Albanian units in the Second World War

<p class=ql-align-justify>On 16 April 1939 Victor Emmanuel III received the Crown of Albania at the Quirinal Palace.</p><p class=ql-align-justify>The Land of the Eagles and Fascist Italy would thus share a common destiny. Institutional changes were accompanied by the integration of the Albanian armed forces into the Italian ones.</p><p class=ql-align-justify>Albania managed to recreate an autonomous yet small army </p><p class=ql-align-justify>only after the Armistice of 8 September 1943.</p><p class=ql-align-justify>From that date the Germans interested in controlling the territory and safeguarding the neutrality of the Balkan State relied on the support of local anti-partisan militias and proceeded to recruit a few thousand Albanians many of whom were Kosovars into mountain units of the</p><p class=ql-align-justify>Waffen-SS.</p><p class=ql-align-justify>On the opposing side the Albanian Resistance which also counted in its ranks various formations made up of Italian soldiers strengthened gradually.</p><p><br></p>