Photographer’s Note
An isolated country,Albania use to have about 850 hundreds of thousands of concrete bunkers dot the landscape like mutant toadstools. They persist as a symbol of paranoia, an indestructible reminder of where this country has come from and the challenges that lie ahead.
It doesn't take a psychologist to perceive the impact of such imagery on 3.5 million people. The math is easy: for every four Albanians, there's one bunker.
The bunkers, each large enough for a man and his rifle, were built by Albania's Stalinist dictator who feared invasion from all corners, from NATO and even the Soviet Union, fortifying against an enemy that never came.
Enver Hoxha the paranoid dictator dotted the country with hundreds of thousands of bunkers, like this one on the picture…the good thing is that today some take that chance to make a good commercial for …COCA-COLA!
Critiques | Translate
rewshearer
(682) 2006-09-05 15:42
Hi Ilir
In an ironic way, the dictator's fears were realised - the USA has invaded, and the ultimate symbol of capitalism has been painted on the bunker!
An idea of how life must have been ... when I was growing up, the Soviet Union was a frightening and mysterious place and I never thought I would be able to learn and share the way I have today. :) Thank you for this glimpse of Albania's past.
Rew
Davids
(1034) 2006-09-06 2:35
Ilir,
thanks for posting this photo. It is a bridge between the crazy past and a crazy future.
I live in Latvia, and we have other symbols of the past. I like very much that you tell your story here, because I am sure that many people know little about these things.
GJOVALINI (96) 2006-09-07 22:36
RREZIKU IMAGJINAR I XHAXHIT U BE REALITET...COCA-COLA ERDHI NE SHQIPERI!
Photo Information
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Copyright: Ilir R S (TROPOJANI)
(334) - Genre: Lieux
- Medium: Couleur
- Date Taken: 2005-06-28
- Categories: Vie quotidienne
- Versions: version originale
- Date Submitted: 2006-09-05 13:09








