Gjergj Qiriazi

Gjergj Qiriazi (George D. Kyrias) (1868–1912) was an Albanian patriot, author, educator, translator, Protestant Bible distributor, organizer of the First Congress of Monastir (1908), and activist of the Albanian National Awakening.

Gjergj Qiriazi
George Kyrias
Gjergj Qiriazi
Born(1868-05-27)27 May 1868[1]
Manastir, Vilayet of Monastir, Ottoman Empire[2]
(present-day Bitola, North Macedonia)
Died30 December 1912(1912-12-30) (aged 44)
Manastir, Vilayet of Monastir, Ottoman Empire
(present-day Bitola, North Macedonia)
NationalityAlbanian
Other namesGeorge Kyrias
CitizenshipOttoman
Known forChristian Literature
Albanian School in Korçë
"Bashkim' i Kombit" newspaper
Congress of Monastir
Notable workKënkë të shenjtëruara (Monastir, 1906)
Parent(s)Dhimitër Qiriazi (1836–1904), Maria Qiriazi (Vodica) (1841–1912)
Relativesbrother of Tashko Qiriazi, Kostandin Qiriazi, Theofania "Fanka" Qiriazi (Trajan), Gjerasim Qiriazi, Sevasti Qiriazi, Kristo Qiriazi, Naum Qiriazi, Perikli "Pandi" Qiriazi, and Parashqevi Qiriazi[2][3]
AwardsNderi i Kombit (Honor of the Nation)

Early years and education

Gjergj Qiriazi was born in Monastir (modern Bitola), Ottoman Empire (now North Macedonia), where he attended school.

Like his brother Gjerasim, he went on to study at the Collegiate and Theological Institute, a Protestant institution in Samokov, Bulgaria. Alexander Thomson sponsored his education. He attended the school in 1885–1889, but left Bulgaria before graduating, to avoid mandatory conscription into the Bulgarian army.[4]

Biography

He worked for the American Bible Society in Salonica, and then for the British and Foreign Bible Society,[5] and took over the direction of the first Albanian girls' school in Korçë upon the death of his brother. In 1908 he was the president of the Albanian Bashkimi club in Monastir and later became vice-president.[6] In 1908, he was a delegate at the Congress of Monastir.[7] Qiriazi also worked as an interpreter at the Austro-Hungarian consulate in Bitola.[8] A Turkish language high school (idadiye) for boys was created in 1908 and Qiriazi was appointed as a teacher of the Albanian language.[9] In 1909, the Young Turk government planned to assassinate Qiriazi for his involvement in the Albanian national movement.[10]

Gjergj Qiriazi was one of the founders of the Albanian printing press Bashkimi i Kombit. He helped his brother Gejrasim to publish two volumes of literature, namely Hristomathi a udhëheqës për ç'do shtëpi shqiptari (Monastir, 1902) and a co-wrote with him a collection of religious verse Kënkë të shenjtëruara (Monastir, 1906).[11]

Qiriazi also translated John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress as Udhëtari, printed in 1927 by Dhori Koti publishers.

Published works
  • Udhëtari nga kjo Botë ndë tjetërën, a Udha e të Krishterit nga qytet i humbjes gjer ndë qytet të Qiellit, e treguarë si ëndërë prej Jovan Benjian (translated from The Pilgrim's Progress, with introduction, in 1894). Korçë: Dhori Koti, 1927. Republished in original (ISBN 978-9928-4519-4-1) and with updated spelling (ISBN 978-9928-4519-3-4) – Tirana: Instituti për Studime Shqiptare dhe Protestante, 2018–2019.
  • Fisika. Bukuresht: Dituria, 1899.
  • "Shqiponja". Albania, 1900, nr. 11, dhjetor.
  • "Nevojat e Shqipërisë: ca mentime". Albania, 1901, nr. 1, 31 janar.
  • "Një udhë[tim] në Shqipëri" Albania, 1901, nr. 5, maj.
  • "Urtësia e dituria". Albania, 1901, nr. 9, shtator.
  • "Zër' i skolisë". Albania, 1901, nr. 10, tetor.
  • Hristomathi më katër pjesë: gjëra të ndryshme e të vëgjejtura për këndim edhe për dobi të mësonjëtorevet shqipe, a udhëheqës për ç’do shtëpi shqipëtari, të gatuara edhe një pjesë nga dialogët të kthyera, prej një mëmëdhetari (editor, co-author with Gjerasim Qiriazi). Sofia: Mbrothësia, 1902 (vol. 1) and 1907 (vol. 2). Republished 2023 (Tirana: ISSHP) as Krestomaci: udhëheqës për çdo shtëpi shqiptari (ISBN 978-9928-4519-1-0 and ISBN 978-9928-4519-2-7).
  • "Fati i Shqipërisë". Albania, 1903, nr. 7, korrik.
  • "Shkaku i të mos mbrothësuarit të shkronjave shqip në Shqipëri". Kalendari Kombiar 1905, IX. Sofje, 49-61.
  • "Arësim i gravet". Drita, Sofje, nr. 82, 9 gusht 1906.
  • Kënkë të Shenjtëruara për falëtoret shqipe (të kthyera prej anglishtesë, gerqishtesë edhe bullgarishtesë). Sofia: Mbrothësia (Kristo Luarasi), 1906.
  • "Nevojat që kemi për të qytetëruarë Shqipërinë me anën e diturisë". Korça, nr. 3, 7 janar 1909.
  • "Nevoja për të përhapurë mjeshtërinë ndë Shqipëri". Korça, nr. 6, 18 shkurt 1909.
  • Këngë të shenjtëruara për falëtoret shqipe. Korçë: Dhori Koti, 1927.

See also

Further reading

References
  1. "153-vjetori i lindjes së Gjergj Qiriazit". Albanian Profile. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
  2. Elsie, Robert (2001). A dictionary of Albanian religion, mythology, and folk culture. Library of Congress: New York University Press. pp. 210–212. ISBN 0-8147-2214-8. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
  3. Sevasti Qiriazi-Dako. Jeta ime (Shkup: ITSHKSH, 2016), p. 327–330
  4. Quanrud, John (2016). Gerasim Kyrias and the Albanian National Awakening, 1858–1894. Tirana: Institute for Albanian and Protestant Studies. pp. 117–118. ISBN 978-0993424823.
  5. Kyrias-Dako, Sevasti (2022). My Life: the autobiography of the pioneer of female education in Albania (2nd ed.). IAPS. p. 95. ISBN 978-1946244420.
  6. Skendi 1967, pp. 350, 353.
  7. Skendi 1967, p. 370.
  8. Skendi 1967, p. 207.
  9. Skendi 1967, p. 367.
  10. Skendi, Stavro (1967). The Albanian national awakening. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 363. ISBN 9781400847761.
  11. Aux origines du nationalisme albanais: la naissance d'une nation by Nathalie Clayer. 2007.
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