Thimi Mitko
Encyclopedia
Thimi Mitko was an Albanian
rilindas and folklorist.
Mitko was born in Korçë
, Albania
(then Ottoman Empire
), where he attended the local Greek school. His uncle, Peti Mitko, had been one of the leaders of the Albanian Revolt of 1847
in Korçë and Tepelenë against the Turkish Tanzimat
legislation. Both left Albania in 1850, moving first to Athens
, Greece
, then to Plovdiv
, Bulgaria
and finally to Vienna
, Austria
, where Thimi Mitko worked as a tailor. In 1866, he emigrated to Egypt
, devoting himself to the Albanian nationalist movement and setting up a successful trading business in Beni Suef
where he died on 1890.
Mitko collected Albanian folklore material from 1866. He corresponded with Jeronim De Rada, Dhimitër Kamarda
, Dora d'Istria
, Jan Urban Jarník, Kostandin Kristoforidhi
, and Gustav Meyer, providing Camarda with folksongs, riddles and tales for the latter's collection. Mitko's own collection of Albanian folklore, consisting of folk songs, tales and popular sayings from southern Albania, Bleta Shqipëtare (The Albanian Bee) was published in Alexandria
, Egypt
on 1878. According to Mitko, the collection was meant to provide Egypt's flourishing Albanian community with information about Albanian customs. The work was reedited by Gjergj Pekmezi
in Vienna in 1924 under the title Bleta shqypëtare e Thimi Mitkos. Mitko was also the author of numerous articles in European periodicals in support of the Albanian cause. Mitko in one of his works claims that the majority of the Albanian people supported the idea that they should remain part of the Ottoman Empire
.
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 and folklorist.
Mitko was born in Korçë
Korçë
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...
, 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...
(then Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
), where he attended the local Greek school. His uncle, Peti Mitko, had been one of the leaders of the Albanian Revolt of 1847
Albanian Revolt of 1847
The Albanian Revolt of 1847 was a 19th century uprising in southern Albania directed against Ottoman Tanzimat reforms which started in 1839 and were gradually being put in action in the regions of Albania. One of the characteristics of the uprising was the absence of known bey families among its...
in Korçë and Tepelenë against the Turkish Tanzimat
Tanzimat
The Tanzimât , meaning reorganization of the Ottoman Empire, was a period of reformation that began in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. The Tanzimât reform era was characterized by various attempts to modernize the Ottoman Empire, to secure its territorial integrity against...
legislation. Both left Albania in 1850, moving first to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, then to Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and finally to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, where Thimi Mitko worked as a tailor. In 1866, he emigrated to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, devoting himself to the Albanian nationalist movement and setting up a successful trading business in Beni Suef
Beni Suef
- Overview :Beni Suef is an important agricultural center, which grew from a small village at the turn of the century and now hosts a population of over 200,000. It was famous for its linen manufacturing in the Middle Ages, and continues to be heavily involved in cotton-spinning and carpet-making....
where he died on 1890.
Mitko collected Albanian folklore material from 1866. He corresponded with Jeronim De Rada, Dhimitër Kamarda
Dhimiter Kamarda
Demetrio Camarda was an Arbëreshë linguist, patriot of the arbëreshë, and publisher of Albanian folklore, with scientific knowledge also in the field of Indo-European linguistics. He was the follower of the work already performed by Jeronim De Rada...
, Dora d'Istria
Dora d'Istria
Dora d'Istria , pen-name of duchess Helena Koltsova-Massalskaya, born Elena Ghica, was a Romanian Romantic writer and feminist.-Early life:...
, Jan Urban Jarník, Kostandin Kristoforidhi
Kostandin Kristoforidhi
-Additional readings:*])]*])]*])]*. In: Besa. Nr. 193, Jg. 2007. S. 2–7....
, and Gustav Meyer, providing Camarda with folksongs, riddles and tales for the latter's collection. Mitko's own collection of Albanian folklore, consisting of folk songs, tales and popular sayings from southern Albania, Bleta Shqipëtare (The Albanian Bee) was published in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
on 1878. According to Mitko, the collection was meant to provide Egypt's flourishing Albanian community with information about Albanian customs. The work was reedited by Gjergj Pekmezi
Gjergj Pekmezi
Gjergj Pekmezi was an Albanian linguist and folklorist. In 1916 he became a member of the Literary Commission of Shkodër, which established the first standard form of the Albanian language.- Life :...
in Vienna in 1924 under the title Bleta shqypëtare e Thimi Mitkos. Mitko was also the author of numerous articles in European periodicals in support of the Albanian cause. Mitko in one of his works claims that the majority of the Albanian people supported the idea that they should remain part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.