Exhibition for the 140th anniversary of Gjergj Fishta’s birth

One exhibition with at least 250 exhibits was opened in the National Historical Museum in commemoration of 140^th anniversary of Gjergj Fishta’s birth.  It was collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, Franciscan Province of Shkodra and Albanian Nationwide Collectors Center, which provide the majority of archival materials.  Except the documents, manuscripts and photos, for the first time are exhibited relics of the poet. The cane of Gjergj Fishta, two publications of “Lahuta e Malcis” dedicated to At Çiprian Nika and At Zef Pllumi, writing desk, a carpet and a chandelier.  It’s believed that a typewriter and two fruit container are belonging to Gjergj Fishta, but there are still suspicions about this. “It is an exhibition that highlights the life and the activities of Gjergj Fishta and his wide dimension. We can find here his publicistic activity, poetry and prose publications, correspondence, documents that are connected with the activity of Fishta, and his visit in the Balkan Conference in Istnabul, in Bucharest, his visit in America, in the Conference of Peace in Paris. Also there are some photos, the orders and medals that he has received from different countries, diplomas of “Illyricum ” high school, when he has been director from 1902, rare publications before the liberation but even after the 90s” -has expressed the collector Shpëtim Sala

In the opening ceremony was the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Aldo Bumçi, “The Ministry of Culture will reconstruct the house of Fishta, and the Nation Theatre should definitely perform his drama.  Meanwhile, it will be preparing a photo album with Marubi photos, and till now we have selected approximately 67 photos”, said Bumçi. He spoke for a greater presence of poet in school programs.

This exhibition, which stayed open only a few hours in the Nation Museum because of collision of activities, it’s a journey through documents and photos in life of Fishta. There we can find postal cards and his correspondence with friends and relatives. A number of manuscripts have some corrections that Fishta has done later. In another stall are the publications of “Lahuta e Malcis”, starting from the early of 1937, “Juda Makabe” in 1920, the second publication of “Anzat e Parnasit”, the first publication of “Odisea Ifigjenia n’Aulli” of 1931s.  In this exhibition has not been missing the early numbers of “Hylli i Dritës”.  Parts of the exhibition are the photos of Fishta in his deathbed.  Some photos, show as early views from the interior part of the destroyed Franciscan Church. The materials are extracted from some private collections, where did not missing a film with his voice, own by collector Niko Kotherja, from Korça. Certainly those few hours have not been enough for the people who probably have learned only in that day for this exhibition.

The exhibition was conceptualized in two parts. In the first part was shown the life of Patër Gjergj Fishta through numerous photos, books, personal objects, correspondence, medals, titles given by different countries and organizations. This identified the collaboration of Patër Gjergj Fishta with the patriotic clubs and culture societies, the participation in the Congres of Manastir, in the Conference of Peace in Paris, in the Balkan Conference and in the first Albanian Parliament, his activities as a director of the Franciscan school.  In the second part of the exhibition was shown the activity of Patër Gjergj Fishta, in his original publications. The work of Pater Gjergj Fishta couldn’t fade the half- century slavic-communist rule; this will remain through centuries as an infinite patriotic example of the Albanian nation.