Literature - French-Albanian writer Kadare dies
Paris (dpa) – The Albanian-French writer Ismail Kadare is dead. He passed away at the age of 88 in a hospital in Tirana, according to his French publishing house. He was considered one of the most prominent contemporary authors writing in Albanian.
Kadare published over 50 works that have been translated into over 30 languages. In Germany, the small, modest, and graceful writer was particularly known for his books "The Fortress," "November of a Capital," and "The Sandcastle."
His novels deal with the myths, identity, and history of a country and a people, for whom he saw himself as a chronicler. In his publications, he warned against foreign rule and described the dangers of a "supra-state" designed for self-preservation. His central theme: Life under a dictatorship, which had denied him publication for years.
Under Fire of Criticism
Kadare was born on the night of January 28, 1936, in Gjirokastra, southern Albania. There is disagreement among biographies regarding his exact birthdate, 27th or 28th. He studied in Tirana and then at the Gorky Institute in Moscow. His breakthrough came in 1964 with the novel "The General of the Dead Army," which was filmed in France with Marcello Mastroianni and Michel Piccoli.
Kadare's political role in Albania was not always uncontroversial. He was criticized for his support of the communist system under the dictator Enver Hoxha, who ruled the Socialist People's Republic of Albania from 1944 to 1985. To many, his flight to France in 1990, when the Hoxha regime's successor Ramiz Alia promised freedom and democratization, seemed illogical. He lived in Paris and Tirana, the capital of Albania.
Despite being critically accused for his support of the communist system under Enver Hoxha in Albania, Ismail Kadare found a significant following in Germany, where his works like "The Fortress," "November of a Capital," and "The Sandcastle" gained popularity. These novels, rooted in the myths, identity, and history of Albania, were translated into German and showcased Kadare's unique perspective on life under a dictatorship, a theme that was central to his work. Although Kadare was born in France's literary neighbor, Albania, he spent significant time in both Tirana and Paris, continually contributing to the literary landscapes of both nations.
