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"Llazar Fundo should be mentioned in books"/ Kalemaj: History should be decommunized, streets and squares should be named after him

2024-09-26 19:48:00, Kulturë CNA

"Llazar Fundo should be mentioned in books"/ Kalemaj: History should

We have heard legal initiatives, demands, thousands of discussions and opinions over the years from those who have sought change and rewriting of Albania's history, where it has often been argued that it should be decommunized and the facts filled.

In an interview for CNA TV regarding the life and actions of Llazar Fundo, one of the prominent Albanian personalities who fought against communism, political science professor Ilir Kalemaj was asked why Fundo and other important names like him are not part of the history books, stated that we still have a version that supports a certain narrative.

According to Kalemaj, streets and squares should bear the name of Llazar Fundo, as a way to keep history alive.

"There are two elements. The first has to do with the history texts. They have not yet been decommunized, even though it was an early request not only of Albanian researchers but also of international ones. We still have a somewhat official version that supports a narrative of certain and unfortunately many figures such as Zai Fundo or Ernest Koliqi have not been rehabilitated in Albanian historiography or are very little known.

The second element is the monument or bust. This is about memorization. History is not just what is conveyed in texts. It is very important especially for the younger generations to know prominent Albanian figures and personalities. History is also alive, every time we pass by a monument, when we hear the name of a street or a park. There are many prominent figures such as Zai Fundo, and the contribution he made to Korça deserved this city to have a bust or a monument of his own.

Of course, there could also be a street named after Zai Fundo in Tirana, the capital of Albania. The idea is that we should have a rehabilitation of the figures who really stood out in Albanian historiography. They were really idealists, they fought with guns, some others like Zai Fundo fought with both pen and gun. It is time for them to take the place they deserve. We can have "anonymous" partisans whose names have been named after dozens of streets, schools or squares in Albania, while we have personalities who have not had this honor," he said.

Llazar Fundo, otherwise known as Zai Fundo, was among the first Albanian personalities to support communism, but he became one of the strongest denouncers and opponents when he saw that the system was inhumane. At the request of Stalin and Tito who supported the personal interest of Enver Hoxha, Fundo was arrested and executed in Albania./ CNA