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Albanian capital Tirana in beginning of 20th century.
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What if Albania had become the Jewish state?
By Nir Hasson
Tags: Zionism, Leo Elton, Albania 

In 1935, British Zionist journalist Leo Elton traveled to Albania, apparently at his own initiative, to see if it would be possible to establish a Jewish national entity there. It seems the only surviving trace of his voyage is his report 10 years later to Hebrew University's first president, Judah Leib Magnes. The document rests in the Central Archive for the History of the Jewish People at the university's Givat Ram campus in Jerusalem.

Elton's journey was spurred on by the increasing persecution of German Jews two years into the Nazi regime and Britain's refusal to increase the quotas on Jewish immigration to Mandatory Palestine. Elton writes that he first read of the idea in British newspapers reporting that the Albanian government welcomed Jewish immigration.

So he traveled to the tiny country of a million inhabitants, which was completely cut off from industrialized Europe. A government minister told him that "in Albania religious intolerance is quite unknown .... The Albanian Muslims of today are no fanatics."
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The minister also emphasized that, in contrast to the rest of Europe, Albania had no history of anti-Semitism. "There is no reason whatsoever to expect that Jewish settlers would not live in complete harmony with the population's diverse elements," Elton wrote.

The Albanian option also had economic advantages. The land was extremely fertile, and if modern agricultural methods were used, it could easily supply the needs of five million people.

The oranges and lemons, Elton enthused, were the best in the world, and Jews' success in raising oranges in pre-state Israel could be replicated in Albania. Other suggestions included growing tobacco and raising silkworms, and building up the textile and olive-oil industries. The less positive side, according to Elton, was that the capital Tirana had no theaters or concert halls.

"I believe that if such men and women were pioneers of the right type, they would achieve not only material prosperity quickly, but also the respect and goodwill of the Albanians," Elton wrote to Magnes. He said that "in the course of a very few years, not hundreds but thousands of Jews in all walks of life might follow."

As a first stage Elton recommended establishing a Jewish national entity in Albania like the one in Mandatory Palestine, with the cooperation of two Zionist movements. Later Albania might even be turned into a Jewish national home.

It is not known what became of the idea, whether any official body discussed it, and whether Magnes even bothered to answer Elton. The Jews, in any case, did not immigrate in large numbers to Albania. Hadassah Assouline, director of the archive, says the report was probably submitted to the university in 1945 amid the refugee problem at the end of World War II.

Interestingly enough, Elton's high estimation of the Albanians was borne out during the Holocaust: They saved the country's small Jewish community, down to its very last members.
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  1.   Albanians saved their jewish minority 04:18  |  mario 25/06/09
  2.   As if real problems weren`t enough, now hypothetical ones? 04:28  |  Fortuna Benmayor 25/06/09
  3.   Then they would invent Palestinians 04:37  |  Mongo 25/06/09
  4.   Nir what is this? 04:55  |  Yaron 25/06/09
  5.   Zionism gave Jews a bad name. 05:23  |  David 25/06/09
  6.   A most unwelcomed guest! 05:29  |  Wise Syrian 25/06/09
  7.   It would be a Meretz dream state 06:43  |  Binyamin Dissen 25/06/09
  8.   #6 A not so wise Syrian 07:19  |  Conroy 25/06/09
  9.   G-d Promised To Return Us To OUR Land 07:33  |  Yishai Kohen 25/06/09
  10.   Albians would be refugees, ethnically cleansed 07:44  |  Yosh 25/06/09
  11.   Albania as Homeland for the Jews 07:55  |  Avraham 25/06/09
  12.   And don`t forget Einstein 07:55  |  Ruben 25/06/09
  13.   Dead Albanians 10:12  |  Paul 25/06/09
  14.   Appreciation 11:59  |  Vini 25/06/09
  15.   Israel is the Jewish Homeland No where else 12:10  |  Baruch Gold 25/06/09
  16.   They saved the country`s small Jewish community, down to its very 12:35  |  Albanian from kosovo 25/06/09
  17.   Logically Germany should have become the Jewish State. 13:17  |  Rudi 25/06/09
  18.   During the Pogrom!! 13:26  |  Abecassis 25/06/09
  19.   Israel is the ONLY Jewish homeland 14:17  |  Binyamin 25/06/09
  20.   jews grow good oranges & lemons in Israel so dont need Albania 14:27  |  zionist forever 25/06/09
  21.   What if Albania had become the Jewish state? 16:13  |  Hazyr Dervishi 25/06/09
  22.   #6 Syria persecuted its Jews 17:16  |  EgyptJewRefugee 25/06/09
  23.   jewish minority in albania 17:34  |  dulaki 25/06/09
  24.   Albanians have a great heart 20:08  |  Albion 25/06/09
  25.   Minister Bernstein 06:04  |  AA 26/06/09
  26.   GODsaved us! 10:20  |  Ervis 26/06/09
  27.   Why are people so frustrated about? 18:08  |  Dhimitri 26/06/09
  28.   Jewish State in Europe?........ IMPOSSIBLE 07:05  |  Einstein 27/06/09
  29.   Albanin Ruler in Othoman empire 23:02  |  Agron Memetaj 27/06/09
  30.   Really Mario ? 17:41  |  Dioskurae 28/06/09
  31.   Albanai a Jewish State 17:43  |  Hilda 28/06/09
  32.   Ervis 23:44  |  ZISD 28/06/09
  33.   Recognize Kosovo 09:18  |  Yll 30/06/09
  34.   most of population of south albania is jewish 10:17  |  ari 02/07/09
  35.   Christians 05:13  |  Jen 05/07/09
  36.   Albanian - Jewish relations 06:10  |  uskana5 31/07/09
  37.   hi 17:41  |  ela 15/10/09
  38.   From Kosova 15:40  |  Driton 21/10/09
  39.   Albanian Jewish Relations 15:32  |  Benn 24/10/09
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