Dr. Ardian Klosi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ardian Klosi (9 July 1957 – 26 April 2012) was an Albanian publicist, writer, translator, social activist and an opinionist. Klosi was born in 1957 and earned a degree in Literature in the University of Tirana, in 1981.

 

He received his doctorate titles in 1990. Klosi lived in Germany for the first five years of post-communism, where he met and married the photographer Jutta Benzenberg, with whom he had two daughters. After returning from Germany, Klosi was from 1998 to 1999 General Director of Radio Televizioni Shqiptar, the public broadcaster of Albania.

 

Klosi returned to Albania in 1998 and strongly engaged in civil society activities and journalism. In the recent years he was very active in defending environmental issues. He supported the civil society causes and the cultural heritage. Klosi was especially active against the government initiative for demolishing the Pyramid. Klosi’s activity is closely related to books and other publications: “Reflections” with Edi Rama, “Albania, a Painful Awakening”, “Quo Vadis, Albania” (Whither Goest Thou, Albania), and “Albania, What can it Be in the Future”. He also published “Albanian Survival” in German, a German-Albanian vocabulary, in cooperation with other authors in 1997.

 

Klosi has given a great contribution in translation. He was awarded several times for his translations: in 2008 for the translation of Oliver Schmitt's “Skanderbeg. Der neue Alexander auf dem Balkan”, at the same time spurring many debates among the public opinion. In the last years, Klosi was active in journalism, and wrote extensively on political and social issues, thus becoming a well-known public figure in Albania.

 

Suicide

 

Klosi suffered from severe bouts of depression and had attempted suicide twice, before ending his life. He was also hospitalized and received treatments against depression. Klosi committed suicide in Tirana on 26 April 2012.

 

The Albanian President Bamir Topi considered it "an irreplaceable loss for the family and the entire Albanian society, that today more than ever needs intellectuals of an independent and courageous voice, carrying out altruistic missions on behalf of the Albanian people.

 

The Prime Minister of Albania Sali Berisha sent a message of condolences to the family, noting that Klosi's departure is an irreplaceable loss for the family, but also for the world of letters, political writing and Albanian civil society, that will miss one of their outstanding personalities.

 

The Socialist Party of Albania expressed their condolences for the loss of the man whom they consider a good Albanian with an illuminated mind, and also a great loss for the Albanian free speech, for the civil society and the contemporaneous culture of the nation. “Ardian Klosi created a precious value with his example as an intellectual committed to give his efforts for democracy and social justice, and for an Albania that should be protected with its assets. He will be remembered as an active citizen in the civil battle against the environmental destructions, and who made the voice of independent citizens to be listened for environmental protection”, the SP message says.

 

The opposition leader, Edi Rama, tweeted: “A dear friend of our country left this night, after refusing to coexist with vulgarity”.

 

He was buried at the public Sharra cemetery in a Tirana suburb.