On the occasion of the passing of Ismail Kadare, academician Rexhep Qosja has extended his condolences to the family of the giant of Albanian literature, while also addressing the earlier controversial exchanges they had.

In a Facebook post, academician Qosja stated that Ismail Kadare will remain a grand historical figure of the Albanian nation.

He acknowledged that there had been polemical judgments and evaluations with the giant of Albanian letters “as a result of differing views on various cultural and literary issues in general.”

“In European literature, it has become historical the accepted belief among the most distinguished European creators that those who argue with each other do so because they respect and love each other,” Qosja wrote.

He also had a message for the “dissenters who will criticize Ismail Kadare and his family for having left their homeland.”

“I will respond: this is the stance of the patriot and creator Ismail Kadare, and we must respect this stance with both mind and heart. I am sure that the fruits of Ismail Kadare’s relocation to Paris will soon be visible and experienced in our national culture,” Qosja added.

Qosja stated that Kadare’s name and biography are eternal because they are immortal and historical.

“The diverse creativity of Ismail Kadare: literary prose, journalistic writings, historical-literary and critical essays. All these – Ismail Kadare’s name, his biography, intellectual creativity, cultural, social, ethical, and national activity in general, constitute the great cultural value of Albania. Thanks to them, Ismail Kadare in the present and in the entire future will be a grand historical figure of the Albanian Nation, to whom all generations of Albanians, wherever they live, will dedicate their feelings, thoughts, and commitments,” Qosja wrote.

Qosja mentioned that he and Kadare had family meetings, discussions, mutual evaluations, and honors, and that their mutual understanding and respect were largely based on his stance towards Kadare when he relocated from Tirana to Paris.

“On Monday, July 1, the intellectual and creator Ismail Kadare passed away. I express my deepest condolences to his very esteemed and beloved wife, the writer Helena Kadare, his daughters Gresa and Besiana, and all other family members of the Kadare family. Ismail Kadare and I have written about each other’s creativity from time to time. I proposed the translation of his novel ‘The Castle’ into Serbo-Croatian and wrote a very appreciative preface for the novel and its creator Ismail Kadare. Meanwhile, Ismail Kadare wrote the preface for my novel ‘Death Comes from Such Eyes’ published in Paris. I console the family members of Ismail Kadare and other mourners with the belief that Ismail Kadare’s passing is only a physical separation,” Qosja concluded.

The great writer Ismail Kadare passed away today at the age of 88 in Tirana.

/k.s/