Kristo Floqi

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Kristo V. Floqi (24 May 1876 – 1 July 1951) was an Albanian lawyer, playwright, publisher and politician. He was born in Korçë, then part of the Ottoman Empire, into a family active in Albanian public life; his brother Thanas signed the Albanian Declaration of Independence.

Floqi studied law in Athens, graduating in 1899, and returned to work as a lawyer. He spent time in Istanbul learning Ottoman Turkish and connecting with Albanian patriotic clubs, then lived in Greece, Vlore, and finally Boston. In Boston he became editor of the Albanian weekly Dielli in 1911. With Fan Noli and Faik Konitza he helped create Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America. In 1912–1913 he moved to New York and started the newspaper Zëri i Popullit (Voice of the People).

After Albania declared independence, Floqi returned home to help build its new judiciary in Vlora. When Italy occupied Vlora, he moved to Shkoder and practiced law during World War I, publishing the newspaper Agimi (The Dawn) in 1919. In 1920 he was appointed Court of Appeal in Shkoder and, in December, became Minister of Education in the Vrioni government, expanding schools from 318 to 544. He briefly served as Minister of Finances as well.

In 1921 Floqi represented Dibra in Parliament, but after the 1922 insurrection his mandate was voided. He wrote a hymn later associated with the Albanian monarchy. He spent time in Vienna in 1922 and met the former Prince Wied. After Ahmet Zogu rose to power, Floqi remained active in politics and law, and in January 1925 started the newspaper Indipendenca shqiptare in Tirana. He declined the position of President of the Assembly and, later, other high offices.

Floqi continued to work as a lawyer and served on the State Council, though relations with Zogu and Kostaq Kotta were difficult. During the Italian invasion he kept his position but clashed with the puppet government. He was arrested by the Communists in 1945 or 1946, jailed for several years, then released because of his age; his house was confiscated. He died in Tirana in 1951, soon after his wife Urani Floqi. Their son was interned in Lezhë, and Floqi’s name was suppressed during the Communist era.

Floqi is remembered as a major Albanian dramatist, with works that include dramas, tragedies and comedies (and translations).