By P쳰arim Kabo, Ph.D
Eh, honored Professor Istvan Schutz, you always said when we had the coffee or when we tasted a glass of wine out there in Budapest, close to the “Old Danube” or here in Tirana which you also loved, what is the live man? An air bellows with a whole that inhales and exhales! And here it is that day, when this human mechanism stopped, and the silence arrived for you also in this end of the year, and for us, your friends, a huge emptiness is created in our hearts, souls and minds!
Faithful friend of the Albanians, today you go to your Hungarian soil with the age of 88 years of life leaving behind a linguistic science plethora – or separating from “your loves” as you called that dozen of foreign languages that you could speak, which you caressed with your sweet mouth, where among them as you said in intimate “your love that you never betrayed was Albanian language”. You left this world but left also behind that “titanic work” in the field of “Albanian and Balkans” studies with your life work which you nicely titled “Njolla te bardha ne Ballkan”. As the last representative of your generation, you put many heavy, hewn and craggy stones on the historical walls of these fundamental studies. They were, and they will continue to be “pelasgian stones” not only that your researching ” probe” went up to the first “Europeans” of the starting genesis, but also because your deepened studies, and the comparative patterns in linguistic, lexicology, etymology, grammar – morphology and syntax, are fruits of your unremitting work deeply scientifically based. You studies are such ones because they are based on scientific sources of well-known trackers like Aleks Buda, Eqerem ȡbej (Etymologic studies in the Albanian field, Pristine 1986); by Shaban Demiraj, F.Agalliu, E.Angoni, A.Dhrimo, E.Hysa, E.Lafe, E.Likaj (Grammar of the Albanian language I, Morphology, Tirana 1995). You colored your “pen of mind” at “Gramatika historike e gjuhes shqipe” of the wise professor Shaban Demiraj, but also at the work of the honored Mahir Domi, M.ȥliku, S.Floqi, S.Mansaku, R.Pernaska, S.Prifti etc. You dived in “Fjalori i Shqipes se Sotme” because you loved every word of this oldest and unique language, and you passionately treated the Albanian phrases of different districts of the South, North, Middle Albania and Kosovo, phrases of the Albanian – talking people in Macedonia and those of Montenegro as well. Your torrents of science met and talked with “the scientist waters” of Gustav Meyer, Vitorio Pisani, M.Leone, A.Rosseti, I.Russu, but also at the work of Michel Sakellariu – “Peuples Hellenique d’orgine indo-europeenne” Athens 1977. You faithful friend, in your masterpiece “Njolla te bardha ne Ballkan” referred also to the other scholars like Kristian Sandfeld in his work “Linguistique Balkanique” Paris 1930. You talk with the thesis of Georg Stadt Muller.
Oh, “Albanian from heart”, your love and devotion that was in your Hungarian blood, although your family originated from Romania but from the Hungarians of that country who because of the known historical causes and thanks to the stupidity of the Great Historical powers, the people could find themselves under “undesired roofs”. You loved the Albanian language since in 1948, when the two Albanian fellows Kudret Vel衠and Zef Rakacolli had come for studing to the patria of Hunyad.
Firstly, you communicated in French as a mediating language, in order to teach them the Hungarian, but before they learned this rare Finno-Ugrian language, you learned the Albanian, thanks to your love and strong will. Five years later, came to life the first Hungarian – Albanian dictionary, in co-operation with the director of the “Institute of Foreign Languages” in Budapest Lajos Tamas and the Linguistic Branch at the “Institute of Science” of Albania, under the heading of the distinguished professor and linguist Aleksander Xhuvani. But the Hungarian professor that came to Albania and stayed 8 weeks didn’t speak Albanian, and the professor Xhuvani didn’t speak Hungarian! The first one that built this “first wall” was you professor Schutz. Only you spoke both the languages, Hungarian and Albanian. And you spoke it so well that even the Hungarians that didn’t know you, thought that you were Albanian that spoke very well the Hungarian. While when you spoke Hungarian and Albanian language among Albanians, they thought where did this person that looked like a highlander from the South Opar area, learn so well the Hungarian language.
The work with the dictionaries followed, and together with the professor Mihal Luarasi, for years you made a good and serious work, even without including in it words that were used in Kosovo or Old Dardania as you liked often to cite in your work, borrowed in Turkish language that were lively only in a closed local space, and that were not identified as authentically elements of the “Albanian lexical wall”. What a passion and nobility you gave to these monumental works, not just for the words, but also for the expressions, dialogues, concrete situations of communication in Albanian language. As I have heard from your son, the dictionary is finished and it is expected to be published. I personally give you my faith word (our BESA) that I will do my best effort to publish it here in Albanian language. Such a “scientific testament” can not be left in silence or be ignored. In January 2011, your precious native country Hungary, will take for the first time the heading of EU, while us in Albania, are expecting the approval of the status of the candidate country. There is nothing nicer than during these 6 months to publish the dictionary, because of we also realize an old dream of Scanderbeg and Hunyadi, that joint their swords to protect the “Western Civilization” but couldn’t speak the language of each-other, while in nowadays, there are plenty of Hungarian and Albanian girls and boys that very well speak these two rare languages, correctly and with a kind of musicality that surprises us. One of them, you know, it is my niece Blerta that serves in your steps today, as the official translator of the Hungarian Authorities.
Together with our pure Albanian language, you professor Schutz loved the Albanian literature as well, the new and the old one, from Budi, Buzuku and Bogdani up to Migjeni, Fan Noli, Agolli and Kadareja. You started with the study of Dh.Shuteriqi, K.Bihiku and M.Domi of the year 1959 “Historia e Letersise Shqipe”; and you followed with the studies of J.Thomai, Xh.Lloshi, K.Qirjazi, R.Hristova, A.Melonashi etc.
But you came even closer in time. When I met the writer Fatos Kongoli with your request, to let him know your project to translate his roman “Lekura e qenit”, he astonished surprised. He didn’t meet you yet, but after do it, happened what always happened with you, as a “special friend”, you were befriended like you had long time that you knew each – other. It was your golden heart, your clear and mature word, it was the refinement to find that right Albanian expression, to create such atmosphere that was related with our traditions and customs, the lexicon wealth, which made you, look an old Albanian from the deep districts of Kor衮 You regretted that you didn’t manage to publish also “Lekura e qenit”, although you translated quickly because that surprising roman attracted you. You didn’t stop, you knew the Albanian literature up to the youngest creator, the writer Brunilda Zllami, and you translated from her work, and including it in that special publication that you realized in April 2007, when thanks to you, the number of the magazine “Nagy Vilag” dedicated to the Albanian thought and its distinguish personalities . In that special product, you provided to the Hungarians, text parts from Dritero Agolli, Ismail Kadare, Petro Marko, Qamil Buxheli, from the wonderful poetries of Mihal Hanxhari, but also those floating verses of Ali Podrimja. You incorporated in that special publication, parts from the literary work of Fatos Kongoli, Brunilda Zllami and also my study (the only one with the philosophic character) “Globalizmi hap쳠p철nj롭entalitet t롭byllur”). And I am grateful for this. I know that also the “writing material” that you took from me in September 2010 “Popullsit롭igratore dhe dialogimi mes civilizimeve” you translated. But I do not know if it arrived to the editor’s office of the magazine “Balkan Balcony” that is in Szeged, and you dear professor wanted so much to be published in it. The regrets in such circumstances, in certain cense, have also the good side. Your wonderful sons that you loved and they also loved you, now are going to be closer with your friends, not only in Hungary but also in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Austria and Finland and every where. This happens only to those persons, that have their lives only work and devotion, and their product is science and books, and the good manner: understanding and politeness. You distinguished like that!
Your hospitality was as unique as special. You opened all your “doors of soul” and house! And you cooked very well the traditional Hungarian dishes from the Hungarian goulash, rabbit meat with onions (that in Albanian is called 谭lek). But you loved fish as well. I will not forget our last lunch together, August 2008 in Buda, when we went to the old restaurant from the Austro – Hungarian times, that was remained unchanged and you said to us (to me and my family): “This is the oldest and best restaurant that cooks fish in the whole Hungary”!
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In you, my friend, you took the way to the “Angels’ Pantheon” stood well next to each other with love and tolerance, the scrupulous hard-worker, the golden hearted, funny and sweet man, the indispensable optimistic, and the creator that didn’t stop, the personality formed with serious investments, and the rare polyglot, the simple man and full of talk, and the faithful friend.
I would be mistaken in this “spiritual epitaph” for you precious friend, Hungarian citizen that loved Albania and the Albanian cause, if I would leave (even from the rush) without mentioning your Balkan-logic contribution where as a heart pulses for years, is Kosovo and its autonomy.
From the beautiful Albanian language, you jumped to the literature, from literature to ethnography and the history of this people and these anthropologic spaces, and you found yourselves in an “ocean of problems” as old as new, real and fabricated, scientific or pseudo-scientific thesis.
Differently form many contemporary persons and patriots of you; you asserted almost alone the thesis for the autochthony of the Albanians of Kosovo. Since in “60’s of the last century, when because of the communist foolishness, the relations between our two countries were broken, you continued the work closed relations with Kosovo. And a part of the studies corpus started and followed to be dedicated to the Albanians of Kosovo and their cause, till in the last breath, like in literature, in linguistics, but also in history and autochthony. In our days, you can find plenty of people that have changed their minds and have abandoned the wrong thesis, but what you did professor Schutz, half a century ago, when in your historical studies on Kosovo clearly wrote with a scientific solemnity that:
“The Serbs praised that Kosovo is their cradle of culture, but I will say to the Serbs that when they arrived to Kosovo, in that cradle, was a beautiful Albanian child”.
This thesis, scientifically proved, put in against direction with the academism and the Hungarian media, which till lately supported the thesis of the Serbs on their autochthony in that Illyrian – Pelasgian land of Dardania, making in this sense a severe deformation without basis, while you, even alone, asserted the thesis of the Albanians autochthony.
That’s why, the Kosovo literary, academic and linguistic table, this Hungarian who had in his blood Albanian hormone with science and devotion plasma paced day after day there in Kosovo, and he was related with those Albanian men and women of Albanian studies, like they were blood twins.
Your studies referred also to the serious scientific studies of the region as the study for “Gramatika e gjuhes kroate” of the authors Stjepko Tezak and Stjepan Babic.
You were deepened in the study “Gramatika e gjuhes Bullgare II” of the authors D.Tilkov, S.Stojanov, K.Popov etc., therefore your compared linguistic studies to protect the age of the Albanian language and its authenticity, are seriously proved and stable in continuity. Also the not Albanian scientific sources since middle Ages up to nowadays, are explored by you in service of the Albanian studies and Albanian language. I can mention here the study of Thunmann Hans Erich – Forschungen zur Geschichte Osteuropas, Halle 1774.
“Feher foltok Balkanon”, “Njolla te bardha ne Ballkan”, this unique work, this testament of yours, dear master Istvan Schutz, will remain in eternity. They are not just spots of the scientific toponymy, they are tracks of a half century work that orient us not to be mistaken. Now and on, through the pages of your studies, you will come to us, to all the Albanian colleagues and scholars, academics and writers, journalists and historians. We will miss you just physically. The doors of the Albanian academies and also of other countries are, and will be opened for your contribution. I would say with regret, that you are the last “dinosaur” of a celebrity that started with George von Hann, followed with Ferenc Nop衬 with Meyer and Jokl, with Buda and ȡbej etc. Now, in the horizon, we do not see any of these academic and Albanian studies examples. It is closed a cycle that it is creating an emptiness that scares me. A few, very few from your race have left. And this situation makes me sad twice in this mourning day, when you are going to the soil of your motherland that was rooted with the Prince Arpad, flourished with Mathias Corvinius and that created in 1010 years bright minds of science and art. I am sure that there, in the ether’s land, you will meet the Hungarian modern poet Endre Ady, and maybe you will talk to him about my study “The spiritual Danube of the Hungarians” that you, angel, liked so much that you sent it to the magazine of the Hungarian Writers Association to publish it together with the poems of Podrimja. Maybe, in one of these days this magazine will publish them as a regret of the given word. I will take the magazine, and as always, I will wait for you at Caf顚herbo. You will get off the tram N 2, next to Danube bank, you will walk slowly with your old leather handbag on hand, where you keep scientific treasures, and you will come to have the coffee together. And you will tell me about your started work with the Vlahos grammar, as you said this summer that we couldn’t meet. You were called urgently to “The Academy of Science” because the unique copy of this grammar had arrived from Austria, and the only expert that could give explanations was only you.
Faithful friend, rest in peace, your name will never die. Albania, Kosovo and all the Albanians wherever they are, will bend with respect.
In memoriam Prof. Istv⮠Schutz
Istvan Schutz, a well – known name in the Albanian – Balkan studies field, the more worthy representative of the Hungarian Albanian studies of our days, passed away at the age of 88 years old, on 27 November 2010. The Albanian studies in Hungary are almost exclusivelly related to the name of Istvan Schutz, who for 62 years dealt with the studies of the Albanian language.
Schutz drafted the first Albanian – Hungarian dictionary in 1953, with the chief editor Lajos Tamas, as a publication of the Academy of Science of Hungary.
This new dictionary contains 80 000 words, and it has around 1700 pages.
Several number of summer universities were organized by him in Prizren as a part also closely connected to his precious albanologist activity.
Since in the ’50’s, he studied firstly the Albanian folklore, by reading all the volumes of the serial “Visaret e kombit” that were in the Hungarian libraries. At the same time, he started to publish the first translations of the Albanian literature into Hungarian: in 1952 he published “Antologjia e poeteve shqiptare”, in 1957 a volume with the folk tales E bukura e dheut, in 1960 the novel Tana by Fatmir Gjata, and in 1968 he managed to publish a volum by the Albanian folk poetry “Po lulezon shega”, prepared before the freezing of the interstate relations. In 1972 he published “Gjenerali I ushtrise se vdekur” and it was republished in 1975.
In 1998, in the 50th anniversary of his first meeting with the Albanians and the Albanian language, he was awarded with the order “Naim Frasheri” by the President of the Republic of Albania, for his wide Albanian studies activity. Dr. Emil Lafe when he writes for him concludes “His case proves the rule that all those scholars, who the scientific curiosity encouraged them to learn the Albanian language in a young age and to get known with the treasures of the spiritual and material culture of the Albanian people, have also become faithful friends of this people with an authenticity distinguished in all the fields of life”.
Istvan Schutz has translated into Hungarian the books of Ismail Kadare, Dritero Agolli, Qamil Buxheli, Mihal Hanxhari, Fatmir Gjata, Rexhep Qosja, Ali Podrimja, Brunilda Zllami and Perparim Kabo.
