I worked as a seamstress. I earned my own money, it was not enough to have my son medicated. He is 13 years old. I am also ill, I have problems with my kidneys, I could never afford treatment. Not only did I have to do the work, I also had to do the household and all that on my own. My husband worked illegally because there was no other possibility. Because of my pain I had to stop working.

My husband’s salary was not enough, I had no choice but to flee to Germany. That was my only possibility. If I had stayed there for another month, I would have ended up in an intensive care unit. The house was infested with mould, which had an enormous effect on my son’s health. We have been living in Germany for six months, in a dormitory in Cologne.

My son started here a treatment against his allergies. He is much better. The treatment is scheduled for three years and he is constantly monitored. My intense pain will accompany me all my life. Here in Germany I regularly go to the doctor. I hope that my son will soon feel better. My children attend grammar school. I wish them a good education and a good future.
My wishes are wishes for my children, I am terminally ill. I wish my children that they will be happy and satisfied. I want to tell the people who hear my story, nobody likes to part with his family. I didn’t like to break up either, but I had to.

Storyteller’s name:  Anonymous
Interviewer’s name: Sarah El Desoke and Dafina Sinani
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: f
Age: –

My husband is seriously ill. He’s got a bad back. And he is unable to work hard physically. This has had an impact on our financial situation. Even the small jobs we could have gotten, he couldn’t do because of his illness. It’s very difficult for me to talk about. It is difficult to admit that I had no perspectives in my own country. It’s also hard to tell the whole thing here in front of you, but unfortunately it is the way it is. And now I am here, hoping for a right to stay here in Germany, for a better life for my child. What else can I tell you? You’ve seen this before. These are the stories from Albania. It’s just my financial need that brings me here.

I’ve been in Germany for 2 1/2 years. I’m happy with my place. I am especially pleased that I am not far away from Albania geographically. I just hope it ends well. Because the mere thought that I have to go back to Albania with two children is a hell of an idea.

This is my destiny now. The hard part is that we’ve been living in constant fear for two and a half years. It’s delayed, you’re not sure what’s going to happen to you. Fear and hope merge. It’s nice to have you here, but you’re just here to hear a story.

Storyteller’s name: Selvie Lleka
Interviewer’s name: Sarah Dudek and Violeta Peshku
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: f
Age: 31

I was born and lived in Tropoja. And I spent the last few years in Shkodra. I got my whole family in the Tropoja. I had to leave Tropoja when I was 15. I am sometimes forgetful, although I try to remember dates. We were once invited to our uncle’s house in Tropoja. My uncle’s daughter got married. And one day before the festivities of one of my uncle’s sons began, there was a little argument with people from the neighbourhood. A very banal incident with the car: you didn’t clear the way for me, no, it was you. The uncle’s son was driving a friend’s car. He kept driving in the car after the argument, and those guys were chasing him. They were two brothers and the father. And when he brought his friend home and wanted to go to his car, the two sons and the father beat him up so badly that he remained motionless in the street. The local people made sure he got to the hospital. The whole incident gave the festivities a completely different colouring.

A few days after the festivities, 1-2 days later, the family – as is usual in this area – went for a conversation with the family of the perpetrators. The perpetrators knew something like this was coming and this time they were even prepared with weapons for the family. My two older uncles from our family went to this meeting, the rest of us waited in a nearby restaurant. The family was received very aggressively. The armed family said we’d keep doing it and start shooting.

(His wife’s remark: This thing was even in the Albanian media. And until today you can read about the whole story on the internet.)

We went to the nearby pub. We were able to observe the situation. I was there with one of the uncle’s sons. When he saw his 74-year-old father being shot, my cousin went to his car, got a gun and went in the direction of the scene. He fired. The man who shot his uncle died.

Although I left Tropoja as a 15-year-old, I had slipped into horror because of a festivity. This is about blood revenge, about tradition. The family of the dead man has announced that not only the one who fired is guilty, following the tradition, but also I who was in nearby. I waited six months for the village elder to do something about this family. That didn’t happen. And because I have two children and especially because of my little son I unfortunately had to decide to leave Albania. Unfortunately, it is still so in Albania in some areas. When it comes to blood, it’s very difficult for someone to forgive. This goes on. That’s my main problem.

(His wife’s remark: “So you should actually take part in a festivity. And although it was a tragic event for the family, it was even more difficult for us because we were simply dragged into something we didn’t really want anything to do with. It was a hell of a time to experience it all and a hell of a time to become aware of it: You have to react, you have to go, you have to leave everything. For me, the moment I thought about my son was decisive. So I decided we have to leave.)

The little son came here at 1. Now he is 4 and actually he doesn’t know anyone there and we both enjoy that.

(His wife’s remark: When you say Albania, everyone thinks yes, they come from a poor country. It is not about Albania being poor. Albania is a rich country. Albania could make a good living from tourism. Albania has a bad destiny. It has been and will be governed by bad politicians. Of people who left Albania with its old and evil traditions. And it hurts me very much that a country that for years, and especially in communism, had a very close relationship with Europe, is now being driven into a dark corner by politics that does nothing at all. It is difficult for me to say this after my husband’s story, but I am convinced that Albania is not a country of people with stupid traditions. A good policy could change that.)

Storyteller’s name: Anonymous
Interviewer’s name: Sarah Dudek and Violeta Peshku
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: m
Age: 34

The decision to leave Albania was not easy, but there are certain reasons for it. I will talk about it later with my husband.

In March I’ve been in Germany, in Cologne, for three years. Cologne is very beautiful and it is a big and beautiful city and has its history. Meanwhile I would find it very sad if I could no longer be in Cologne. And here in the dormitory – you can see for yourself what it means to live here for a long time. It’s been three years I’ve been here.

I’m very proud of my daughter. She’s seven years old. I am proud that she knows both languages, Albanian and German, well. But I have problems with my son. With him you notice that he is very mixed and insecure in both languages. My son is four years old. My daughter’s in first grade.
I had difficulties with my daughter during pregnancy. And I was so proud when I went to school and the teacher was full of compliments on Angela.

How I spend my days here? That I’m busy being out as often as possible with the kids and spending as little time as possible in here. It is a house with different cultures, with many people. And although there are sometimes difficulties, I still find that in such a house with different people there is always the opportunity to learn something new. The first thing I learned was something beautiful: I came here and I couldn’t cook well. And here I had to cook and there I also looked, as others do this. And that’s a good example, something I learned quickly. Although I sometimes think I lose my patience, I think I have become more patient with the different people around me. There is nothing left but to be patient and to accept the facts.

Storyteller’s name: Anonymous
Interviewer’s name: Sarah Dudek and Violeta Peshku
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: f
Age: 30

Svenska: Jag heter Dile, Jag kom till Sverige med min familj, jag kommer från Albanien. Min familj består av 4 personer. Jag kom hit för två år sedan. Det var lite svårt från början i Sverige men nu är vi bättre på att skriva och prata svenska.

A Million Stories Sweden: Nizar Keblawi, Nina Olsson, Sara Sarabi, Malin Gillberg, Daniel Björklund, Mats Nordström.

A Million Stories Sweden volunteers: Fariborz Ghadir, Mohamad Mohsin, Yazan Saad, Tarek Aloudallah, Dalia Saleem, Yara Ali, Ahmad Younes, Chaimae Hamri.

In association with

Arijteja is 6 years old. She fled from Albania to Germany.

Storyteller’s name: Arijteja
Country of origin: Albanien
Sex: f
Age: 6

This drawing was made while a workshop in a refugee camp of the Social Service Catholic Men e. V.

Deutsch:
Arijteja ist sechs Jahre alt. Sie floh von Albanien nach Deutschland.

Name des Storytellers: Arijteja
Herkunftsland des Storytellers: Albanien
Geschlecht des Storytellers: weiblich
Alter des Storytellers: 6 Jahre

Das Bild wurde während eines Workshops in einem Flüchtlingsheim des Sozialdienst katholische Männer e.V. gemalt.

Laurenz is 12 years old. He fled from Albania to Germany.

Storyteller’s name: Laurenz
Data and project management: Monika Wächter
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: m
Age: 12

This drawing is part of the exhibition “Hope Courage Trust. Drawings of fled children”. The group is supervised by volunteers from the Catholic parish of St. Johannes XXXIII in Cologne. The children live in a refugee camp of the German Red Cross in Cologne.

Deutsch:
Laurenz ist zwölf Jahre alt. Er floh aus Albanien nach Deutschland.

Name des Storytellers: Laurenz
Daten und Projektleitung: Monika Wächter
Herkunftsland des Storytellers: Albanien
Geschlecht des Storytellers: männlich
Alter des Storytellers: 12 Jahre

Dieses Bild ist im Rahmen der Ausstellung „Hoffnung Mut Vertrauen. Malereien von geflüchteten Kindern“ entstanden. Die Gruppe wird von ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiterinnen der Kath. Kirchengemeinde Hl. Johannes XXXIII in Köln betreut. Die Kinder kommen aus einem Wohnheim des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes in Köln.

Pranvera is 13 years old. She fled from Albania to Germany.

Storyteller’s name: Pranvera
Data and project management: Monika Wächter
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: f
Age: 13

This drawing is part of the exhibition “Hope Courage Trust. Drawings of fled children”. The group is supervised by volunteers from the Catholic parish of St. Johannes XXXIII in Cologne. The children live in a refugee camp of the German Red Cross in Cologne.

Deutsch:
Pranvera ist dreizehn Jahre alt. Sie floh aus Albanien nach Deutschland.

Name des Storytellers: Pranvera
Daten und Projektleitung: Monika Wächter
Herkunftsland des Storytellers: Albanien
Geschlecht des Storytellers: weiblich
Alter des Storytellers: 13 Jahre

Dieses Bild ist im Rahmen der Ausstellung „Hoffnung Mut Vertrauen. Malereien von geflüchteten Kindern“ entstanden. Die Gruppe wird von ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiterinnen der Kath. Kirchengemeinde Hl. Johannes XXXIII in Köln betreut. Die Kinder kommen aus einem Wohnheim des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes in Köln.

Afdi is 8 years old. He fled from Albania to Germany.

Storyteller’s name: Afdi
Data and project management: Monika Wächter
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: m
Age: 8

This drawing is part of the exhibition “Hope Courage Trust. Drawings of fled children”. The group is supervised by volunteers from the Catholic parish of St. Johannes XXXIII in Cologne. The children live in a refugee camp of the German Red Cross in Cologne.

Deutsch:
Afdi ist acht Jahre alt. Er floh aus Albanien nach Deutschland.

Name des Storytellers: Afdi
Daten und Projektleitung: Monika Wächter
Herkunftsland des Storytellers: Albanien
Geschlecht des Storytellers: männlich
Alter des Storytellers: 8 Jahre

Diese Bilder sind im Rahmen der Ausstellung „Hoffnung Mut Vertrauen. Malereien von geflüchteten Kindern“ entstanden. Die Gruppe wird von ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiterinnen der Kath. Kirchengemeinde Hl. Johannes XXXIII in Köln betreut. Die Kinder kommen aus einem Wohnheim des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes in Köln.

Klementine is 13 years old. She fled from Albania to Germany.

Storyteller’s name: Klementine
Data and project management: Monika Wächter
Country of origin: Albania
Sex: f
Age: 13

This drawing is part of the exhibition “Hope Courage Trust. Drawings of fled children”. The group is supervised by volunteers from the Catholic parish of St. Johannes XXXIII in Cologne. The children live in a refugee camp of the German Red Cross in Cologne.

Deutsch:
Klementine ist dreizehn Jahre alt. Sie floh aus Albanien nach Deutschland.

Name des Storytellers: Klementine
Daten und Projektleitung: Monika Wächter
Herkunftsland des Storytellers: Albanien
Geschlecht des Storytellers: weiblich
Alter des Storytellers: 13 Jahre

Dieses Bild ist im Rahmen der Ausstellung „Hoffnung Mut Vertrauen. Malereien von geflüchteten Kindern“ entstanden. Die Gruppe wird von ehrenamtlichen Mitarbeiterinnen der Kath. Kirchengemeinde Hl. Johannes XXXIII in Köln betreut. Die Kinder kommen aus einem Wohnheim des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes in Köln.