On 5 January 1991, Albanians heard Lahuta e Malcis in public for the first time in 45 years, following the fall of the communist regime. Many regard the work as the Albanian “Iliad.”

The recitation took place in Shkodra. An actor performed the verses of Gjergj Fishta. At one point, the performer paused. Immediately, the audience stepped in and continued the poem. Many listeners knew the verses by heart and recited them line by line.

Meanwhile, Lahuta e Malcis stands as Albania’s national epic poem. Fishta wrote it in Gheg Albanian, the standard language of the time. He published the work in 1937. It includes 30 songs and more than 17,000 verses. The Franciscan Press in Shkodra printed the first edition, which spans around 700 pages.

During the communist period, authorities censored the poem. They also banned works by other northern authors, including Camaj and Harapi. Nevertheless, the poem remained popular. In particular, people in Shkodra kept it alive through memory and oral tradition.

Today, many Albanian and international scholars recognise Gjergj Fishta as the most important figure in Albanian literature of the 20th century. Moreover, critics often compare Lahuta e Malcis to Homer’s Iliad. They also note similarities with Dante and Goethe, especially in its blend of mythology and reality, its philosophical depth, and its strong dramatic power.

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