The photo exhibition is a 10-year journey from Albania’s declaration of independence in 1912 to the first diplomatic recognition.
TIRANA, June 21 – The first ten years of Albania’s independence have been brought back in a photo exhibition featuring the country from 1912 to 1922 in some pictures taken by French reporters. The exhibition called “Combined Views: France in Albania” displays a collection by Albania’s Valter Gjoni, an art critic and collector.
Organized in the frame of Albania’s 100th anniversary of independence and the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the French-Albanian diplomatic relations at a Legation level, the exhibition at the National Museum of History will remain open until July1. Some 150 pictures taken by reporters of top French media, the French Orient Army in Albanian territory during World War I, and French diplomats are being displayed in the exhibition. The collection starts with the first days of Albania’s independence, the efforts of the Ismail Qemali government for Albania’s international recognition and the establishment of the first diplomatic relations. The collection continues with renowned historical figures, military operations, the civil-military administration of towns and activities of humanitarian aid in Albania to conclude with a picture of the French Legation and the Minister Plenipotentiary of France in Albania which made official Albania’s recognition by France.
This photo documentary exhibition is a 10-year journey from Albania’s declaration of independence to the first diplomatic recognitions, organizers said in a statement.
Some of the photo reporters of this collection were renowned journalists of the early 20th century such as Robert Vaucher, Andre Kertesz, Ted Dubray and contemporary French historian Patric Najbor who provided their pictures with very realist captions and descriptions in their articles.
The French-Albanian co-existence, the co-existence of allied forces with the local community is another element identified in the exhibit. French soldiers are seen at church, at mosques with village households and some local houses used as hospitals or military bases bringing an unknown picture of Albania at that time.
The pictures which are more than 90 years old have been restored by Petrit Kumi.
During their stay in Albania during World War II French forces established the Autonomous Albanian Republic of Kor諬 after the city of Kor諠fell under their control from 1916 to 1920.
