Teodor Keko

Teodor Keko (1958-2002) was an Albanian writer. When Teodor Keko, known as Dori i Vogël, died of a lethal disease, Edi Rama, at the time the mayor of Tirana, said in an interview: "with him is gone the last of the bohemians of this city"

Life

Teodor Keko (1958-2002) was born in the Albanian capital, Tirana, from cinematographer parents (Endri and Xhanfize Keko). In 1979 he started his studies for Gjuhë dhe Letërsi Shqipe (Albanian language and literature) in the University of Tirana, where he graduated in 1983. During his study he met his wife Xhulieta, who studied English language and literature and later became a primary school teacher. Her parents were diplomats and served among others in China and Algeria. Dori and Xhuli have two sons, Martin and Elio, born in the 1980s. Teodor worked as a journalist for the literary newspaper "Drita". When the Stalinist system dissolved in 1990, Keko engaged himself as a journalist for the daily Koha Jonë, and later became editor of the political newspaper "Aleanca" (organ of the Aleanca Demokratike Party) and of the weekly cultural and artistic magazine "Aks". Together with the Albanian journalist Arben Kalamata he founded the 'Independend League of Journalists'. They also were involved in the foundation of the Albanian section of the Association of European Journalists. On March 10th and 18th, 1994 Teodor Keko and his publisher (and ex-minister of culture) Prec Zogaj were assaulted and heavily injured. For some weeks Teodor was afraid of leaving his apartment. After Teodor died in 2002 his wife and children went to the Netherlands. A commemoration of Teodor Keko is the Rruga Teodor Keko (Teodor keko Street) in Tirana. For several years, Keko contributed to Albanian politics, and for one legislative session he was also a member of parliament for the Democratic Alliance Party. [cite book | last = Abrahams | first = Fred | title = Human Rights in Post-Communist Albania | publisher = Human Rights Watch | date = 1996 | pages = 47 | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MkmGHvI-RyUC&pg=PA47&dq=Teodor+Keko&as_brr=3&client=firefox-a&sig=PxjPb5Fvb6FBN5NiYW7Pi5Akm6c | isbn = 1564321606] Teodor Keko began publishing his first works in the 1980s when he became famous for his short stories. He died prematurely on 20 August, 2002. [cite news | title = Cultural Roundup | work = Southeast European Times | date = 2002-08-28 | url = http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/bg/features/setimes/roundup/2002/08/020827-GEORGI-000 | accessdate = 2008-04-11]

The well-known Albanian writer, Besnik Mustafaj, gave the last speech. Among other things he said:

Ndër të gjithë miqtë e tu të shumtë, mua më ra shorti i vështirë të të them lamtumirën e fundit në emër të tyre. Ne të gjithë të kemi dashur shumë. Dhe po të japim sot me vete mirënjohjen tonë më të thellë, për atë që ti ke ditur, ke mundur dhe ke dashur të na japësh një jetë të tërë. Unë tani përfitoj nga heshtja jote e detyrueshme dhe do të them çfarë të dua. Ti s'më ndërpret dot me të tallur, siç bëje zakonisht...

Translation: "Among all your many friends, it was my tough luck to say the final farewell in their name. We all loved you greatly. And today we are giving you our most profound gratitude, for that which you have known, have toiled and have desired to give us a full life. I now benefit from your obligatory silence and will say what I want. You do no cease to tease me at all, as you usually did."

Works

His first major work, the novel "Loja" (The Game) was widely praised as it marked the birth of a new huge talent. In all, he is the author of at least fifteen volumes of poetry, novels, drama and short stories, his specialty.

His novel "Lajmëtarja e Vdekjeve" (The Harbinger of Deaths), was published on the eve of the system changes and is one of major works written during the last days of the regime. It is one of the books the author himself loved the most. His last work, "Hollësira Fatale" (Fatal Details), 2001, became a bestseller in Albania.

Teodor Keko is one of Albanian authors who is in the process of being translated into English by Robert Elsie.

Keko's characters are filthy and noble. The young Albanian director Eno Milkani (His documentary "Edeni i braktisur" - script by Roland Gjoza, a "G&G FilmPro" production - participated in the 38th edition of Karlovy Vary film festival) has written the script of his upcoming movie "Shenjtorja" (The Saint) based on Keko's "Dymbëdhjetë shenjtorë, një profet dhe disa njerëz" (Twelve Saints, a Prophet and Some People).

According to Milkani, Keko's characters are "products of a hopeless society but with a nobility that blossoms only within them who have gone through a totalitarian system."

Bibliography

* "Loja" (The Game), 1990
* "Lajmëtarja e vdekjeve" (The Harbinger of Deaths), 1991
* "Pretenca" (The Pretence), 1994
* "Shënimet e një gruaje" (The Notes of a Woman), 1995
* "Dymbëdhjetë shenjtorë, një profet dhe disa njerëz" (Twelve Saints, a Prophet and Some People), 1997
* "Prostituta" (The Prostitute), 1997;
* "Made in Albania" (Made in Albania), 1998
* "Vdekja e nëpunësit X" (The Death of Civil Servant X), 2000
* "Hollësira fatale" (Fatal Details), 2001.

References