Mihal Zallari (25 September 1894 – 17 March 1976) was an

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

historian, politician, journalist and poet. He served as

Chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of the National Parliament of Albania from 1943 to 1944.

Life

Born in

Frashër Frashër (; sq-definite, Frashëri) is a village and a former municipality in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Përmet. The population at the 2011 census wa ...

on 25 September 1894, he hailed from the Zallari family, a branch of the Frashëri family. Zallari studied at the German school of

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

and later political science at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

. His brother Leonidha Frashëri-Zallari, a collaborator of Mit'hat Frashëri, was a deputy of the Albanian parliament as a representative of

Gjirokastër Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in Southern Albania, southern Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë moun ...

in 1921–23 and 1943–44 and had also served as prefect of

Delvinë Delvinë ( or , ) is a town and a municipality in Vlorë County, southern Albania, northeast of Sarandë. It was formed in the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Delvinë and Vergo, which became municipal u ...

. In 1943 as a deputy of Gjirokastër he became a member of the executive committee of the assembly of the State of Albania and a chairman of the assembly on 9 November four days after the previous chairman

Idhomene Kosturi Idhomen Jovan Kosturi (15 May 1873 – 5 November 1943), also known as Idhomeno Kosturi, was an Albanian politician, regent and once acting Prime Minister of Albania. He would become the second representative of Albanian Orthodox population to ...

was assassinated in Durrës. In 1944 Zallari intervened in the case of the employees of the state radio of

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...

, who were to be arrested and executed by the German military authorities, which suspected them as Communists, and prevented their arrest. During that period along with other members of the government he was granting Jewish refugees in Albania identification and citizenship as ethnic Albanians in order to prevent their arrest and deportation. These activities had a significant effect in his trial after the war, in which Zallari was sentenced to thirty years in prison. He was released in 1962 and died on 17 March 1976, aged 81.

Ideology

Throughout his life Zallari was a nationalist and a Germanophile. Zallari viewed imperialism and internationalism as two synonymous views, which represented the extreme opposite of nationalism. He further divided internationalism/imperialism into two forms: secular and religious.

Life

Ideology

References

Further reading