Asim Zeneli (3 May 1916 – 2 July 1943) was an

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: ** Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the countr ...

partisan during World War II. His death against Italian troops in 1943 in Mezhgoran became a rallying point for

LANÇ The National Liberation Movement ( sq, Lëvizja Nacional-Çlirimtare; or ''Lëvizja Antifashiste Nacional-Çlirimtare'' (LANÇ)), also translated as National Liberation Front, was an Albanian communist resistance organization that fought in World ...

. Posthumously he was awarded the highest honour of the country,

Hero of the People The Hero of the People ( sq, Hero i Popullit; Heroinë e Popullit) was the highest title bestowed upon the citizens of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania. Creation Founded on July 9, 1945, the title was awarded by the Presidium of the Pe ...

Biography

Born in

Progonat Progonat is a Villages of Albania, village in the former Kurvelesh municipality, Gjirokastër County, Albania. It is the largest village of upper Kurvelesh (region), Kurvelesh and until 1992 was the administrative center of the commune. At the 2015 ...

. In the 1930s he studied at the

Qemal Stafa High School The Qemal Stafa High School is a high school, located in Tirana, Albania. Founded in 1925 by Prime Minister Ahmet Zogu, as the ''Lyceum of Tirana'', it has many notable alumni, of whom 75 died in World War II and 14 were awarded the title People' ...

, in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the ...

. and then at the

Military Academy of Modena The Military Academy of Modena ( it, Accademia militare di Modena) is a military university in Modena, northern Italy. Located in the Palazzo Ducale in the historic center of the city, it was the first such military institution to be created in ...

. In 1939 he was arrested during the anti-Italian protests after the invasion of Albania. A member of the Albanian Communist Party, in March 1943 he became commander of the "Hajredin Tremishti" platoon and in late June commissar of the "Koto Hoxhi" platoon. He died on 2 July 1943 against the Italian army during the capture of

Përmet Përmet (; sq-definite, Permeti) is a city and municipality in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. The municipality of Përmet consists of the administrative units of Çarçovë, Frashër, Petran, Qendër Piskovë and Përmet. The total p ...

Sources

{{Authority control 1916 births 1943 deaths People from Tepelenë Albanian communists Qemal Stafa High School alumni Albanian resistance members Heroes of Albania