The Albanian Academy of Sciences today honoured Maximilian Lambertz on the anniversary of his birth, remembering one of the most important figures in Albanology who dedicated his life to studying the Albanian language, folklore, and culture.
Lambertz was born on 27 July 1882 in Austria. He developed an interest in the Albanian language at the beginning of the 20th century. After his first contact with Albanian in Greece in 1906, he turned its study into his lifelong mission.
Later, during his research trips in 1913–1914 to Arbëresh settlements in Italy, Lambertz collected valuable linguistic and folkloric material. His first study, “Albanische Mundarten in Italien”, provided a detailed overview of Arbëresh dialects and opened a new chapter in Albanian dialectology.
Throughout his career, Lambertz contributed to the development of Albanian language studies and participated actively in the Albanian Literary Commission, helping shape the standard language and spelling rules.
He also published important works on Albanian syntax, language teaching, and literature, including a three-volume Albanian language course and an anthology of Albanian literature translated into German.
Moreover, Lambertz made major contributions to the study of Albanian folklore through works such as “Die Volkspoesie der Albaner” (1917), “Albanien erzählt” (1956), and “Die Volksepik der Albaner” (1958). These works explored Albanian epic traditions, including the Songs of the Frontier Warriors and Albanian mythology.
He gained further recognition for translating important Albanian works, including Gjergj Fishta’s “Lahuta e Malësisë” and Kolë Jakova’s drama “Toka jonë”.
Lambertz died on 26 August 1963 in Leipzig. After his death, his study on Albanian mythology was published in the collective work “Wörterbuch der Mythologie”.
For his outstanding contribution to Albanian studies, Maximilian Lambertz received the “Order of the Flag” from the Albanian state.
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