Gjergj Fishta

Gjergj Fishta (born October 23, 1871 - December 30, 1940) was an Albanian Franciscan friar, a poet, and a translator.

Born in Fishtë, Zadrimë, Lezhë, Fishta studied philosophy and Catholic theology in Bosnia. In 1902, he became the head of the Franciscan gymnasium in Shkodra.He interpreted Albania in the conference of Paris on 1919.From the beginning of April 1919 to 1920, he served as Secretary of the Albanian delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. At the end of 1920, he was elected to parliament by Shkodra, and in 1921 the became the Vice President of the Albanian parliament. In 1924, Fishta supported Fan Noli in his attempt to found a democratic system in Albania. After the establishment of the Zogu Regime, Fishta left willingly to go into exile in Italy in 1925/26, before he resumed his position as teacher and writer in Shkodra. He died in Shkodra in 1940.

Through both his work as a teacher as well as through his literary works, Fishta had a great influence on the development of the written form of his native Gheg Albanian. Fishta worked moreover as a translator (of Molière, Manzoni, Homer, et al.).

Works

* "Lahuta e Malcís", epic poem, (Zara, 1902)
* "Anzat e Parnasit", satire, (Sarajevo, 1907)
* "Pika voese më vonë ri botuar si Vallja e Parrizit", (Zara, 1909)
* "Shqiptari i qytetnuem", melodrama, (1911)
* "Vëllaznia apo Shën Françesku i Assisi-t", (1912)
* "Juda Makabe", tragedy, (1914)
* "Gomari i Babatasit, Shkodër", (1923)
* "Mrizin e Zanave, Shkodër", (1924)
* "Lahuta e Malcís" (2d. ed.), Gesamtdruck, (Shkodër 1937)

Fishta was editor of the magazine "Hylli i Dritës" (1913) and the newspaper "Posta e Shypnisë" (1916-1917).

"Atdheut" (MRIZI I ZÂNAVET, 1924)

N’tý mendoj kúr agon drita,
Kúr bylbyli mallshem kndon,
N’tý mendoj kur soset dita,
Terri boten kúr e mblon.

Veç se tý të shoh un n’anderr,
Veç se tý, çuet, t’kam n’mendim;
Nder t’vështira ti m’jé qanderr,
Per tý i lehtë m’vjen çdo ndeshkim.

Tjera brigje, fusha e zalle
Un kam pá, larg tue bâ shtek,
E pergjova tjera valle,
N’tjera lule syu m’u rrek;

Por nji fushë mâ e blerët nuk shtrohet,
Por nji mal mâ bukur s’rri,
Mâ i kulluet nji lum s’dikohet,
Moj Shqypni, porsi i ké ti.

N’tý mâ i bukur lulzon Prielli,
Janë mâ t’kandshme stinë e mot;
N’tý bylbyli pa lé dielli
Kndon mâ ambel t’Madhit Zot.

Pa tý lules s’m’i vjen era,
Pa tý pema fryt nuk m’bjen:
Mue pa tý nuk m’del prendvera,
Pa tý dielli nuk m’shelxen.

Dersá t’mundem me ligjrue
E sá gjáll me frymë un jam,
Kurr Shqypni, s’kam me t’harrue,
Edhe n’vorr me t’permendë kam.

~ A. Gjergj Fishta

References

*The information in this article is based on that in its German equivalent.
*Maximilian Lambertz: Gjergj Fishta und das albanische Heldenepos "Lahuta e Malsisë" - Laute des Hochlandes. Eine Einführung in die albanische Sagenwelt. Leipzig 1949.

External links

* [http://www.albanianliterature.com/html/authors/bio/fishta.html Biography of Gjergj Fishta]