Besim Bokshi

Besim Bokshi was born on November 12, 1930 in Korçë, a city in southeastern Albania. He studied law and political science at the University of Bucharest, where he joined other Albanian intellectuals and activists who were working for the independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. He returned to his homeland in 1959 and worked as a teacher of Albanian language and director of a night school. He was one of the founding members of the Dituria (Knowledge) association of Korçë, which promoted Albanian culture and education. He also participated in several congresses and meetings that aimed to standardize the Albanian language and orthography. He was one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912, representing the Albanian colony of Bucharest. He also served as the director of the newspaper Perlindja e Shqipëniës (The Awakening of Albania) and the secretary of the Albanian diplomatic mission led by Ismail Qemali. He was involved in various negotiations and conferences regarding the recognition and borders of Albania. He held several positions in the Albanian government, such as general director of hospitals, secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, minister of National Economy, and minister of Education. He was also the Albanian minister in Rome from 1936 to 1939. In 1941, he joined the pro-Italian government of Mustafa Merlika-Kruja as the secretary of the Ministry of Popular Culture. After the fall of the regime, he left Albania and settled in Rome, where he lived until his death on August 16, 2014. [1](^1^) [2](^2^) [3](^3^) Bokshi was a prominent figure of the Albanian National Awakening and one of the founders of the modern Albanian state. He was also a prolific writer and journalist, who published several books, articles, and translations in Albanian and Romanian. He wrote about the history, culture, and politics of Albania, as well as the international affairs of Europe. He was the leader of the group that published the two-volume book Shqipnija më 1937 (Albania in 1937), which was a comprehensive survey of the social, economic, and cultural situation of Albania at the time. He also wrote the first Albanian historical novel, Një breshkë në det (A Turtle in the Sea), which tells the story of the Albanian revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1847. He was influenced by the European liberalism and nationalism, as well as by the Albanian oral tradition and folklore. He was a respected and influential personality in both Albania and Romania, where he had many friends and admirers. [1](^1^) [2](^2^) [3](^3^) [4](^4^)