On February 25, 1877, the distinguished Austrian scholar and Albanologist, Prof. Dr. Norbert Jokl, was born.

He completed his education with distinction “summa cum laude” and was recognized early on as one of the foremost scholars of his time in the field of linguistics, particularly in Indo-European languages.

Jokl would turn his scholarly attention to the Albanian language, conducting world-class studies. Building on the works of Gustav Meyer and Pedersen, he regarded Albanian as a continuation of Illyrian and Thracian languages.

With the rise of Nazism in Austria, Jokl was persecuted due to his Jewish origins. His ideological opposition to his heritage would ultimately cost him his life. The General Directorate of Archives holds a series of correspondence with Jokl regarding various aspects of Albanian cultural studies.

Jokl maintained continuous relationships with prominent Albanian intellectuals of his time, such as Fishta, Konica, Xhuvani, Koliqi, and many others. In 1937, he visited Albania for the first and only time. During the 25th anniversary of Albania’s independence, Jokl was awarded the “Order of Skanderbeg” in recognition of his contributions.

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