Branko Merxhani

{{Infobox writer

| name = Branko Merxhani

| birth_date = {{birth year|1894}}

| birth_place = Niš, Ottoman Empire

| death_date = {{death-date and age|25 December 1981|1894}}

| death_place = Istanbul, Turkey

| occupation = journalist, translator, publisher

| pseudonym = Baha Özler, Ali Pazar

}}

Aleksandër Merxhani mostly known as Branko Merxhani (1894–1981) was an Albanian intellectual, sociologist, writer, journalist and literary critic. He was one of the most important cultural figures of the pre-World War II in Albania, publisher of Përpjekja shqiptare. During the '30s he developed an ideological program named Neo-Albanianism ({{langx|sq|Neo-shqiptarisma}}),{{cite book|last=Elsie|first=Robert|title=Historical Dictionary of Albania|url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio00elsi|url-access=limited|year=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|language=en|isbn=9780810873803|page=[https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio00elsi/page/n373 299]}} which he developed being heavily influenced by Turkish sociologist Ziya Gökalp.{{Cite web|last=Sulstarova|first=Enis|url=https://telegrafi.com/neoshqiptarizma-nje-model-huazuar/|title=Neoshqiptarizma, një model i huazuar|date=1 June 2016|website=Telegrafi|language=en-US|access-date=9 February 2019}}

Life

File:Revista Përpjekja Shqiptare.jpg" literary magazine, which was published by Branko Merxhani]]

Originating from Sopik of Pogon kaza, his father was a judge in Nish, where he married with a local and Branko was born there. It is thought that his mother or his governess was German.{{Cite book|title=Formula të neo-shqiptarismës|last=Merxhani|first=Branko|publisher=Apollonia|language=sq|year=1996|oclc=40602629|location=Tiranë|pages=5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BaC4AAAAIAAJ&q=Izmir|editor-last=Plasari|editor-first=Aurel|editor-link=Aurel Plasari}} After the Ottoman authorities relocated his father, he followed the German lyceum in Bursa, studied philosophy in the Ottoman Empire and followed his studies in Austria. After the triumph of Atatürk, he returned and worked as a journalist in Ankara's press. Afterwards he returned in Albania for property issues in his village of origin.

He settled in Gjirokastër, where he worked with the Demokratia magazine published by Jorgji Meksi,{{Cite journal|last=Leka|first=Pertefe|date=27 February 2013|title=Korifeu i publicistikës shqiptare, Branko Merxhani|url=https://www.radiandradi.com/branko-merxhani-korife-i-publicistikes-shqiptare-nga-pertefe-leka-2/|journal=Metropol|volume=XXIII|issue=44|pages=16|language=sq}} and along with Vangjel Koça, it was through its pages that he first presented his ideological program, known as Neo-shqiptarisma.{{cite book|last=Halili|first=Rigest|title=Modernism: Representations of National Culture: Discourses of Collective Identity in Central and Southeast Europe 1770–1945|chapter=Branko Merxhani, The organization of the chaos|publisher=Central European University Press|date=2010|page=154|isbn=9789637326646|volume=III|issue=2}} At 1930 he went to Tirana where he started publishing a magazine named after his ideological program, Neo-shqiptarisma, but it lasted for only one issue.{{Cite book|title=Antologji e mendimit shqiptar: 1870-1945|last=Kulla|first=Ndriçim|publisher=Plejad|language=sq|year=2003|isbn=9789992792407|location=Tiranë|pages=29|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g8QYAQAAIAAJ&q=Branko}} He started writing articles for Illyria magazine run by Karl Gurakuqi; their collaboration went on from March 1934 until 1936. From December 1935 he collaborated with the New Time ({{langx|sq|Koha e Re}}) along with Suat Asllani, Petro Marko, Koça and Tajar Zavalani; but after 13 issues the journal stopped being published.{{Cite book|title=Intervistë me vetveten: Retë dhe gurët|last=Marko|first=Petro|publisher=OMSCA|language=sq|year=2000|isbn=9992740337|location=Tiranë|pages=145, 147}} In October 1936 he started to publish The Albanian Endeavour ({{langx|sq|Përpjekja shqiptare}}).

Branko Merxhani

Life

References

Further reading