Gerhard Kiesling - Albanien - 1959

Come Albánie Zeme Orlu di Viktora Radnického (vedi la mia altra asta) questo straordinario libro fotografico propagandistico è una raffigurazione affascinante dell'Albania comunista negli anni Cinquanta, poco prima che diventasse uno dei paesi più isolati al mondo sotto la guida di Enver Hoxha. "Gerhard Kiesling's second photobook (after China, 1957) was devoted to Albania and appeared in 1959. At that time relations with the Balkan state were still good - a situation that changed in 1961 when Enver Hoxha turned away from the USSR towards China. Kieslings's photographic essay is friendly and optimistic; industrialisation plays an important role, as the writer of the forward emphasised: \"Once the most backward country in Europe, Albania has, in fifteen years of people's rule under the leadership of the Party of Labour, become an agrarian-industrial state advancing in giant strides. Party and government have given the people great plans; high golas have been set: in fifteen years... all Albania will be a flourishing garden.\" Wiegand, p 42"