Stefan Shundi

Stefan Shundi (1906-1947) was an Albanian writer, literary critic, journalist, lawyer, football player, and sports director. During 1933-1936 he was president of the KF Tirana football association.

Stefan Shundi
BornStefan Shundi
1906 (1906)
Tirana, Ottoman Empire
Died1947 (aged 40–41)
Resting placeTirana, Albania
Pen nameGjergj Kuka, Nichts
Occupationwriter, journalist, football player, club president and sports director, lawyer
LanguageAlbanian
EducationLaw
Alma materUniversity of Milan
Period1930s and 1940s
GenreDrama, novels, literary critic articles, and newspaper articles
SubjectAlbanian folklore, Albanian poetry critique
Literary movementNeo-Albanianism and idealistic critique
Notable works“Kalorësi i vdekjes ose Kostandini e Geruntina” (The death knight, or Konstandine and Geruntine)
Years active1930-1947

Life

Stefan Shundi was born in 1906 in Tirana (then part of the Ottoman Empire, now the capital of Albania). He pursued his secondary studies in Austria and then in Italy, where he graduated in law at the University of Milan. In 1929, Shundi was selected from the Albanian government of Zog I, along with other Albanian students, to participate, in an official ceremony to honor Lodewijk Thomson in the Netherlands. Thomson had been a Dutch military who died in Albania in 1914, while commanding the International Control Commission (Albania), as a unit of protection of a newly created Albania.[1]

After graduation in Italy, Shundi returned to Tirana to practice law, which he continued until his death in 1947.[2]

In 1927 Shundi was one of the founders of the football association KF Tirana,[3] of which he continued to be a player until 1929 when he became the club's sports director. On 10 July 1930 he kept as a sports director the victory speech of the first football championship of Albania.[4][5] From 1933 to 1936, he was the club's president.[6][7]

As a journalist, Shundi published (also with the pen names of Gjergj Kuka or Nichts) various articles in different organs of the 1930s and 1940s, such as "Minerva",[8] "Arbënia", "Shkëndija", and "Leka."[9] ecc.) During 1941-1943 Shundi also contributed to the publication of the Drini magazine, a monthly periodical which promoted tourism in Albania.[10]

As a literary critic, he wrote (often with polemic tones), about the contemporary poetry of notable Albanian authors, such as Gjergj Fishta, Vinçens Prennushi, and Lasgush Poradeci.[11] He well described Fishta's character through typical stories of the priest's life, which reveal his wit and good nature.[12] Albeit eclectic, his critique is said to have been influenced by the Italian idealistic critique of Benedetto Croce.[13]

In 1937 Shundi published a drama with folklore themes, “Kalorësi i vdekjes ose Kostandini e Geruntina” (The death knight, or Konstandine and Geruntine).[11] He has left three unpublished manuscripts: "Dy titanët – Skënderbeu e Moisi Golemi” (The two titans - Scanderbeg and Moisi Golemi), “Votra e gjyshit – shënime historike” (The grandfather's fireplace - historic notes), and the novel "Nanë moj” (O mother).[11] Shundi, along with other writers in the 1930s, is deemed to have improved the quality of literature in the 1930s, by giving it a much more colorful expressiveness and making it more modern.[14]

Together with other literary critics of the time, such as Nebil Çika, Ernest Koliqi, Asim Jakova, and Tahir Gjinali, Shundi belonged to the "reactionary" current of the neo-Albanianism of philosopher Branko Merxhani.[15]

Shundi died in 1947 in mysterious circumstances.[16] In recognition of his contributions as a literary critic and as former SK Tirana president, a street of Tirana bears his name.

References
  1. Kola, Bedri (1 January 2014). Partnerships between Albanian Educational Institutions and European Countries in 1927-1939. Journal of Educational and Social Research. 4. Retrieved 10 September 2017. ... Aqsha . 195 Fund of the Ministry of Education. Brief 632. Decision of the Council of Ministers dated 31/05/1929, with no. 444 protocol , which decided that Albanian students Shefki Selenica, Pericles Boria, Christo Maloku, Eqerem Çabej, Odysseus Pascal, Stefan Shundi be sent to take part in a ceremony in honor of Thompson, to be held in the Netherlands , covering and related expenses of 500 gold francs / each. This decision followed a memo to students Nr.1599 ..." and "...Other key lineages were built with other state and non-state organisations. It is interesting to note, that a team with Albanian students like Shefki Selenica, Perikli Mborja, Kristo Maloku, Eqerem Çabej, Odise Paskali, Stefan Shundi attend the ceremony in honour of well know European education personalities.
  2. Spiro Mëhilli (2012). Tirana: 1920-1944. Shtëpia Botuese Mediaprint. ISBN 978-9928-08-048-6. Perbrinje ndodhej rruga e kripes ku kishin zyrat e tyre avokatet Spiro Stringa dhe Stefan Shundi dhe dyqane tregtare te ndryshem
  3. Besnik Dizdari (23 October 2013). "Ta quajmë "Tirona"? Këtë s'e besoj". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). Retrieved 9 September 2017. Kjo është vendosur më 16 gusht 1927. Themeluesit dhe emërtuesit e “Sportklub Tirana” janë Teki Selenica, Anastas Koja, Anastas Shundi, Niko Gurashi, Zoi Xoxa, Tahir Gjinali, Ramazan Jarani, Niazi Tirana, Stefan Shundi, Eqrem Stërmasi, Gaqo Gogo me në krye më nxitësin e këtyre punëve që është Prof.Avni Zajmi, shumica universitarë.
  4. Besnik Dizdari (31 May 2015). "85 vjet më parë: Kampionati i 1-rë i Shqipërisë". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). Retrieved 9 September 2017. Shpresova se dikush do të tregonte pra, edhe zyrtarisht, se sidoqoftë në Shqipëri kishte lindur Kampionati i Futbollit. Dhe se përmbyllja kishte qenë mbrëmja e 10 korrikut 1930 në Hotelin “Metropol” të Tiranës – gostia e fitores së Kampiones së Parë që ka vazhduar deri në agim. Dhe se tre fjalime ceremoniale e kanë përshkuar këte mbrëmje historike: ai i sekretarit të Shoqërisë Sportive SK Tirana, Stefan Shundi; i Nebil Çikës, drejtor i gazetës “Arbënia”; i mësuesit Ramazan Jarani, anëtar i këshillit të Shoqërisë SK Tirana.
  5. John Hughson; Fiona Skillen (14 October 2015). Football in Southeastern Europe: From Ethnic Homogenization to Reconciliation. Routledge. pp. 85–86. ISBN 978-1-317-74929-5.
  6. kftirana.info. "Club Presidency". kftirana.info. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  7. "List of all Presidents". kftirana.info. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  8. Blendi Fevziu (1996). Histori e shtypit shqiptar 1848-1996. Brezi 22. p. 57.
  9. Catholicism, Culture, Conversion: The History of the Jesuits in Albania (1841-1946). Pontificio Istituto orientale. 1923. p. 266. ISBN 978-88-7210-352-4.
  10. Caterina Pisani (14 March 2016). Pagine di Albania. Padre Giuseppe Valentini S.J., Albanologo e Bizantinista. Caterina Pisani. pp. 38–39. ISBN 978-88-925-7026-9.
  11. Fjalori Enciklopedik Shqiptar. Tirana: Akademia e Shkencave e Shqiperise. 2008. p. 2644.
  12. Rivista d'Albania pubblicazione trimestrale. Istituto per gli studi di politica internazionale. p. 143.
  13. Dhimitër S. Shuteriqi (1971). Historia e letërsisë shqipe. Enti i teksteve dhe i mjeteve mësimore i Krahinës Socialiste Autonome të Kosovës. p. 7.
  14. Ernest Koliqi; Nazmi Rrahmani (2003). Kushtrimi i skanderbeut: poezi. Shtëpía Botuese Faik Konica. p. 361. ISBN 978-9951-06-043-1. Shantoja, Nonda Bulka, Nologus, Vedat Kokona, Stefan Shundi, Aleks Çaçi e disá tjerë, e shumta të pregatitun mirë kulturalisht, i dhanë farfuri e kumbim e vrumulisje me stil ma modern shkrimit në gjuhë shqipe.
  15. Studime historike. Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë. 1977. p. 144.
  16. Shêjzat (1975). Numër përkujtimuer kushtue Prof. Ernest Koliqit. Shêjzat. p. 143.
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