History is not found only in monuments, archives, and textbooks. It also lives in the memories of people who experienced it. Personal testimonies can make the past more real, revealing experiences and consequences that are sometimes missing from official historical accounts.
“Remember – From Hell to Hell” was created to preserve and share the stories of Albanian survivors of the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. The project places their personal experiences within the wider history of Albania during and after the Second World War.
It explores a difficult and often underrepresented part of Albania’s past. Albanian victims and survivors experienced persecution and imprisonment under National Socialism. For some, however, liberation did not mean the end of persecution. After returning to Albania, they faced political repression under the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha.
Their experiences can therefore be described as a journey “from hell to hell” — from Nazi concentration camps to political persecution in communist Albania. Their stories offer a personal perspective on survival, loss, identity, and repression across two very different historical systems.
The project began with historical and archival research. Albanian archival records were combined with personal documents, family memories, photographs, and testimonies to reconstruct the experiences of those who were imprisoned and those who survived.
Oral history became one of the central elements of the initiative. Survivors and their families from Tirana, Durrës, and Vlora shared personal memories and materials from their family archives. At least eight survivor stories were recorded, preserving their voices and experiences for future generations.
Research was also strengthened through a study visit to the Mauthausen Memorial in Austria, creating an opportunity to connect Albania’s history with the wider European history of National Socialism and the concentration camp system.
The collected material was then transformed into different formats, including a historical publication, documentary film, digital storytelling, exhibitions, and an online archive.
A multimedia exhibition at the National Historical Museum in Tirana brought together documents, photographs, research, and personal testimonies. The exhibition later travelled to Durrës and Vlora, allowing more people to engage with this difficult history. Across the three locations, more than 5,000 people visited the exhibitions.
The documentary film, featuring the stories of eight survivors, gave these experiences another form. Hearing people speak about what they lived through creates a direct connection that historical documents alone cannot always provide.
Education was another important part of the project. Lectures in schools and universities introduced students to the experiences of Albanian victims and survivors, encouraging them to learn through testimonies and primary sources. A national forum brought together around 100 history teachers to discuss how these stories could be used in the classroom and help make history more personal and relevant.
Young people were also invited to take part through a national essay competition based on the documented stories. More than 1,000 applications showed a strong interest in exploring this difficult chapter of Albania’s history.
The project also created a lasting digital archive and the Remember online portal, bringing together testimonies, documents, photographs, videos, and educational resources for students, researchers, teachers, families, and the wider public.
At its heart, the project takes a people-centered approach to history. Instead of focusing only on political events and institutions, it gives space to individual lives and memories. These personal stories create a connection between historical research, museums, education, and communities.
Remembering also has a wider purpose. The stories of persecution, imprisonment, discrimination, displacement, and political repression can help younger generations understand the importance of human rights, freedom, tolerance, and dignity.
Remembering is therefore not simply about looking back. It is also about learning from the past and recognizing the dangers of intolerance and authoritarianism.
Through research, oral history, exhibitions, education, documentary storytelling, and digital preservation, “Remember – From Hell to Hell” ensures that these voices are not forgotten. Their stories belong not only to their families or to Albania’s history, but to Europe’s shared memory — and to the responsibility of ensuring that such history is never repeated.
