In the village of Ermenj in Tomorr, Skrapar, Abaz Ermenji was born, a political activist, one of the founders and central figures of the National Front (Balli Kombëtar). He attended high school in Shkodra. With a scholarship from the Albanian state, he pursued higher education at the Faculty of Literature; he specialized in history at the University of Sorbonne (Paris). In 1938, he returned to Albania and was appointed a professor at the National Lyceum (French) in Korçë. He opposed the fascist occupation, was arrested by the Italians, and interned (1940) on the island of Ventotene (Italy). In September 1941, he returned to Albania, where he continued his anti-fascist activity in the Skrapar-Berat area. Abaz Ermenji is one of the organizers of the National Front and a member of its Central Committee. He collaborated with S. Butka, H. Lepenica, S. Muça in several armed actions against the Italians. He participated in the Mukja Assembly (1943) and was elected to the National Salvation Committee. During the German occupation of Albania, he collaborated with German forces in operations against the Albanian National Liberation Army. After liberation, for two years (1945–1946), he operated illegally to overthrow the communist regime. In 1946, he left Albania and settled in Paris, where he led the National Democratic Committee “Shqipëria e lirë” (“Free Albania”). After the reestablishment of the National Front Party in Albania (1991), he was elected chairman twice in a row (1994, 1998). He published a series of articles in newspapers such as “Flamuri” (“Flag”) (Rome), “Balli i Kombit” (Tirana), etc. His most important study is “Vendi që zë Skënderbeu në historinë e Shqipërisë” (“The place occupied by Skanderbeg in the history of Albania”) (Rome 1968, Tirana 1996). He passed away in Paris in 2003. (Photo: Abaz Ermenji)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 612.
Photo: © http://www.ballikombetar.org/index.php/2016/11/25/abas-ermenji-nje-jete-per-shqiperine/
Graphic processing: AHCF
