Today, on the 100th anniversary of his death, the National History Museum remembered the People’s Hero, Avni Rustem.

Avni Rustemi was born in Libohova, Gjirokastër in March 1908. He interrupted his studies in Janina/ Ioannina Madrasah and joined the Çerçiz Topulli squad. He then attended the the High Pedagigical School of Elbasan (1909-1910) and the French College of Lausanne (1912-1913), where he founded the patriotic association of Albanian students “Burimi” /The Source/. In 1914, he participated in the volunteer troops that fought against the Greek Andart gangs.

On November 28, 1918, he organized the demonstration of the people of Vlora against the Italian occupation troops. He completed the Arbëresh College of Saint Adrian in Saint-Miter of Calabria, Italu and then higher studies in pedagogy at the University of Rome (1919).

On June 13, 1920, Avni Rustemi assassinated Esat Toptani in Paris. At the end of 1920, he returned to Albania and immediately began the establishment of professional organizations of teachers, uniting all the country’s democratic societies in the “Homeland” federation (1921).

Then he founded the “The Union” society. Avni Rustemi passed away after an assassination attempt on him in Tirana on April 22, 1924. At his funeral in Vlora, alongside with a large participation of the people, passionate speeches were made by the representatives of the democratic forces. This event brought the outbreak of the June Bourgeois Revolution of 1924.

/a.p./