Growing up in a country that banned God

As a journalist I have heard many fascinating stories, but Berti Dosti’s story has to be one of the most interesting.

He was born on April 11, 1957, in Korçë, the regional capital of south east Albania and not far from the Greek border and brought up without any knowledge of God whatsoever.

Since taking power in 1944, the Stalinist dictator, Enver Hoxha, had turned Albania into the world’s most isolated country, proudly declaring in 1967 that Albania was the ‘first atheist country in the world’.

All 2,169 religious establishments had been closed. Of the country’s 1,600 Orthodox churches, monasteries and cultural centres in 1967, fewer than 80 were still standing 23 years later when communism ended in 1991.

During Hoxha’s reign of terror, 335 Orthodox priests died by execution, mistreatment, untreated illnesses or exhaustion. By the time it finished, only 22 Orthodox priests were still alive.

He destroyed churches or converted them into post offices, schools, weapon depots, cafes, barns, storehouses or museums. The cathedral at Shkodra was even turned into a volleyball court and in 1972, a museum of atheism was opened in that city.

Another Hoxha decree targeted Christian names. To help parents, the government published lists with pagan names to choose from, including newly-created names such as Marenglen (a combination of Marx, Engels and Lenin). A new girl’s name, Enveriada, was invented in honour of Enver Hoxha, while his nicknames of Shpati and Tarasi also became accepted names for children.

Like most Albanians Berti joined the army becoming a captain. He is pictured below leading his men on parade.

His job as a radio specialist was to listen into the world’s airwaves during the 1980s, because his country feared they were about to be invaded by the West, and in particular, the USA, Russia and Great Britain.

One day as he idly twiddled the radio dials, he heard a voice saying: “If you want to find out more about God we will meet again tomorrow.”

Like all Albanians, 32-year-old Berti had been told God didn’t exist.

Anyone caught showing an interest in religion could expect a huge punishment to be imposed not only on him, but also on his family, his children and even his grandchildren.

However, something intrigued Berti, even though religious lessons had been banned from all schools. But how could he dare listen without anyone knowing, especially since one in two Albanians was thought to be a government spy.

How Berti did listen in I will tell in a later blog.

To buy a copy of God’s Secret Listener, price £7.99 and published by Lion/Monarch/Hudson, email me on john@jbutterworth.plus.com