Lazër Shantoja

Lazër Shantoja (7 July 1891 – 5 March 1945) was an Albanian blessed, publicist, poet, satirist, and translator into Albanian from Goethe, Schiller and Leopardi, as well as his country's first Esperantist. He was one of the first Catholic priests, arrested by the communist government, and the first Albanian priest that was shot by a firing squad.

Life Shantoja was born on 7 July 1891 (although some biographers mention also 2 September 1892 as birthday) in Shkodër, Scutari Vilayet, then Ottoman Empire, son of Kel Shantoja and Luçe Blinishti. In his manuscript Shantojana - History of the Shantoja family he writes that his family originates from Vjerdha e Vjetër, a settlement close to Rragam, in the Shkodër County. Shantoja pursued elementary and high school studies at the Albanian Pontifical Seminary in Shkodër, and then, during 1912 - 1914, was in Innsbruck, Austria-Hungary, to pursue university level theological studies. His Austrian professors wrote in his graduation certificate that he was a "very talented" seminarist.

In 1914 Shantoja visited for the first time Vienna, and, on 29 May 1915, he was ordained as a priest. He started to write poetry in Albanian, Italian, German and Esperanto, and also began to translate into Albanian. In 1917 Shantoja started to serve as a parish priest in the villages of Pulaj, Beltojë, Velipojë, Rrjoll, as well as Sheldî,

In 1941, along with Ernest Koliqi, Mustafa Merlika-Kruja, Giuseppe Valentini, Karl Gurakuqi, Xhevat Kortsha ecc., he was one of the founders of the Institute of Sciences of Albania, the predecessor of what came to be known later as Academy of Sciences of Albania. Shantoja endorsed the government of Mustafa Kruja, in whose thoughts he saw a continuance of the political mentality of Gurakuqi. In 1943 he participated in the burial of Ndok Gjeloshi in Tirana, who had been killed by the communists. After the WW2 capitulation of Italy in September 1943 Shantoja retired from politics. Archbishop Zef Simoni, in his memories, wrote that, besides the breaking of his bones, tortures included skinning his legs with hot iron rods, and putting salt on his bare flesh, while he was never medicated. Shantoja's mother begged the prison guards to just kill him, so that his sufferings would end.

On 31 January 1945, Shantoja was sentenced to death by a military court, headed by Esat Ndreu, with members Mustafa Iljazi and Hysni Lame, whereas government prosecutor was Vaskë Koleci. On 2 February 1945, the central investigation committee for war criminals, headed by Jusuf Alibali, recommended the withholding of the military court of Shkodër decision. On 9 February 1945, the highest military court in Tirana withheld the decision. The execution by firing squad occurred on 5 March 1945, in Tirana's outskirts." Along with Shantoja, Sulçe beg Bushati was also shot by a firing squad. After the execution, Father Viktor Volaj was the last person to see the body of Shantoja. Koliqi considered Shantoja to be a fine proseist, similar in style and elegance to Faik Konica.

Publicist works Shantoja is considered to be the first Albanian esperantist, according to Cuk Simoni, the translator of Pinocchio into Albanian as well as well-known esperantist. In 1914 he published in esperanto in the Esperanto magazine nr. 2 the article "La albana lingue".

Shantoja published in 1919 the folk tales "Për natë kazanash" . In 1922 he published the study "Grueja" , and, in 1927, the monologue "Peshku në det e tava në zjarm", , also interpreted by the artistic association "Bogdani".

Shantoja collaborated with many periodicals such as Lajmtari i zemrës s'Jezu Krishtit and Kalendari i Veprës Pijore . Later on, he became one of the most ardent collaborators, as well as main editor of Ora e Maleve . While an emigrant, he collaborated with Liria kombëtare , which was published in Geneva, and, in 1928, with the help of Hasan Prishtina he published his periodical Ora e Shqypnìs , as a continuation of Ora e Maleve. Further, he collaborated with other periodicals, such as Illyria, Cirka, LEKA, Kumbona e së diellës , and Shkëndija .

On 22 December 1915, he published the poem "Çinarët", as well as "Prifti i malsisë" , "Kanga e Paqes , and "Hasan Riza Pasha". In 1927 he created the short dramatic poem "Kuvendi i dëshmorve" , and, in 1934, he published a cycle of poetry "Për një puthje të vetme" .

Translations In 1915, when Shantoja was a seminary student, he translated Heinrich Heine's poem "Shtegtimi n'Kevlar" , and, after becoming a priest, he continued with the translation of Jankowski's "I burgosuni dhe flutura" , Oscar Wilde's "Vigani egoist" , Schiller's "Kânga e kumbonës" (Song of the Bell), Jørgensen's "Fija prej së naltit" , Leidh's "Kishëza në mal" , De Musset's "T'biin n'mênd" , Weber's "Kaq shpejt dimen!" , "Kumonët e mrames" , and Immermann's "I harruem" .

In 1942 he translated Giuseppe Fontanelli's "Vargje për nji vashë të vdekur" from the bookPensar di lei , from Giacomo Leopardi he translated "Silvjas" (, ), "Të pambaruemit" , "Qetija mbas duhís" , "Trumsaku vetmitar" , "Mêndimi zotnues" , "E shtundja e katundit" , "Jeta vetmitare" , "Aspasia", "Përkujtimet" , "Vetvetes" ), and Gabriele D'Annunzio's "Shiu në halishtë" (, ).

In 1938 he published Goethe's Hermann and Dorothea on Leka, and then in 1940 on Shkëndija he published Part One of Goethe's Faust, which was also republished in 1944 on Hylli i Dritës.