Forsaken Albania

By Artan lame
Vlora, 1919, 1932. On 22 January, 1914, Ismail Qemal Bey Vlora resigned as Prime Minister of the first Albanian government and state. The Albanians, who for hundreds of years on end, with their endless capcrices, had elevated to an art their ability to create trouble for the Sultans of Turkey, had really exhausted the aging Albanian diplomat. In line with the Agreement made, he retired to Italy but never divorced himself from the political life of his country. In Italy he also wrote his memoirs, that describe his life and activities all over the immeasurable territories of the Ottoman Empire. He passed away on 28 January, 1919, in Peruggia of Italy. The official medical report says he died of a cerebral haemorrhage, which he had suffered five days earlier. There have been suspicions that he was poisoned, bit this was never proven.
12 February 1919 (first photo). The body of Ismail Qemali, shipped back tfrom Italy to Vlora, is seen off to the cemetary. Vlora, at the time, was still under the administration of the Italian Military and they organized the entire ceremony. The coffin has been placed on a gun carriage, with the national flag draped over it. Italian soldiers and police officers are lined up on both sides, escorting the coffin in the form of a Guard of Honour. Guns are held in the hand according to military rules for funeral ceremonies. Following up to the rear of the coffin are a group of religious Moslem dignitaries, and behind then the long lines of the people of Vlora.
28 November 1932. It is now 13 years later. On the occasion of 20th anniversay of Independence, Zog, now Albania’s monarch, had built in Vlora, on the former lands of the Vlora family and where Ismail Qemali was born, a monumental grave dedicated to the individual whose name was now irrevocably linked to the act of Independence. This monument is the work of Albanian sculptor Odhise Paskali; the grave of Ismail Qemali was made out of blocks of stone, at the head of which stood a monument of this Freedom Fighter, holding a rifle in one hand and waving the national flag with the other.
The second photo captures a moment when the remains of Ismail Qemali were disinterred from where they had been laid in Kanina, in the graveyard of the Vlora Family. The photo shows the coffin being carried by the authorities present. The Military Officer is General Gilardi, special envoy of the King representing him at the ceremony. Hil Mosi is also seen in their midst, at the time Minister of Education, also representing the government in the ceremony. They are flanked by school children, who salute in the King Zog fashion, arm stretched acorss the chest. Following religious ceremonies a the exisiting mosque of the time, the long caravan descended towards Vlora, where his remains were laid to rest in his new grave.
The third photo is a shot of the monumental place of burial, covered in wreathes of flowers.
The grave remains the same to this day, seventy odd years later. The brave men of Laberia are so proud of the Father of the Flag who sleeps in the middle of their city. This is pride has not waned at all as you can see on approaching the monument and you gaze upon the bronze letters “…AIL…ALI.” The rest of the letters have fallen off or been wrenched off for whatever reason. It is true though that Ismail Bey Vlora is very dear to our hearts, even without the letters, but please replace those letters all you brave and courageous men of Laberia!!