Safet Butka, professor, nationalist, opponent of communism, son of patriot Sali Butka, was killed in Melçan, Korça. He was born in Butkë, Kolonjë, in 1901. He completed his secondary and university studies in Linz and Graz, Austria, where he graduated in philosophy (1928). There he published his first study “Naim Frashëri, jeta dhe veprat” (“Naim Frashëri, life and works”) (1925). After returning to his homeland, he was appointed a professor at the High School of Korça, the Commercial School of Vlora, director of the “Normal” school in Gjirokastra, inspector at the Ministry of Education and director of the State High School of Tirana (1929-1939). He led the first anti-fascist demonstrations of students and citizens of Tirana (April 3–6, 1939). As the director of the lyceum, he also inspired the teachers and students not to honor the invaders. He was imprisoned and exiled by the Italians to the island of Ventotene (1939–1942). He was a nationalist, fighter for freedom and liberation, commander of the detachments of the National Front in Korça district (1942-1943). He fought several battles against the Italian invaders: in Floq, January 1943; Pocestë, September 1943, etc., and against the Germans: Barmash, August 1943, in cooperation with the British Mission in Albania. Initiator and activist of the union of all Albanians in the fight for a free, ethnic, and democratic Albania. After the collapse of the Mukje Agreement (1943), as soon as he had finished a battle against the Italians in Pocestë, he was surrounded by communist forces in Melçan and, in order not to cause the fratricidal war, but also not to fall into their hands, he sacrificed himself in 1943. He was decorated with the medal “Martyr of Democracy” and the highest title “Order of the National Flag”. (In the photo: Safet Butka)
Text: Encyclopedic dictionary of victims of communist terror – Vol. II, “West Print”, Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism, Tirana, 2012, page 217-218.
Photo: © Institute of Historical Studies “Lumo Skendo“, Tirana
Graphic processing: AHCF
