Josif Bageri, a poet, writer, publicist, and activist of the National Renaissance, was born in the village of Nistrovë in Upper Reka, which at that time belonged to the Sanjak of Dibra. He spent his childhood and early youth in his hometown. He learned to read and write Albanian at the age of 17 in Sofia, where he had emigrated. For a while, he worked as a shoemaker. Bageri was one of the founders and activists of the Albanian Society “Dëshira” (“Wish”), established in Sofia on January 1, 1893. In 1899, he visited Istanbul and met Naim Frashëri, who had a significant influence on his literary and patriotic activities. Between 1905 and 1907, he focused on promoting education and the establishment of Albanian schools. In 1908, he opened the Albanian school in Nistrovo. In 1910, he founded the newspaper “Shqypeja e Shqipnies” (“Albanians Albanian”) in Sofia. After 1912, he settled in Durrës and was appointed editor-in-chief of the magazine “Ushtima e Krujës” (“Reverberation of Kruja”). Throughout his career, he published poetry, prose, commentary, and various literary and journalistic writings. He collaborated closely with prominent figures of the National Renaissance and the independence movement in Albania. Josif Bageri passed away in Prishtina during a trip from Durrës to Sofia in 1915. (In the photo: Josif Bageri)
Text: Encyclopedic Dictionary of Kosovo – Vol. I , Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, Prishtina, 2018, page 92.
Photo: © https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josif_Bageri
Graphic processing: AHCF
