the "old regime". Those years were characterized by notorious witch hunts against writers. The practices and policies undertaken by Stalin in the 1930s in the Soviet Union were applied in Albania throughout the 46 years of Communist rule. In the political and cultural context of Communist Albania, writers could choose either complete obedience and service to the regime, compromise with clans in the Albanian Writers Union, or stop publishing their works. The later option led to the creation of the "literature of the drawers". Yet very few writers were able to hide their works due to the strict surveillance from the Communist authorities, and no one was able to circulate their works illegally, so samizdat were non-existent throughout the Communist period in Albania. Any writers deemed suspicious by the authorities were arrested, imprisoned, or executed, with or without trial. The literature of this period developed within the framework of Socialist Realism, the only direction allowed by official policy. Albanian writers had to focus on the partisan war and the efforts to build socialism, and also prevent the influence of "decadent" Western culture. Subjects which did not contribute to Communist ideology and politics were deemed taboo. The very treatment of taboo subjects in a conformist manner amounted to extreme dissent. The most elaborate type of novel was the novel of Socialist Realism of ethical and historical character, with a linear subject matter (Jakov Xoxa, Sterjo Spasse, Fatmir Gjata), but novels with a rugged composition, open poetics, and a philosophical substratum issuing from association of ideas and historical analogies (Ismail Kadare, Petro Marko) as well as the satirical novel are not lacking. A satirical novel is The Rise and Fall of Comrade Zylo by Dritëro Agolli. The short story and novel were developed by Dhimitër Shuteriqi, Teodor Laço, Dhimitër Xhuvani, Petraq Zoto, and others; poetry by Ismail Kadare, Dritëro Agolli, Fatos Arapi, Xhevahir Spahiu, Mimoza Ahmeti, and others. Drama and comedy (by Spiro Çomora, Karnavalet e Korçës (The Carnival of Korça), 1961) developed to a lesser degree. Contemporary period Albania's best-known contemporary writer is Ismail Kadare, born in 1936, whose novels have been translated into 45 languages. With his novels The General of the Dead Army (1963), The Siege (1970), Chronicle in Stone (1971), The Three-Arched Bridge (1978), Broken April (1980), The File on H. (1981), The Palace of Dreams (1981), The Pyramid (1992); and The Successor (2002), Kadare brought Albanian literature