Monograph “István Schütz, the Hungarian friend of Albanians” presented in Pristina

The monograph “István Schütz: The Hungarian Friend of Albanians,” written by Mimoza Hasani Pllana, was officially presented at the National Library of Kosovo “Pjetër Bogdani” in Pristina at an event organized by the Embassy of Hungary in Kosovo.

The book is dedicated to the life and work of the distinguished Hungarian Albanologist, who for decades made an important contribution to the study and promotion of the Albanian language, literature and culture.

Alongside the author, the event featured presentations by academic Bardh Rugova, editor of the monograph; Hungarian historian and Albanologist Prof. Dr. Krisztián Csaplár-Degovics; and Gergely Schütz, the renowned scholar’s son.

Also in attendance were Hungary’s ambassador to Kosovo, László István Dux; academic Rexhep Ismajli; and publisher Bujar Hudhri. The event was moderated by Arbër Selmani.

In his welcoming remarks, Hungary’s ambassador to Kosovo, László István Dux, praised István Schütz’s outstanding contribution to the study of the Albanian language and culture, as well as his support for the people of Kosovo during the 1980s and 1990s.

He noted that, beyond his academic work, Schütz had built close and lasting relationships with Kosovo’s intellectual community, also helping circulate books in Albanian during a difficult political period.

Congratulating the author on preserving and documenting this legacy, the ambassador expressed hope that the Albanian-Hungarian dictionary compiled by Schütz would be published soon.

He also announced that the Embassy of Hungary is working with the Municipality of Pristina to name a street or square after the Hungarian Albanologist.

The monograph was published by Onufri Publishing House with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Republic of Kosovo.

The book offers a comprehensive portrait of István Schütz (1923–2010), examining his contributions to scholarship, literature, translation, media and diplomacy, as well as his role in strengthening Albanian-Hungarian relations.

In her remarks, author Mimoza Hasani Pllana spoke about what inspired her to research Schütz’s life and work, linking her interest to her personal experience in Budapest and the special relationship she had developed with Hungarian culture.

She explained that the monograph aims to serve as a research resource for scholars of Albanian language and literature, history, translation, culture, and cultural and diplomatic relations.

The author expressed particular gratitude to academic Bardh Rugova for his guidance and editorial work on the monograph; Professor Krisztián Csaplár-Degovics for his academic support; and Gergely Schütz, who gave her access to the Albanologist’s family archive.

Thanks to this collaboration, the book has been enriched with rare documents, photographs and testimony about the Hungarian scholar’s life and work.

Academic Bardh Rugova, who had known Schütz personally through the International Seminar on Albanian Language, Literature and Culture, shared memories of Schütz’s dedication to the Albanian language and the close relationships he had built with Albanian scholars.

He praised the author’s research and emphasized the importance of documenting Schütz’s contribution to the history of Albanology.

Describing the monograph as an important contribution to broader recognition of the Albanologist’s work and legacy, Rugova said:

“This book repays a debt.”

He said the book restores the Hungarian Albanologist to the collective memory of Albanians, not only as an exceptional scholar but also as a man with a deep love for the Albanian people.

Historian and Albanologist Krisztián Csaplár-Degovics praised the monograph’s academic standard, its use of archival sources and interviews, and the way the author places Schütz’s work in the historical context of Hungarian Albanology.

He focused in particular on the professor’s connection to the International Seminar in Pristina and his legacy in lexicography, including the extensive Albanian-Hungarian dictionary, which is expected to be published in the near future.

During the presentation, academic Rexhep Ismajli, a longtime friend of István Schütz, recalled their meetings and many years of collaboration, especially the Hungarian scholar’s participation in the International Seminar on Albanian Language, Literature and Culture in Pristina.

He spoke about Schütz’s dedication to Albanological studies and his special connection with the Albanian academic community.

Ismajli also recalled efforts made after Schütz’s death to honor his memory and preserve, in various forms, the scholarly and personal legacy he left behind.

Meanwhile, publisher Bujar Hudhri, head of Onufri Publishing House, praised Mimoza Hasani Pllana’s research and dedication in bringing such an important figure in Hungarian Albanology to readers’ attention.

He said that publishing and presenting the monograph was a fitting tribute to István Schütz, a scholar whose extraordinary contribution to promoting the Albanian language and culture had long deserved broader recognition from Albania’s academic and cultural community.

One of the event’s most moving moments was the speech by Gergely Schütz, the Albanologist’s son, who shared personal memories of his father.

He spoke about his father’s study in Budapest, his books and manuscripts, and his extraordinary dedication to the Albanian language.

Gergely recalled that his father’s trips to Pristina and meetings with Albanian scholars had been an important part of his life.

Thanking the author for the monograph, he described the book as a continuation of efforts to preserve and pass on his father’s scholarly and personal legacy to future generations.

István Schütz was one of the most important figures in 20th-century Hungarian Albanology.

Through his linguistic research, dictionary compilation, teaching and translation of Albanian authors into Hungarian, he played an important role in introducing Albanian literature and culture in Hungary.

His ties to Kosovo, particularly to the University of Pristina and the International Seminar on Albanian Language, Literature and Culture, remained a central part of his academic work.

The presentation of the monograph “István Schütz: The Hungarian Friend of Albanians” is an important contribution to documenting and preserving the legacy of foreign Albanologists who devoted their lives to studying the Albanian language and culture.

At the same time, the book serves as another bridge for cultural and academic cooperation between Kosovo and Hungary, drawing renewed attention to a friendship built on knowledge, respect and a shared love of the Albanian language. /skyweb.al