremonial uniform with the woollen leggings and are armed with Italian rifles, mod.19. A little further inside the gate, you can see an Italian Police Officer dressed in parade uniform, probably to duplicate the Albanians who were not readily trusted.
Nothing has changed at this location. The Palace is the same, but now, for the last few months, the last Italian President from Naples has been in office. The Guard boxes are still the same, except that the Albanian guards have now been replaced by Italians. Whoever has been to Rome would immediately recognise this picture, which precisely in its overall unchanging form, has helped to give Rome its name of, “The Eternal City.”
Whereas all we have left is the memory of a moment in history when we were not received at teh back door of some EU office, but we stood to attention, armed, at the porte of the highest authority of the country.