Letters preserved by family members, along with recurring symbols in his work, confirm the Albanian roots of Karl Gega, one of the most versatile figures in 19th-century European engineering.

Albanian and foreign historians, researchers, and engineers gathered at a scientific conference to highlight Gega’s key role in the construction of the Semmering railway, one of the era’s greatest engineering achievements.

“Thanks to a genealogical tree compiled by a cousin of Karl Gega in Venice, we confirm his birth on June 10, 1802. His Albanian roots go back centuries, beginning with migrations from Albania to the Bay of Kotor, then to Perast. Later, the family settled in Venetian territories and served in the Venetian navy. Karl Gega was born in Venice but educated and established himself in Austria. His family remained closely tied to the history of the Venetian Republic,” said Lucia Nadin of the Musei Civici di Venezia.

Historian Pëllumb Xhufi traced the Gega family’s Albanian origin even further.

“Another path of research comes through the profession of Karl Gega’s father, Antoni, who served as an officer in the Venetian navy. That likely led to the family’s relocation to Venetian lands. As for the name Gega, I first found it in the 1485 register of the Shkodër Sanjak,” said Xhufi.

The conference, held at the Academy of Sciences, will be followed by a historical exhibition at the Palace of Congresses. The exhibition features rare documents, engineering drawings, and archival materials that shed light on Karl von Gega’s legacy.

/a.p./