Giuseppe Valentini ( al, Zef Valentini; July 1900 - 16 November 1979) was an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

priest and albanologist of the 20th century.

Biography

Giuseppe Valentini was born in 1900 in

Padova Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...

where he studied theology as a Jesuit priest. In 1922 he moved 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 ...

as a missionary and actively participated in magazines such as ''Lajmetari i Zemres s'Jezu Krishtit'', and ''Leka'', which he directed since 1932. During World War II he became a professor of the Albanian language in the

University of Palermo The University of Palermo ( it, Università degli Studi di Palermo) is a university located in Palermo, Italy, and founded in 1806. It is organized in 12 Faculties. History The University of Palermo was officially founded in 1806, although its ...

. Valentini is the author of several important works on Albanian history, law, numismatics, and sacred art. In 1940 Valentini was one of the founders and general secretary of the Royal Institute of the Albanian Studies, the predecessor institute of the

Academy of Sciences of Albania The Academy of Sciences of Albania ( sq, Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipërisë), founded in 1972, is the most important scientific institution in Albania. In the 1980s, several research institutes began at the University of Tirana were transferred ...

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Valentini, Giuseppe Albanologists Italian lexicographers Linguists from Italy 20th-century Italian historians 20th-century Italian Jesuits 1900 births 1979 deaths Clergy from Padua 20th-century Italian male writers Italian male non-fiction writers Italian–Albanian translators Albanian–Italian translators 20th-century linguists 20th-century translators Academic staff of the University of Palermo 20th-century lexicographers