TIRANA, July 29 – The Albanian Academy of Sciences marked the 40th anniversary of the death of distinguished writer Shefqet Musaraj, recognizing his contribution to 20th-century Albanian literature.
Musaraj was born in Berat on February 15, 1914, and died in Tirana on July 28, 1986. He emerged on the literary scene in the 1930s with the poem The Farmer of Aunt Hanko (1937), which introduced strong social and patriotic themes.
Later, during the National Liberation War, Musaraj worked as a publicist and editor of the underground magazine Call of Freedom. He published works including The Epic of Balli Kombëtar (1944), Yesterday and Today (1944), and the reportage Step by Step with the Partisans of the First Assault Division, which depicted the resistance against Nazi occupation.
After the war, he gained recognition for satirical poems such as The Elections Will Be Held (1948) and the feuilleton collection Written – Unforgotten (1957). At the same time, he served as secretary of the Albanian Writers’ Union and editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Our Literature.
Meanwhile, Musaraj established himself as a novelist with Llaz Qesarati (1959) and I Was Çobo Rrapushi (1960, republished in 1967). He reached the height of his literary career with Before Dawn (1965–1966), an epic novel portraying Albanian life before and during World War II. Critics praised the work for its vivid language, popular imagery and dramatic social conflicts.
Later, he published novellas and short stories, including Me, Mato Labi, a Conservative? (1975), followed by the novel The Riffle That Sang Properly (1979), dedicated to the partisan struggle. He received the Republic Prize in 1960 and 1965 for his literary achievements.
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