The National Museum “House with Leaves” today commemorates the intellectual, financier, former minister of the Albanian state, Shuk Gurakuqi.

Shuk Gurakuqi was born in Shkodra and studied at the Saverian Jesuit College in his hometown. He first worked as a cashier at the Shkodra Customs, as an administrator of several private firms in Shkodra and during the Austro-Hungarian occupation, as head of the Finance Section in the Shkodra Municipality.

During the years 1920-24, he was elected twice as deputy of Shkodra district. At the same time, he directed the press organ “Ora e Maleve” together with Anton Harapi and Dom Lazër Shanton. Although he did not participate in the June Movement of 1924, he was a supporter of the anti-Zogist group and therefore remained in exile during King Zog’s rule.

He returns to Albania in 1938 and runs the commercial firm “Vllazë Prennushi”. In the government of Mustafa Kruja, Shuk Gurakuqi held the post of Minister of Finance for two years. With the coming to power of the communists. Gurakuqi is arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Court.

In 1949 the sentence was reduced to 20 years. He served a total of 17 years in prison, most of which he spent in the notorious Burrell prison. He spent the period after prison in poverty and scientific readings. He died on April 13, 1966 in Shkodra.

/k.s/