photographed in his appartment in Korça

Born on November 20, 1934, in Korçë, Vasillaq Orgocka faced persecution for marrying a foreign woman, Barbara Gluc from Poland. The couple met while Vasillaq was studying geological engineering in Warsaw and returned to Albania after their marriage, where they had two children.

From 1961, following Albania’s break with the Soviet Union, the couple became targets of the State Security. In December 1968, Vasillaq was arrested for “agitation and propaganda,” followed by Barbara, who was accused of being a foreign agent.

Vasillaq’s situation worsened when he was accused of collaborating with Polish espionage. Along with others, he was sentenced to death, but thanks to Decree No. 4530, dated September 6, 1969, the Presidium of the People’s Assembly commuted his sentence to 25 years in prison. He served the entire sentence in the Spaç prison camp, spending 16 years, 7 months, and 23 days in detention, and was finally released on August 31, 1985.

Barbara Orgocka spent three years in the women’s prison in Qytet Stalin (now Kuçovë). According to Vasillaq’s testimony, Barbara was drugged in prison to force her to confess to espionage. After three years, the Polish government intervened to secure her return to her homeland. Barbara was reunited with Vasillaq and their two children only after.