Mihal Grameno
Encyclopedia
Mihal Grameno was an Albanian
rilindas, politician
, writer
, freedom fighter, and journalist
.
in a merchant family, he studied there at the local secondary school
before emigrating to Romania
in 1885. It was in Bucharest
that he got involved in the Albanian National Awakening and in 1889 became secretary of the Drita society.
In 1907, he joined the newly formed Çerçiz Topulli
's kachak
band, an early guerrilla unit fighting against Turkish troops in Albania
. They were considered the apostoles of Albanianism and would go from village to villagte to discuss the Albanian predicament.
Turkish officials sent out military patrols to capture the bandits. The activity of the band consisted of only one battle in two years, when the 5 people band was surrounded by 150 Turkish units in Mashkullore. Four out of five escaped the encirclement. Other bands of this nature, not having a journalist in their company, such as Grameno have remained unsung heroes.
In 1909 Grameno founded in Korçë the Orthodox League
and served as editor of its periodical with the same name during 1909–1910. He also served as the editor of the weekly Koha (Time), initially published in Korçë and later in Jamestown, New York
where he lived from 1915 to 1919. He traveled back to Europe
to represent Albania through the Albanian-American community at the Paris Peace Conference
in 1919 and in the following year he returned in Albania
.
In the 1920s he carried out his journalistic and literary activities until the dictatureship of Zog I forced him to retire from public life. Resigned and seriously ill, he died on February 5, 1931 in his beloved Korçë.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
rilindas, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, freedom fighter, and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Biography
Born in KorçëKorçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
in a merchant family, he studied there at the local secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
before emigrating to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in 1885. It was in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
that he got involved in the Albanian National Awakening and in 1889 became secretary of the Drita society.
In 1907, he joined the newly formed Çerçiz Topulli
Çerçiz Topulli
Çerçiz Topulli was an Albanian Renaissance armed fighter, writer, and patriot, and is a People's Hero of Albania. He was the younger brother of Bajo Topulli....
's kachak
Kachak
A Kachak is an originally Turkish term for rebel or bandit. In Albania the term is used to define guerrilla units established by Albanian revolutionaries who fought in Albanian inhabited areas against foreign rule during the period of the Albanian National Awakening and the early 20th century in...
band, an early guerrilla unit fighting against Turkish troops in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. They were considered the apostoles of Albanianism and would go from village to villagte to discuss the Albanian predicament.
Turkish officials sent out military patrols to capture the bandits. The activity of the band consisted of only one battle in two years, when the 5 people band was surrounded by 150 Turkish units in Mashkullore. Four out of five escaped the encirclement. Other bands of this nature, not having a journalist in their company, such as Grameno have remained unsung heroes.
In 1909 Grameno founded in Korçë the Orthodox League
and served as editor of its periodical with the same name during 1909–1910. He also served as the editor of the weekly Koha (Time), initially published in Korçë and later in Jamestown, New York
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
where he lived from 1915 to 1919. He traveled back to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to represent Albania through the Albanian-American community at the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
in 1919 and in the following year he returned in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
.
In the 1920s he carried out his journalistic and literary activities until the dictatureship of Zog I forced him to retire from public life. Resigned and seriously ill, he died on February 5, 1931 in his beloved Korçë.
Works
The following publications are left from Grameno- Vdekja (The Death), a patriotic poem published in 1903;
- Mallkimi i gjuhës shqipe, (The curse upon the Albanian language), a comedy published in BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
1905 , - Vdekja e Piros (The Death of Pyrrhus), a historical tragedy published in Sofia, 1906.
- Oxhaku (The Hearth), E puthura (The Kiss), and Varr' i pagëzimit (The Tomb of the Baptism), Korçë 1909, short stories.
- Plagët (The wounds) Manastir 1912, a volume of poetry;
- Kryengritja shqiptare, Korçë 1925 (The Albanian Uprising), memoirs of his experiences as a guerrilla fighter against the Turkish and Greek troops.