Petro Poga (1860–1944) was an
Albanian politician who served as a delegate at the
Albanian Declaration of Independence
The Albanian Declaration of Independence ( Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six days later the Ass ...
event in
Vlorë
Vlorë ( , ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the third most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foo ...
, 1912,
and an important
Rilindas
The Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where th ...
.
Biography
Early life
He could've been born in
Erind
Erind is a village in the Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. It belongs to the former Lunxhëri municipality and is part of the wider Lunxhëri region. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Gjirokastër.
Er ...
,
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and th ...
,
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 ...
(then
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
), son of Vito Poga, a local who had previously worked in his region and in
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
as a tailor.
Poga might have gone to the
Zosimea
The ''Zosimaia'' School ( el, Ζωσιμαία Σχολή, ''Zosimaía Scholí'') of Ioannina (in Epirus) has been one of the most significant Greek middle-level educational institutions (high schools) during the last period of Ottoman rule in th ...
Greek language School of
Ioannina,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
(then
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
) and then graduated in Jurisprudence from the
Istanbul University. In Istanbul he may have been an active part of the
Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights, and the
Society for the Publication of Albanian Writings. These two associations, both founded by
Sami Frashëri
Sami bey Frashëri ( tr, Şemseddin Sami Bey; June 1, 1850 – June 18, 1904) or Şemseddin Sâmi was an Ottoman Albanian writer, philosopher, playwright and a p ...
, included
Naim Frashëri
Naim bey Frashëri, more commonly Naim Frashëri (; ; 25 May 184620 October 1900), was an Albanian historian, journalist, poet, rilindas and translator who was proclaimed as the national poet of Albania. He is regarded as the pioneer of modern ...
,
Abdyl Frashëri,
Jani Vreto
Jani Vreto (14 January 1822 – 9 July 1900) was an Albanian writer, printer, publisher and important figure of the Albanian National Awakening. He was responsible for setting up and overseeing the work of the first Albanian printing house in Buc ...
,
Koto Hoxhi
Konstandin Hoxhi, known as Koto Hoxhi (1824–1895) was an advocate of the Albanian language. He taught the language secretly to his students in Qestorat in Southern Albania. He was imprisoned and died in prison for his beliefs.
Biography
Koto Ho ...
,
Shahin Kolonja
Shahin bey Kolonja ( tr, Şahin Teki Kolonya; 1865–1919) was an Albanian journalist, politician, and member of the Ottoman Parliament during its Second Constitutional Era.
Life
Shahin Kolonja was born in Starje, Ottoman Empire, today's southe ...
,
Hasan Tahsini
Khawaja, Hoxhë Hasan Tahsini or simply Hoxha Tahsim (7 April 1811 – 3 July 1881) was an Albanians, Albanian ulama, alim, astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. He was the first rector of Istanbul University and one of the founders o ...
, and
Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemal bey Vlora, mostly known as Ismail Qemali (; 16 January 184426 January 1919), was an Albanian diplomat, politician, rilindas, statesman and the Founding Father of modern Albania, and one of the most famous Southern Albanian perso ...
and aimed to create an independent Albania.
Albanian national awakening
There is a chance that an Albanian magazine ''
Drita'' appeared in 1884 under the editorship of Petro Poga with
Naim Frashëri
Naim bey Frashëri, more commonly Naim Frashëri (; ; 25 May 184620 October 1900), was an Albanian historian, journalist, poet, rilindas and translator who was proclaimed as the national poet of Albania. He is regarded as the pioneer of modern ...
being a behind the scenes editor as Muslim Albanians were not allowed by Ottoman authorities to write in Albanian at that time.
Albanian writers such as Naim Frashëri and
Sami Frashëri
Sami bey Frashëri ( tr, Şemseddin Sami Bey; June 1, 1850 – June 18, 1904) or Şemseddin Sâmi was an Ottoman Albanian writer, philosopher, playwright and a p ...
would write using pseudonyms in Poga's publication.
Poga could have been made to resign his position at Drita due to pressure from the
Constantinople Patriarchate and Shahin Kolonja would take over after him. The magazine was maybe later published by
Pandeli Sotiri
Pandeli Sotiri (1842–1892) was an Albanian activist that acted as director of the first Albanian school of modern times in Korçë. Sotiri was one of the most important Rilindas figures that contributed in the propagation of the Albanian langua ...
, under the name of ''Dituria'' ("Knowledge" in English).
Maybe in his memories Petro Poga wrote:
''The magazine Drita awakened the sacred national ideal and influenced to establish in the Albanians' hearts the thought that religions can not change a nation, because they cannot change the language and customs that create a nation.''
In 1906-1908, Petro Poga was contemplated to be in Gjirokastër where he contributed with the propagation of the Albanian language and the Albanian identity. One of his most important roles might have been the foundation of the patriotic club "Drita" of Gjirokastër, which was further led by Albanian patriots Hasan Xhiku, Idriz Guri,
Hysen Hoxha
Hysen Efendi Hoxha (1861–1934) was an Albanian politician, mayor of Gjirokastër, and the uncle of Enver Hoxha.
Life
Hysen Hoxha was born in Gjirokastër, where his father Beqir was a supporter of the local branch of the League of Prizren. He ...
, and
Elmaz Boçe Elmaz is a masculine given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Elmaz Abinader (born 1954), Arab-American author, poet, and academic
* Elmaz Boçe (1852–1925), Albanian educator
See also
* Elmas (surname)
{{Given name
Masculine give ...
.
Petro Poga strongly advocated for the Albanian move towards independence in 1912. He was elected as one of the representatives of Gjirokastër to the National Assembly of Vlora which declared Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire.
After independence
After Albania's independence in 1912 he was a
Minister of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
in the first Albanian government and acted twice as a
Prime Minister of Albania
The Prime Minister of Albania ( sq, Kryeministri i Shqipërisë), officially styled Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania ( sq, Kryeministri i Republikës së Shqipërisë), is the head of government of the Republic of Albania and the mo ...
(1 February 1925 - 23 September 1925 and 12 February 1927 - 20 October 1927).
Poga became the President of the
Supreme Court of Albania in 1913-1915. Along with
Dhimitër Tutulani
Dhimitër Tutulani (19 March 1857 – 1937), also known as Taq Tutulani or Dhimitraq Tutulani, was an Albanian lawyer and politician from city of Berat. He was one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence.
Life
Dhimitër ...
and
Feim Mezhgorani he drafted the Statute that separated the Albanian Justice system from the jurisdiction of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. On December 25, 1918 he was the representative of
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in the Republic of Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë mountains and th ...
in the
Congress of Durrës
The Congress of Durrës () was a conference of Albanian political leaders, held from December 25 to December 27, 1918, in Durrës, at the time capital of the Principality of Albania.
Mehmet Konica was the Chairman of the Congress, which aimed a ...
, where he was elected vicepresident and member of the
Turhan Përmeti
Turhan Përmeti (19 December 1846 – 18 February 1927) was an Albanian politician who served as the second prime minister of Albania, serving from March 1914 to September 1914 and from December 1918 to January 1920. He was also in service of th ...
cabinet. Along with
Luigj Gurakuqi in his discussions in this Congress he asked to adopt a law to respect religious freedoms according to European standards of that time. He also gave his contribution to draft the Albanian legislation and the Constitution of the Albanian Kingdom in 1928.
Poga spent his last years in his childhood village in Erind.
References
"History of Albanian People" Albanian Academy of Science.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poga, Petro
People from Gjirokastër
19th-century Albanian lawyers
Zosimaia School alumni
Istanbul University Faculty of Law alumni
1860 births
1944 deaths
20th-century Albanian politicians
19th-century Albanian politicians
Government ministers of Albania
Justice ministers of Albania
All-Albanian Congress delegates
Government of Durrës
Congress of Durrës delegates
Speakers of the Parliament of Albania
Members of the Parliament of Albania
20th-century Albanian judges
Albanian people from the Ottoman Empire