Maximilian Lambertz, an Austrian linguist, professor, and Albanologist, was born in Vienna (Austria). As an Albanologist, he devoted special attention to the study of Arbëresh dialects and the dialectal division of Albanian, as well as Albanian folklore and popular culture. During the years of World War I, he made a study trip to Albania, collected folklore and dialectal materials, and participated in the work of the Albanian Literary Commission and in discussions on the issues of forming a unified literary Albanian language. His fundamental studies in the field of popular culture include “Die Volkspoesie der Albaner” (Albanian Folk Poetry), 1917, “Albanische Märchen und andere Texte zur albanischen Volkskunde” (Albanian Fairy Tales and Other Texts on Albanian Folklore), 1922, “Albanien erzählt” (Albania Speaks), 1956, and “Die Volksepik der Albaner” (Albanian Folk Epic), 1958, an extensive study on the Albanian cycle of epic heroes. In the field of syntax, he published a monograph on the hypothetical period of Albanian, “Die hypothetische Periode im Albanischen” (The Hypothetical Period in Albanian), in 1914. After World War II, he settled in the German Democratic Republic. He taught the Albanian language at the University of Leipzig and compiled a series of books for teaching Albanian, including an anthology of Albanian literature with German translation and an introduction to the Albanian language (1948, two volumes), and a three-volume course in Albanian (Albanian-German Dictionary, Albanian Anthology, Grammar, 1954, 1955, 1959). He also published works on Albanian syntax and wrote evaluative articles and reviews on Albanian linguistic and literary publications. He translated and published in German the complete works of Gjergj Fishta’s “Lahuta e Malësisë” (The Highland Lute), as well as the drama “Toka jonë” (Our Land) by Kolë Jakova. For his contribution to the field of Albanological studies, he was decorated with the “Order of the Flag”. (In the photo: Maksimilian Lamberc)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 2 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 1455.
Photo: © Albanian Telegraphic Agency
Graphic processing: AHCF
