Thanas Floqi (14 January 1884 – 8 February 1945) 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 ...

educator and patriot, and one of the signatories of the

Albanian Declaration of Independence The Albanian Declaration of Independence (Albanian language, Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six da ...

.Entstehung und Ausbau der Königsdiktatur in Albanien (1912-1939): Regierungsbildungen, Herrschaftsweise und Machteliten in einem jungen Balkanstaat, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 1987. p.24, He was born in

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...

, at the time in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

in 1884. He was the son of Vasil Floqi, a merchant. Thanas was the younger brother of Albanian patriot, politician, and writer Kristo Floqi. Thanas Floqi finished his early education in his home town, then went to

Messolongi Missolonghi or Mesolongi (, ) is a municipality of 32,048 people (according to the 2021 census) in western Greece. The town is the capital of Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit, and the seat of the municipality of Iera Polis Mesolongiou (). Missolon ...

, where he finished high school. After that he went to

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

to study law, but did not graduate and returned home. He emigrated later to US, where he got in touch with patriotic movements of the Albanian diaspora. He was a contributor in the establishment of " Malli i Mëmëdheut" (Homeland's yearning) which a few years later would become one of the sources for " Vatra Federation". His brother Kristo would become one of the Vatra founders. Thanas would return to Albania in 1912, and settle in

Vlorë Vlorë ( ; ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, third most populous city of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surr ...

, where he contributes in the expansion of Albanian education. He also focused in arts and music studies. Floqi opened the first Albanian school in Cakran, near

Fier Fier (; sq-definite, Fieri, Latin: ''Fierum'') is the seventh most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Fier County and Fier Municipality. It is situated on the bank of Gjanica River in the Myzeqe Plain between the Seman in ...

. Thanas Floqi was one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence on November 28, 1912. After that, he worked in the newly created Albanian administration, and as an interpreter for the International Commission of Control, and as first secretary of the Ministry of Justice. In 1913, he settled in

Elbasan Elbasan ( , ; sq-definite, Elbasani, ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in centr ...

, where he cooperated with Aqif Pashë Elbasani and worked as a teacher in the Shkolla Normale e Elbasanit. He distinguished himself in musical activities' organizations.

References

Sources

*"History of Albanian People" Albanian Academy of Science. 1884 births 1945 deaths People from Korçë People from Manastir vilayet Albanian people from the Ottoman Empire Expatriates from the Ottoman Empire in Greece Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to the United States Signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence All-Albanian Congress delegates 20th-century Albanian educators 19th-century Albanian educators Academic staff of the University of Elbasan {{Albania-bio-stub