National Liberation Movement (Albania)

Lëvizja Nacionale Çlirimtare
Participant in the Albanian Resistance of World War II
Flag used by the Partisans
Active	1939-1945
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism
Leaders	Enver Hoxha
Headquarters	Pezë
Area of operations	Axis-occupied Albania under Nazi Germany
Strength	70,000
Became	Albanian People's Army
Allies	Yugoslav Partisans, Soviet Union
Opponents	Axis powers, Germany, Italy, Balli Kombëtar
Battles and wars	Albanian Resistance of World War II

The National Liberation Movement (Lëvizja Nacional Çlirimtare or Lëvizja Antifashiste Nacional Çlirimtare (LANÇ)), also translated as National Liberation Front, was an Albanian resistance organization that fought in World War II. It was created on 16 September 1942, in a conference held in Pezë, a village near Tirana. Apart from the communist figures which had the majority in the General Council it also included known nationalist figures like Myslym Peza, etc. The Albanian National Liberation Front was later transformed in May 1944 in the government of Albania and its leaders became government members. It was replaced in August 1945 by the Democratic Front.

The Albanian National Liberation Army (Albanian: Ushtria Nacionalclirimtare) was the army created during the National Liberation Movement.

Albania did not put an organized resistance to the Italian invasion of 7 April 1939. However different Albanian groups of patriots such as Mujo Ulqinaku and Abaz Kupi made a brief resistance to the invasion force in Durrës on the day of invasion. Durrës was captured on April 7, Tirana the following day, Shkodër and Gjirokastër on April 9, and almost the entire country by April 10.

After the Italian invasion there was no general resistance to the Italian army, although some local leaders like Myslym Peza, Baba Faja Martaneshi, Abaz Kupi etc. created small çetas (small detachments) which from time to time to undertake small attacks on Italian forces. Meanwhile, the communist activity in Albania increased and culminated with the creation on 8 November 1941 of the Albanian Communist Party. The communist party began to create from December 1941 to the beginning of 1942 their own groups of resistance made up of 5-10 people. These detachments started to engage in various acts of sabotage to the Italian forces. They also started to make antifascist propaganda in order to gain the attention and the support of the masses.