Bilal Xhaferri
Encyclopedia
Bilal Xhaferri (also known a Bill Jefferson) was an Albanian poet and novelist, and a political dissident against the Albanian communist regime. He was born in Ninat, Konispol
in southern Albania, and died in Chicago
, USA.
('The Eagle's Wing'), which published literary and anti-communist political material.
After the end of the communist regime in Albania, he was posthumously honored by the President of the Albanian Republic with the title Martyr of Democracy in 1995, "for his dedication as publicist and dissident politician in the fight against communism and dictatorship, for his deep national and democratic aspiration". His remains were returned to Albania and buried in his hometown Saranda.
1995, 6 May, the writer Shefki Hysa
, chairman of the Cultural Association “Bilal Xhaferri”
, in cooperation with Albanian government initiated and organized the ceremony of carcass return in homeland of the outstanding dissident
poet, novelist, Bilal Xhaferri who rests now in his hometown, Saranda.
Konispol
Konispol is the southernmost town in Albania. It sits one kilometer away from the Albanian-Greek border. The municipality consists of the town Konispol and the village Çiflik.The town's main interests are agriculture and viticulture...
in southern Albania, and died in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, USA.
Biography
Bilal Xhaferri grew up in Albania and published his first pieces of poetry and short stories in various journals in 1962-1963. His first book publication was Njerëz të rinj, tokë e lashtë ('Young people, ancient land'), published in 1967. A novel, Krastakraus, was written in 1967 but only published posthumously in 1993. In 1968 he was prohibited from further publishing by the communist censorship, and in 1969 he emigrated to Greece and a year later to the USA. In 1974 he founded the emigrant Albanian magazine Krahu i shqiponjësKrahu i shqiponjës
Krahu i shqiponjës is an Albanian national magazine which first appeared in the democratic post-communist period, in Tirana , in 1995, in progress of Bilal Xhaferri's magazine, which was published in Chicago, USA...
('The Eagle's Wing'), which published literary and anti-communist political material.
After the end of the communist regime in Albania, he was posthumously honored by the President of the Albanian Republic with the title Martyr of Democracy in 1995, "for his dedication as publicist and dissident politician in the fight against communism and dictatorship, for his deep national and democratic aspiration". His remains were returned to Albania and buried in his hometown Saranda.
1995, 6 May, the writer Shefki Hysa
Shefki Hysa
Shefki Mazar Hysa - is an Albanian writer and journalist.- Biography :He continued his elementary studies in Shalës of Konispol, Çamëri region.In 1976, he continued his studies at high school Konispol...
, chairman of the Cultural Association “Bilal Xhaferri”
Cultural Association “Bilal Xhaferri”
The Bilal Xhaferri Cultural Association , otherwise called Cultural Community of Chameria, is a non-governmental organization centered in Tirana, Albania. This association was founded by a group of journalists, writers, artists and intellectuals, friends of dissident novelist and publicist Bilal...
, in cooperation with Albanian government initiated and organized the ceremony of carcass return in homeland of the outstanding dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
poet, novelist, Bilal Xhaferri who rests now in his hometown, Saranda.
Works
- "Young People, Ancient Land” – summary of stories (1966)
- "The Red Valley” - lyrics (1967) [1]
- "Bloody Love” – romantic novel (1992)
- "Krastakraus" - novel (1967), (Published post mortem 1993)
- “Sadness, come” (1995)
- “Berati surrenders” novel, published by - PristinaPristinaPristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
1995 ISBN 99943-904-5-7 - "Beyond distance " – prose and articles (1996)