Hava Rexha aged 122, the oldest woman in Albania huggs Xhersi, one of
her great grandchildren of fourth generation at her home in Shushice,
district of Elbasan, some 60 km from Tirana on July 8, 2002. Rexha was
born on August 14, 1880 and was married in 1894 when Albania was still
occupied by the Turks. She lived to see Albania proclaim its
independence in 1912, was subject of King Zog rule, survived two World
Wars and was already old when the small Balkan nation became the
harshest communist dictatorship under Enver Hoxha. REUTERS/Arben Celi

EL/AH