Republic Day in Albania is observed on January 11 each year, commemorating the establishment of the communist government in the country. This day marks a significant moment in Albania's history, as it was on this date that Enver Hoxha proclaimed the People's Republic of Albania in 1945, following the end of World War II. Although Albania gained independence in 1912, it faced invasions by Fascist Italy in 1939 and Nazi Germany in 1943 before becoming a communist state. The socialist period saw Albania industrialize and experience rapid economic growth, albeit with severe restrictions on religious freedoms, culminating in Hoxha declaring Albania the first atheist state in 1967. Despite the dissolution of the People's Republic in the early 1990s, the historical importance of January 11 remains significant in the national consciousness.