The Museum of Secret Surveillance, Tirana. Albania May 22

Built in the early 1930's originally as a private obstetrics clinic, the dark days descended during WW2, when it was home to the Gestapo. Post conflict it became the home of the Sigurimi, the Directorate of State Security

The Stasi were bad enough in the GDR but these guys were seriously mind controlled: is it any wonder Albanian people paranoid beyond reason when it is fact that 1 in 3 of the population had either served time in labor camps or been interrogated by Sigurimi officers.

Whilst my fellow travellers were slobbering at the mouth to visit another orthodox church I broke free to visit a far more relevant and meaningful place. " The House of Leaves" as it is commonly referred to. It is now a museum that opened in 2017 as a memorial

Dedicated to the innocent people who were spied on, arrested, prosecuted, convicted and executed during the communist regime

I was amazed that I was the only person losing himself in the history of this place, I hope I have done it justice.

If you were on the streets you were being watched, photographed, listened to, recorded, pretty much like these days with all the CCTV in every town every city, every motorway. Big brother is watching.......

.....and also listening

Listening devices were secreted, and monitored extensively

Thankfully in most countries we are still free to a certain extent from living in a police state.

HMMMMM hang on, remember the covey in the UK where the police and govt wanted you to grass your neighbour up if their pathetic rules were being breached? How does Fuck off sound, hmm?

Anyways, Albania, akin to N. Korea

So, one of this lot thinks you are an enemy of the state.

You get brought in for investigation, a nice "friendly" chat

That doesn't work maybe "interrogation" is required.

Maybe if you are "lucky" you face a political trial.

Room No.14..............
.........Just names, that's all, just names..........
Ceiling to floor.......
.......Four walls........
Just names.

The original clinic laboratory was converted and used for developing surveillance photographs and also for the testing of incoming mail destined for the communist party leadership: tests were undertaken to intercept documents impregnated with biological or radioactive materials.

Propaganda was part and parcel of everyday life, from fictional movies highlighting the struggle of the regime to defeat anti-communist internal and external factions. ( the state never lost)

Through to written propaganda "In the service of the people"

"The epic of the morning star" painted by Edison Gjergos in 1971, one of the works he painted that led to his arrest and conviction, for
"Agitation and propaganda against the people's power,"

He served a prison sentence of 8years, he passed away in 1989.

In the grounds was an old air raid shelter, not sure if it was open to the public, but had to have a look

It was either someone doing the washing or a place for abstract art, though as it was pitch black I am not sure which

Your friends? or Your enemies?

The museum was awarded the European Museum of the Year 2020, by the Council of Europe.