By Dr. Haim Reitan

How was founded the publishing house “Bilal Xhaferri”

The publishing house “Bilal Xhaferri” is one of the first Albanian publishing organs of the post-communist period with the aim to select and publish the most prominent values of world literature, of Albanian dissident literature and the creativity of young talents that are at risk to get lost in the difficult conditions of market economy.

The publishing house “Bilal Xhaferri was created as a result of the idea that culture, art, literature and the personalities that represent them, with their values, are the ambassadors and the most convincing and effectual diplomats for the dignified presentation of a nation before other civilized nations. In January 27, 1992 the Ministry of Culture released the permission for the foundation of this publishing organ. The minister at that time was writer Vath Koreshi, one of the promoters and supporters of the talented Bilal Xhaferri's literary beginnings. Vath signed with enthusiasm the permission for publishing activity and promised he would constantly give his support and that of Bilal's friends.

At that time Bilal Xhaferri's work was forgotten. His values were denied by the former communist dictatorship. It was the duty of the Cham intellectuals, like Shefki Hysa, to glorify Bilal's work and the treasures of Cham culture and folklore, great values that had been infringed and the Albanian public didn’t know. The marvelous pearls of the popular Cham epos could be expressed in front of the Albanians and the civilized world through the figure of Bilal Xhaferri, an exceptional talent that had shined like a star in the horizon of Albanian literature in 1960s and was suddenly extinguished from the fatal stroke he got from the former communist dictatorship. The Albanians and all the foreign well-wishers, being familiar with these wonderful values of Chameria, would raise the interest and fell in love with the Cham issue like a singular and sacred religion institution that belonged even to them.

Thus, “Bilal Xhaferri” Publishing due to the capacities, the great zeal and the numerous contacts with Albanian and international politicians, established by writer Shefki Hysa, increased and it was experiencing day by day a bum of selected publications from world literature, books of former outraged personalities like Pjetër Arbnori and especially young talents' works. Its staff made all the attempts that the young boys and girls, full of talent, not only of the Cham Community, could find themselves at“Bilal Xhaferri” Publishing, be affirmed and not have Bilal's destiny, in the difficult period of the cruel capitalist transition that Albania was experiencing.

It was difficult to find monetary instruments for books publications in the first years of the post communist period and the young talents saw a dream shelter in this publishing organ, part of the institution: The Cultural Association “Bilal Xhaferri”…

Bilal Xhaferri's novel "Krastakraus" was published in 1993. It was one of the most artistically realized works with the topic and the problems of the Albanian ethnicity, too much preferred by this author. The publication was enabled with the assistance of Cham intellectual Ballkiz Halili, who has kept for years a typescript copy of this novel. This publication was a great and unexpected success. Finally, the Albanian public had in his hands one of the most dignified works and not only the figure of Bilal, the dissident writer that had scuffled with the former Albanian communist dictatorship. The number of publications increased every year and “Bilal Xhaferri” Publishing House played an important role to introduce the Cham problem that was near the solution, in the national and international area.

Some of the most known publications of this institution with national values are:

“Fatal love”, romance (1992), Alfred de Musset
“Bloddy Love ( Beyond the distances)”, romance (1992), Bilal Xhaferri
“The respectful prostitute”, novels (1992), Jean Paul Sartre
“When the vikings invade”, novel (1992), Pjetër Arbnori
“The flaw of the heart”, poetry (1992), Gjin Progni
“The turtledove and the devil”, tales (1992), Shefki Hysa
“Krastakraus (Berati crumpled), novel (1993), Bilal Xhaferri
“Don’t remind me the death”, poetry (1993), Rudina Hasa
“Rebel”, poetry (1993), Shpëtim Roqi
“The night of the foreign cypresses”, essay (1994), Artur Spanjolli
“The beauty and the shadow”, romance (1994), Pjetër Arbnori
“Hostages of peace”, novel (1994), Shefki Hysa
“Peccant angel”, poetry (1994), Mirela Rapi
“The living dossiers”, journalism (1995), Agim Musta
“The pergola of the tears”, poetry (1995), Namik Mane
“The homesick horse”, poetry (1996), Arshin Rexha
“The dream stars”, poetry (1996), Etleva Shahini
“The vortex”, novel (1997), Pjetër Arbnori
“The cursed paradise”, novel (1997), Shefki Hysa
“The sold paradise”, poetry (2002), Dylbere Dika
“And the day dies”, tales (2003), Dylbere Dika
“Soul scream”, poetry (2004), Liri Hidërshaj
“Aroma of Chameria” , tales (2004), Shefki Hysa
“The false miracles”, tales (2005), Shefki Hysa
“Spiritual lactacion”, novel (2005), Liri Hidërshaj
“For a little bit happiness”, poetry (2006), Venka Capa
“The narration”, novel(2006), Liri Hidërshaj
“Dialogue for the impossible peace”, journalism (2006), Hysen Haxhiaj
“Family sorrow”, poetry (2006), Mina Çaushi
“With our feet we traveled the world”, novel 2007), Xhulia Xhekaj
“Dodona, the ancient temple of Albania”, research articles (2007), Rasim Bebo
“The regret”, novel (2007), Liri Hidërshaj
“The tears of the rose”, poetries (2008), Kostaq Myrtaj etc, etc.

Extracted from the book “The diplomacy of self-denial”
of writer Shefki Hysa,
Tirana, 2008

Dr. Haim Reitan, Diplomat,
Honorary President
of the Diplomatic Mission
Peace and Prosperity