Luigj Gurakuqi

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Luigj Gurakuqi
Hero of the People
Signature

Luigj Gurakuqi (also called Louis Gurakuchi; 19 February 1879 – 2 March 1925) was an

People's Hero of Albania medal.[1]

Biography

Early life

Gurakuqi was born to a

Girolamo De Rada, who would exercise a strong influence on him.[2] Gurakuqi also studied medicine in Naples for three years, but his interests were focused more on science and the humanities. In Naples, he came into contact with Arbëresh literary and political figures and published Albanian school texts and a book on prosody.[2] He was also a poet and published under the pen name Jakin Shkodra and Lekë Gruda. He published articles in Albania, Drita, Kalendari-kombëtar, Liria e Shqipërisë, and La Nazione Albanese
.

Albanian independence

In 1908, after the revolution of the Young Turks, Gurakuqi returned definitively to Albania and soon became a leading figure in the nationalist movement, which led to the country's

Vlora on 28 November 1912 and served as minister of education in the first Albanian government, headed by Ismail Qemal.[5]

Austro–Hungarian occupation

In 1915, when his native Shkodër was occupied by Montenegrin troops, Gurakuqi was taken prisoner and jailed in Montenegro until after the invasion of Austro–Hungarian forces.[2] In 1916, he played a role in the Albanian Literary Commission on Albanian orthography, which also served to encourage the publication of Albanian language school texts. During the Austro–Hungarian occupation of Shkodër, he served as director general of education and assisted in establishing about 200 elementary schools.[5]

Principality of Albania and Noli's Government

In 1918, Gurakuqi was again appointed minister of education in the newly formed Durrës government. The following year he attended the Paris Peace Conference. In 1921, he was appointed minister of the interior in the government of Hasan bey Prishtina.

Fan S. Noli became the new Prime Minister, while Luigj Gurakuqi was part of the new cabinet as Minister of Economy and Finance.[6]
in the short-lived government. In August 1924, Gurakuqi traveled to Geneva to defend Albanian interests at the League of Nations, but with the overthrow of Fan Noli's democratic administration by the more authoritarian Zogu forces, he was forced to flee to Italy.

Exile and death

After the restoration of the Zogist regime, Gurakuqi lived in Bari, Italy, where he was murdered in a café by Baltjon Stambolla.

Legacy

Monument in Shkodër

Luigj Gurakuqi served the national cause not only by playing an active role in public life, but also by contributing informative articles to a good number of Albanian periodicals. He was, in addition, the author of both didactic and educational works and of poetry, much of which he published under the pseudonyms Lek Gruda and Jakin Shkodra. A collection of his verse, imbued with the strong patriotic emotion and sentimentality of romantic nationalism, was published posthumously in the 94-page Vjersha (Verse; Bari: Gjikam, 1940), by Gjon Kamsi.[5]

Honors

Luigj Gurakuqi was awarded the titles Hero i Popullit (Hero of the People) and Mësues i Popullit (Teacher of the People). The town of Shkodra has always been proud of Luigj Gurakuqi, and on 29 May 1991, it named the newly founded university there after him. A statue of him stands in the center of Shkodër.[6]

See also

References

  1. S2CID 211344809
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 9780810873803
    . Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  3. ^ Skendi 1967, p. 412.
  4. ISBN 9781400847761
    .
  5. ^ a b c d Elsie 2010, p. 179
  6. ^
    ISBN 1-55849-097-3
    .
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Luigj Gurakuqi.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luigj_Gurakuqi&oldid=1198388667"