| Conventional Long Name: | Albania |
| Era: | World War II / Cold War |
| National Motto: | Ti Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar "You Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian" Proletarë të të gjitha vendeve, bashkohuni! "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" |
| Event Start: | Establishment |
| Year Start: | 1944 |
| Date Start: | 20 October |
| Event End: | Republic proclaimed |
| Date End: | 10 January |
| Year End: | 1946 |
| P1: | German occupation of AlbaniaGerman Occupation |
| Flag P1: | Flag of German occupied Albania.svg |
| S1: | People's Socialist Republic of AlbaniaSocialist Albania |
| Flag S1: | Flag of Albania (1946–1992).svg |
| S2: | Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaFPR Yugoslavia |
| Flag S2: | Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg |
| Image Map Caption: | Location of Albania in July, 1945. |
| Capital: | Tirana |
| National Anthem: | Himni i Flamurit "Hymn to the Flag" |
| Common Languages: | Albanian |
| Currency: | Franga |
| Government Type: | Unitary one-party provisional government under a proletarian dictatorship |
| Title Leader: | Chairman |
| Leader1: | Omer Nishani |
| Year Leader1: | 1944–1946 |
| Title Deputy: | Prime Minister |
| Deputy1: | Enver Hoxha |
| Year Deputy1: | 1944–1946 |
| Legislature: | Constituent Assembly |
| Cabinet Name: | Democratic Government of Albania |
| Cabinet Type: | Government |
| Cabinet Number: | 37th |
| Flag: | Flag of the Democratic Government of Albania (1944–1946).svg |
| Jurisdiction: | Albania |
| Incumbent: | 1944–1946 |
| Government Head Title: | Leader |
| Government Head: | Enver Hoxha |
| Members Number: | 15 |
| Previous: | German occupation of Albania, Biçaku Government |
| Successor: | Hoxha II Government, People's Socialist Republic of Albania |
The Democratic Government of Albania (Albanian: Qeveria Demokratike e Shqipërisë) also known as the Hoxha I Government was established on 20 October 1944 by the National Liberation Movement, as the Albanian partisan resistance of 1940–1944 came to a close. A provisional government took power after the liberation of the country from German forces on 28 November. Its interim Prime Minister was Secretary-General Enver Hoxha of the Communist Party of Albania. The interim government was to be in existence until the holding of elections and the convening of a Constituent Assembly.
The government was led by the National Liberation Movement (LANÇ), which in turn was dominated by the Communist Party. From the outset, the Democratic Government was a Communist state. It sidelined the nationalist Balli Kombëtar, a task made somewhat easier by large amounts of British support. King Zog I was effectively dethroned; the Democratic Government barred him from ever returning to the country. The LANÇ quickly established fraternal relationships with other Communist countries.
Elections were held on 2 December 1945. By this time, the LANÇ had transformed itself into the Democratic Front of Albania, which was the only organization to contest the election. On 10 January 1946, the People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed.[1] [2] [3]