Idhomen Jovan Kosturi (15 May 1873 – 5 November 1943), also known as Idhomeno Kosturi, was an

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 ...

politician,

regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

and once acting

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

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 ...

. He would become the second representative of

Albanian Orthodox The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania ( sq, Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë), commonly known as the Albanian Orthodox Church or the Orthodox Church of Albania, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It declared its autoce ...

population to become head of the Albanian government, after

Pandeli Evangjeli Pandeli Evangjeli (6 January 1859 – 14 September 1949) was an Albanian politician who served two terms as the 7th Prime Minister of Albania. He was the first Orthodox Christian to head the Albanian government. Early life and career Born in ...

. Kosturi was also among the contributors to the first Albanian teachers' school, the Shkolla Normale e Elbasanit, a teacher training institution that was founded on 1 December 1909 in Elbasan.

Life

Kosturi, son of

patriot and activist Jovan Cico Kosturi was born in

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...

in south-eastern Albania, back 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) ...

, on 15 May 1873.
Kosturi studied US and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

history in Boston, MA, where he resided for several years. He became an American citizen. After his return home, being a polyglot and intellectual and having a patriotic family background, Kosturi joined the Albanian irredentist circles in the Manastir Vilayet. He was vice-chairman of the

Secret Committee for the Liberation of Albania The Secret Committee for the Liberation of Albania ( sq, Komiteti i fshehtë për lirinë e Shqipërisë) was a secret committee founded in Manastir (modern day Bitola) by Bajo Topulli and other Albanian nationalists in November 1905 to fight for t ...

based in

Bitola Bitola (; mk, Битола ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki ...

. He was a member and bookkeeper of the "Dituria" (Knowledge) society founded in Korçë, and led by

Orhan Pojani Orhan bey Pojani (1846–1913) was a prominent figure involved in the Albanian National Awakening. Founded in early 1880s, the magazine '' Drita'' by 1884 was led by Pojani along with Jovan Kosturi and Thimi Marko while it was distributed throug ...

. After a visit (1902) to

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

, Kosturi told Albanians in Korçë that the main concern of Dituria was to improve the Albanian boys school in the town through student attainment of higher grades, selecting better teachers and introducing new subjects. In 1909, he participated as representative of "Dituria" in the

Congress of Elbasan The Congress of Elbasan ( sq, Kongresi i Elbasanit), also known between Albanians as the Congress of the Albanian schools (''Kongresi i shkollave shqipe''), was held from 2 to 8 September 1909 in Elbasan, today's Albania, back then part of the Vi ...

, where it was decided the opening of Shkolla Normale e Elbasanit. In 1912, his name appears again as a member of the short-lived society "Shoqëria shkollore" (Scholastic society). He was a strong supporter of the Albanian Orthodox Church autocephaly, and the first Albanian church opened in Durrës in 1913. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

he resided in Albania where he led his own '' cheta'' (guerrilla fighters) from 1914 to 1918. He continued the political involvement in the new Albanian state. In 1919, Kosturi was a delegate 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 ...

, following with hist participation in the

Congress of Lushnje A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ad ...

(1920). In 1920, he was elected Minister of Posts and Telegraphs. During the institutional crisis of 1921 in Albania, he served shortly as Prime Minister of Albania, replacing the short-lived government of

Hasan Prishtina Hasan bey Prishtina ( tr, Priştineli Hasan Bey, Hasan Bey Priştine and ''Vulçitrnli Hasan Bey''), originally known as Hasan Berisha (27 September 1873 – 13 August 1933), was an Ottoman, later Albanian politician, who served as the 8th Prime ...

. Meanwhile, Kosturi had built reputation and financial stability as a successful merchant.
In 1922, he signed the order for expulsion of Greek Bishop Iakovos (an opponent of Albanian Orthodox Autocephaly) from Korçë. He was a supporter of

Fan Noli Theofan Stilian Noli, known as Fan Noli (6 January 1882 – 13 March 1965), was an Albanian writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, Archbishop, Metropolitan and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Albanian Orthodox ...

during the

June Revolution The history of Albania forms a part of the history of Europe. During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Ardiaei, Albanoi, Amantini, Enchele, Taulantii and many others, but also Thracian and Greek tribes ...

of 1924. Kosturi was Deputy Prime Minister in Noli's government of 1924. After the suppression of June Revolution and rise in power of

Ahmet Zogu Zog I ( sq, Naltmadhnija e tij Zogu I, Mbreti i Shqiptarëve, ; 8 October 18959 April 1961), born Ahmed Muhtar bey Zogolli, taking the name Ahmet Zogu in 1922, was the leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939. At age 27, he first served as Albania's y ...

, he went in exile and joined Noli's KONARE (Revolutionary National Committee). Kosturi returned into Albanian political life on 1 October 1943, as a representative of Korçë region, and the same year was elected to lead the Commission for Mandate Verification, later Chairman of Constitutional Assembly of Albania on 25 October 1943. As a chairman, he declared as "void" all laws and legal act approved during 7 April 1939 and September 1943. Thus the "Personal unification" between Albania and Italy (established on 12 April 1939) came to an end. He declared the official Albanian neutrality in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He was shot on 5 November 1943 in Durrës, right after leaving his home. The responsible party was the local Communist Guerrilla Unit. The action was carried out by a young communist, Kolë Laku. It is still unknown why Kosturi was pinpointed by the communists.
When the future Albanian Prime Minister Rexhep Mitrovica was voted in the Parliament, he proposed the Assembly to declare National day of mourning. Kolë Laku became well known when he was arrested on 24 February 1944, and would be hanged. For his merits in Albanian political life and his state-forming and organizational contributions to Albania, Mihal Zallari (member of the Regency) directed that the square in front of the former

Assembly of Albania The Parliament of Albania ( sq, Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) or Kuvendi is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Albania; it is Albania's legislature. The Parliament is composed of no less than 140 members elected to a ...

building (area includes today's "Puppets' Theater", part of the Skanderbeg Square, and

Socialist Party of Albania The Socialist Party of Albania ( sq, Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë, PS or PSSh) is a social-democratic political party in Albania. It has been described as centre-left, to left-wing. It was founded on 13 June 1991. The PS is an associate of t ...

's premises) be renamed from " Costanzo Ciano" to "Idhomene Kosturi". With the rise of Communism in Albania, his patriotic, political, and financial contribution would get annihilated. He would be referred as "traitor" or even "

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 ...

agent".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kosturi, Idhomene 1873 births 1943 deaths People from Korçë People from Manastir vilayet Members of the Albanian Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox Christians from Albania Government ministers of Albania Prime Ministers of Albania Speakers of the Parliament of Albania Members of the Parliament of Albania Albanian philanthropists 19th-century Albanian politicians 20th-century Albanian politicians Academics of the University of Elbasan Congress of Elbasan delegates

Life

See also

References