Vaso Pasha

Vaso Pasha was an Albanian writer, poet and publicist of the Albanian National Awakening, and Ottoman mutasarrif of Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate from 1882 until his death. He was born in Shkodër in 1825. He graduated from the French Lyceum of Korçë and worked as an editor, journalist and teacher in various cities of the Ottoman Empire. He was involved in many literary and cultural activities and organizations in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia. He joined the armed resistance against the Ottoman rule in 1906, forming the first Albanian guerrilla band with his brother. He fought in several battles and skirmishes, spreading the Albanian national consciousness and demanding administrative autonomy. He also participated in the Congress of Manastir in 1908, where the Albanian alphabet was standardized. He continued his struggle against the Greek and Serbian forces during the Balkan Wars and the First World War, defending the Albanian territories and interests. He was wounded in the Battle of Deçiq in 1915 and died shortly after in Shkodër. He was buried in the Cemetery of Heroes, where he is honored as a national hero. He translated many French authors such as Hugo, Maupassant, Stendhal and Diderot into Albanian and published some original works of poetry and prose. [1](^1^) [2](^2^) [3](^3^) [4](^4^)