Athanas Gegaj (1904–1988), historian and publicist, was born in Triesh of Malësi e Madhe. He was educated at the Franciscan high school in Shkodra, while he received his higher education in Italy and Belgium. He condemned the fascist invasion of Albania on April 7, 1939, so he was exiled. After that, he never returned to his homeland. During the years of the Second World War, he served as a secretary at the royal court of Ahmet Zogu in exile. After the war, he worked for ten years (1961-1971) as a publicist in the newspaper “Dielli” (“The Sun”). He also published articles in the foreign press. Died in Santa Monica (California). (In the photo: The book entitled “Albania and the Ottoman occupation in the XV century” by Athanas Gegaj.)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1, Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 761.
Photo: © National History Museum
Graphic processing: AHCF
