-On January 1, 1702, Gjon Nikollë Kazazi, doctor of theology, researcher of the Albanian language and tradition, was born. He received his first lessons in his hometown, while he began his theological studies at the Illyrian College of St. Peter and continued at the College of St. Paul in Fermo, where he arrived on May 21, 1720. From June of the same year, he passed in Loreto, in the Illyrian College there. At the Illyrian College in Loreto, Gjon Nikollë Kazazi studied grammar. In 1722 he studied rhetorical subjects, while in 1723 he studied philosophy. Since he was distinguished for his intelligence and special abilities, Monsignor Suma appointed Dom Gjoni as vicar general. With the proposal of Monsignor Vincenc Zmajevic, Kazazi was appointed apostolic visitor of the archbishopric of Sofia and the Bishopric of Nikopol, in Bulgaria. On September 23, 1743, Pope Benedict 16 appointed Monsignor Gjon Nikollë Kazazi Archbishop of Skopje. He received Palio in Rome, on December 16, 1743. During his stay in Rome, in 1743, Monsignor Kazazi discovered in the Fide Propaganda Library the only exemplar preserved until today of ‘Meshari’ /The Mass / by dom Gjon Buzuku, published in 1555, the first book printed in Albanian. The Archbishop of Skopje passed away on August 5, 1752.

-On January 1, 1920, the prominent Albanian academic and linguist, Shaban Demiraj, was born in Vlora. He followed higher studies in the branch of Albanian language and literature at the Two-Year Pedagogical Institute and then at the Higher Pedagogical Institute. In the years 1948-1954, he worked as a teacher in several secondary schools (Gjirokastër, Tirana). In 1954, he started working as a lecturer at the Higher Pedagogical Institute and then at the Faculty of History and Philology of the University of Tirana. He has been working as a teacher, professor and scientist for over 60 years. He is one of the lecturers who has held lecture courses on a number of Albanian and Albanian subjects, such as the morphology of today’s Albanian language, the historical grammar of the Albanian language, the history of the written Albanian language, as well as a special course on Balkan linguistics. .He directed with scientific and administrative skills for 27 years the chair of the Albanian Language at the Faculty of History and Philology (1962-1989). He was elected a member of the organizing committee and delegate of the Orthography Congress (1972). He was awarded the high titles of Professor, People’s Teacher, Merited Professor, member of the Academy of Sciences of Albania, its chairman, external member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosova, member of the Central European Academy of Sciences and Arts, honorary member of the Diplomatic Academy of London. Shaban Demiraj was the Laureate of two Republic Awards, second class and first class. He was decorated with the Order of the Grand Master of Labour. He passed away on August 12, 2014.

-On January 1, 2012, one of the most famous rhapsodists of Albanian lands, Bajrush Doda, passed away in Maznik, Deçan municipality, Kosova, in 1936. Like most popular singers, he, until the song came to thanks to the talent, the voice born for a singer, which is the main prerequisite for this profession, the rich memory, maybe also thanks to a coincidence, about which we have no information. Be that as it may, he was born and raised in a land where song and rifle, honor and manhood, love and death were themes of metaphysical eternity, which had been repeated through the centuries and were being repeated, in time and space, since the time of Illyria, of Roman invasions, Slavic, Turkish invasions and so on. The Treva of Dukagjin and especially that of Deçan is one of the most popular areas of Albanian national history.

-On January 1, 1937, Demir Hyskja, a well-known Albanian movie actor, was born in Elbasan.

He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. In the years 1951-1955, he finished high school of construction. Construction technician in the years 1955-1962 and then an actor in the “Skampa” Theater of his home city. During his 30-year career in the theater, he performed over 50 main roles. He made 24 feature movies and documentaries for Film Studio “New Albania”. He was decorated several times with decorations of different degrees, up to “Naim Frashëri of First Class”. In 1969 he was awarded with the title “Merited Artist” and in 1979 he was awarded with the high title “People’s Artist”. He has been elected four consecutive times as a member of the People’s Assembly. He passed away on August 6, 2016.

/a.p./