By ERGET CENOLLI

Today, no one knows where the first and greatest millionaire of the Albanian nation and the rare patriot is buried. No one remembers to dedicate even a simple memorial to the man who laid heavy stones in the foundations of Albanian book publishing. Even a school, built with his money, is named “Sevasti Qiriazi”… He was at the head of the two most famous societies in the history of the Albanian movement in Bucharest, “Drita” and “Dituria”. He invested in the establishment of a printing house that produced and distributed books to all Albanians, wherever they were. He financed the publication of one of the most prominent works of Albanian literature of the Renaissance, “Bagëti e bujësji” by Naim Frashëri. He contributed to the opening of the first Albanian school in Korça, in March 1887.

Greeks block the will

In the will of Anastas Lakçe, large sums were left for the construction of a pharmacy in Korça, where poor people could receive medicines for free. It was also written there that every year, 7 Christian girls and 7 Muslim girls from Korça should be provided with a dowry. Unfortunately, Anastas Lakçe deposited his entire inheritance in the Bank of Athens and a few years after his death, the Greeks blocked the sending of the inheritance to Korça, with the excuse that a “Greek Orthodox community” would be created in this city, which was not written in the will of the deceased…!

One of the first patrons of Albanian poetry, and also of literature, has been left without a grave. Anastas Avramidi Lakçe (Korça), almost his entire life, lived and worked in the Romanian capital Bucharest, during the 19th century. He was born in Korça, in the first decade of the 19th century, but at a very young age he emigrated to Bucharest, where he began to engage in trade. Lakçe reached the peak of his enrichment during the Russian-Turkish wars, which began in 1854 and ended in 1877, with the signing of the peace of “Saint Stephen” and were nicknamed the “Crimean Wars”.

During the war years, Anastas Lakçe, with the innate intuition of a Korçë merchant, managed to capture the vodka sales market, so much in demand by Russian soldiers, who rarely went into battle without consuming their national drink. This trade made Lakçe one of the biggest millionaires of the time, not only in Romania, but in the entire Balkan Peninsula. So much so that when he died, he had left a fortune that, according to the press of the time, exceeded 2 million gold francs.

But he did not stay only in the field of trade. During the second part of his life, he was engaged in extensive patriotic activity. Anastas Lakçja was at the head of two of the most famous societies in the history of the Albanian movement in Bucharest, such as the “Drita” society, founded in 1884, and “Dituria”, founded in 1886. With his initiative and investment, a printing house was built in the Romanian capital, which produced and distributed Albanian books, not only in Albania, but wherever they had established their presence.

In Lasgush Poradeci's writing "On Albanian Societies" we read: "Every week small and large packages, full of Albanian books, printed in Bucharest, were sent to all parts of Albania and the four corners of the world, as far as Russia and America and as far as China, distributed everywhere without money..." (L. Poradeci, works, published in 1990). And here we should mention that our distinguished poet from Pogradec, in the above-mentioned work, calls Anastas Lakçe; "the old millionaire with a big heart".

The culmination of Lakçe's benevolence towards culture is the sponsorship of the publication of one of the most prominent works of Albanian literature of the Renaissance, “Cattle and Agriculture” by Naim Frashëri. In honor of this action, in the first edition we read this dedication: “In the honorable and beloved name of Mr. Anastas Avramidhi, benefactor of the nation and President of the ‘Drîtë’ Society in Bucharest, who strives to enlighten his motherland with letters and knowledge. Written by Naim H. Frashëri, on May 25, 1886”.

With his contribution, the church of "St. George" was built in Korça, the largest and most beautiful, according to contemporaries, in the Balkan Peninsula. This building was highly appreciated even by Italian builders during World War II, but which was unfortunately barbarically destroyed by the communist regime at the height of the anti-religious war, in 1967. Lakçja also contributed to the opening of the first Albanian school in Korça, in March 1887.

Anastas Avramidhi was the founder of the “Llaso’s Ark”, which was an institution of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Korça, where contributions from all Korça believers were collected, wherever they were. Like all millionaires, before he died in 1898, Lakçja compiled his will, where most of his bequests were made to charity (we emphasize that Anastas Lakçja left no direct descendants).

Thus, in his will, large sums were left for the construction of a pharmacy in Korça, where poor people could receive medicines for free. It was also written that every year 7 Christian girls and 7 Muslim girls from Korça should be provided with dowries.

Unfortunately, Anastas Lakçe deposited his entire inheritance in the Bank of Athens and a few years after his death, the Greeks blocked the sending of the inheritance to Korça with the excuse that a “Greek Orthodox community” would be created in this city, which was not written in the deceased’s will. This was denounced in the newspaper “Zëri i Korçës”, dated January 25, 1930, but was later forgotten, so even today Lakçe’s inheritance is “lost” in the deposits of Greek banks.

For his incalculable contribution, after his death, his body was embalmed in Romania and placed in one of the premises of the church of “Saint George”, where it remained for 69 years, until it was buried in the days when the macabre destruction of the aforementioned church began. The communist regime declared the sponsor of Naimi’s work reactionary and buried him in oblivion, where Lakçja remains to this day.

Today, no one knows where the grave of one of the first and greatest millionaires of the Albanian nation is. No one remembers to dedicate even a simple memorial to the man who laid heavy stones in the foundations of Albanian book publishing.

But what is most irritating about the attack that has been and continues to be made on Anastas Lakçe is the fact that the school, which was built with his money, has been given a different name that has nothing to do with this school. It is a 9-year school located in the city center.

On one of its doors there is a plaque that clearly reads “…this school was built by Anastas Lakçe…”, but a few years ago, at the initiative of the local government, the school was named “Sevasti Qiriazi”. It is true that the aforementioned lady is not without contribution to the history of Albanian education, but she can in no way replace the real “owner” of the school in question.

In the districts of Korça and Kolonjë, Qirjaz's birthplace, there are many institutions where she can be honored. Naming this school after Lakçe would be the first step in bringing her out of oblivion, giving her the place she deserves in the history of the city of Korça and the deserved place in the history of the Albanian patriotic movement. / Memorie.al