Norbert Jokl (February 25, 1877 – probably May 1942) was an
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n
Albanologist of
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""Th ...
ish descent who has been called the father of Albanology.
Early life
Jokl was born in
Bzenec
Bzenec (; german: Bisenz) is a town in Hodonín District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 4,300 inhabitants.
Geography
Bzenec is located about northeast of Hodonín. Larger part of the municipal territory lies i ...
(then Bisenz), Southern
Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The me ...
(now the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
), to Heinrich, a merchant, and Emilie née Haas. His older brother, Willhlem, died in 1895 at the age of 21.
He graduated from high school
cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
and entered the
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich histor ...
to study law. He graduated
summa cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
on June 23, 1901.
Further education
Eventually Jokl abandoned his pursuit of legal training, and he decided to devote himself to
linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
. He studied
Indo-European linguistics
Indo-European studies is a field of linguistics and an interdisciplinary field of study dealing with Indo-European languages, both current and extinct. The goal of those engaged in these studies is to amass information about the hypothetical pro ...
,
Slavistics
Slavic (American English) or Slavonic (British English) studies, also known as Slavistics is the academic field of area studies concerned with Slavic areas, languages, literature, history, and culture. Originally, a Slavist or Slavicist was prim ...
, and
Romanistics, eventually receiving a ''
cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
'' degree.
In the late autumn of 1903, he started training in the library of the University of Vienna, where he would work until 1938.
At the age of 30, he began to actively study the
Albanian language
Albanian ( endonym: or ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is spoken by the Albanians in the Balkans and by the Albanian diaspora, which is generally concentrated in the Americas, Europ ...
, a linguistic field that had not been widely studied at the time.
Career
From 1913, he was a
Privatdozent
''Privatdozent'' (for men) or ''Privatdozentin'' (for women), abbreviated PD, P.D. or Priv.-Doz., is an academic title conferred at some European universities, especially in German-speaking countries, to someone who holds certain formal qualific ...
whose field was "Indo-European linguistics with special consideration to
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
,
Baltic
Baltic may refer to:
Peoples and languages
* Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian
*Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originati ...
and
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages, also known as the Slavonic languages, are Indo-European languages spoken primarily by the Slavic peoples and their descendants. They are thought to descend from a proto-language called Proto-Slavic, spoken during the Ear ...
“. In 1923, he became a ''
Professor extraordinarius
Academic ranks in Germany are the titles, relative importance and power of professors, researchers, and administrative personnel held in academia.
Overview
Appointment grades
* (Pay grade: ''W3'' or ''W2'')
* (''W3'')
* (''W2'')
* (''W2'', ...
'', and in 1937 a
Hofrat
''Geheimrat'' was the title of the highest advising officials at the Imperial, royal or princely courts of the Holy Roman Empire, who jointly formed the ''Geheimer Rat'' reporting to the ruler. The term remained in use during subsequent monarchic r ...
. He wrote numerous works on Albanology and became a renowned specialist. In April 1933, the
paleontologist
Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...
and Albanologist
Franz Nopcsa Franz may refer to:
People
* Franz (given name)
* Franz (surname)
Places
* Franz (crater), a lunar crater
* Franz, Ontario, a railway junction and unorganized town in Canada
* Franz Lake, in the state of Washington, United States – see ...
(Ferenc Nopcsa) shot his secretary and himself, leaving his Albanological papers to Jokl.
After
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
came to power in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, Jokl's manuscripts started being rejected and he was no longer invited to conferences. On May 20, 1938, he was discharged as a result of the
Anschluss
The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the German Reich on 13 March 1938.
The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a " Greater Germany ...
of Austria and was prohibited from entering his former place of work. The Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Viktor Christian, tried to save Jokl's job, but this was in vain. Later that year, Jokl submitted an application (supported by the Dean) to be equalized with "persons of mixed blood of 1st degree“ in order to have admittance to libraries. The application was rejected.
Georg Solta
Georg Renatus Solta (18 April 1915 in Vienna – 2 May 2005) was an Austrian Indo-Europeanist who specialized in Balkan linguistics.
Works
*1960, ''Die Stellung des Armenischen im Kreise der Indogermanischen Sprachen'', Vienna
*1965, ''Palatalisi ...
, who went on to become a professor of Indo-European linguistics, would often visit him during the following four years, in order to further his studies and to maintain personal interaction with his mentor. Solta says that Jokl lived alone ascetically, though a maid would prepare food for him. Two rooms were filled with books and all of his free time was dedicated to research.
Jokl tried to find a job abroad, but this was also in vain. His last chance was a librarian position that was created for him in Albania with a monthly salary of 600
Albanian frank
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
** Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
** Albanian culture
** Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the coun ...
s. Franciscan priest and Albanian national writer,
Gjergj Fishta
Gjergj Fishta (; 23 October 187130 December 1940) was an Albanian Franciscan friar, poet, educator, politician, rilindas, translator and writer. He is regarded as one of the most influential Albanian writers of the 20th century due to his epic ...
, intervened through a letter, dated 23 September 1939 to
Francesco Jacomoni
Viceré Marchese Francesco Jacomoni di San Savino (31 August 1893 – 17 February 1973) was an Italian diplomat and minister to Albania before World War II. He was appointed governor of the Italian protectorate of Albania after its Invasion.
Bi ...
, vice-regent in Albania to make Italy intervene with the Third Reich in order to allow Jokl transfer to Albania.
Jokl himself wanted to emigrate to
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
. However, neither the efforts of Gjergj Fishta, nor those of
Carlo Tagliavini Carlo is a given name. It is an Italian form of Charles. It can refer to:
* Carlo (name)
*Monte Carlo
* Carlingford, New South Wales, a suburb in north-west Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
*A satirical song written by Dafydd Iwan about Prince ...
, a professor of the
University of Padua
The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from B ...
, nor the appeal of
Galeazzo Ciano
Gian Galeazzo Ciano, 2nd Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari ( , ; 18 March 1903 – 11 January 1944) was an Italian diplomat and politician who served as Foreign Minister in the government of his father-in-law, Benito Mussolini, from 1936 until 19 ...
, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, yielded the necessary permission for him to emigrate to Albania. In one of his applications, he also asked for permission to take along his library, but was opposed by Dean Christian, who was very interested in keeping Jokl's extensive collection at the University. Jokl's library also contained his life work and the handwritten supplements to the Albanian vocabulary by
Gustav Meyer
Gustav Meyer (25 November 1850 – 28 August 1900) was a German linguist and Indo-European scholar, considered to be one of the most important Albanologists of his time, most importantly by proving that the Albanian language belongs to the Indo-Eu ...
.
Arrest and death
On March 4, 1942, Jokl was arrested by the
Gestapo
The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one organi ...
and transferred to the collection camp (''Sammellager'').
Georg Solta
Georg Renatus Solta (18 April 1915 in Vienna – 2 May 2005) was an Austrian Indo-Europeanist who specialized in Balkan linguistics.
Works
*1960, ''Die Stellung des Armenischen im Kreise der Indogermanischen Sprachen'', Vienna
*1965, ''Palatalisi ...
, trying to save his teacher, appealed for Jokl's freedom to
Ernst Kaltenbrunner
Ernst Kaltenbrunner (4 October 190316 October 1946) was a high-ranking Austrian SS official during the Nazi era and a major perpetrator of the Holocaust. After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in 1942, and a brief period under Heinrich ...
, the ''SS
Gruppenführer
__NOTOC__
''Gruppenführer'' (, ) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA. Since then, the term ''Gruppenführer'' is also used for leaders of groups/teams of the police, fire de ...
'' in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
who had also been Solta's schoolmate. However, Kaltenbrunner argued he had no power to save Jokl from deportation.
There is contradictory information as to Jokl's death. It was reported that on May 6, 1942, he was taken to
Maly Trostenets
Maly Trostenets (Maly Trascianiec, , "Little Trostenets") is a village near Minsk in Belarus, formerly the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. During Nazi Germany's occupation of the area during World War II (when the Germans referred to it as ...
near
Minsk
Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...
, where he was murdered. However, according to another version, he died from mistreatment in a barracks in
Roßau
Alsergrund (; Central Bavarian: ''Oisagrund'') is the ninth district of Vienna, Austria (german: 9. Bezirk, Alsergrund). It is located just north of the first, central district, Innere Stadt. Alsergrund was incorporated in 1862, with seven suburbs. ...
, Vienna. Still other versions are that he committed suicide out of despair or that he was taken to a camp in
Riga
Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...
.
After Jokl's arrest, his former employer tried to ensure that Jokl's library would be given to the University in case Jokl was not allowed to go to Albania. However, the Dean preferred that Jokl be sent to a concentration camp, as that would make acquisition of his works much easier.
Paul Heigl, the director general of the National Library of Austria, also applied for custodianship of the collection. Despite Jokl's bequeathing the library to Albania, it was confiscated on April 27, 1942 and sent to the National Library. In 1946, the Austrian National Library retained the holdings on the grounds that Jokl had not left any eligible relatives. Of the original more than 3,000 books, only about 200 can now be identified. Jokl's life's work, an edition of the ''Etymological Dictionary of Albanian'' by Gustav Meyer, with handwritten addendas, is untraceable.
Posthumous honors
![Stamp of Albania - 2012 - Colnect 376197 - Norbert Jokl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Stamp_of_Albania_-_2012_-_Colnect_376197_-_Norbert_Jokl.jpeg)
On April 29, 1982, the Senate of the University of Vienna decided to inscribe Norbert Jokl's name to the board of honour of the University.
In 2012,
Posta Shqiptare
Posta Shqiptare is the national postal service of Albania. ''Posta Shqiptare sh.a.'' is a public limited company owned by the Albanian Government. As of 2017 its CEO was Laert Duraj.
History
Beginnings in the Ottoman Empire
Albania's postal serv ...
, the national postal service of Albania, honored Jokl with a postage stamp in a series commemorating foreign
Albanologists, linguists who have studied the
Albanian language
Albanian ( endonym: or ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is spoken by the Albanians in the Balkans and by the Albanian diaspora, which is generally concentrated in the Americas, Europ ...
. Also honored in the series were
Eric Hamp
Eric Pratt Hamp (November 16, 1920 – February 17, 2019) was an American linguist widely respected as a leading authority on Indo-European linguistics, with particular interests in Celtic languages and Albanian. Unlike many Indo-Europeanists, wh ...
and
Holger Pedersen.
Bibliography
* 1923 ''Linguistisch-kulturhistorische Untersuchungen aus dem Bereiche des Albanischen'',
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
–
Leipzig
Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
.
References
External links
Photo and autograph
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jokl, Norbert
1877 births
1942 deaths
People from Bzenec
People from the Margraviate of Moravia
Austrian people of Jewish descent
Albanologists
People who died in Maly Trostenets extermination camp
Austrian civilians killed in World War II
Austrian Jews who died in the Holocaust