If you ask an Albanian child who Ismail Qemali was, he will immediately respond: The old man who rose the flag of Albania in Vlora.
1 In fact, Ismail Qemali is known as Ismail Bey Vlora. Its is was changed during the communist because of communist mentalities to the title "Bey". Never, no historian and personality has explain this difference. Because actual Albanian historians are tempered under the communism regime.2 Ismail Qemali was one of the most important figures of Vlora family, a wealthy family and with many traditions, which has generated many important characters in the Albanian political life.
3 Ismail Qemali is born on October 16, 1846 in Kanina, Vlora, and died on January 24, 1919 in Perugia, Italy. Only after 1990's the Turkish historian of Albanian origin, Necip Alpan, revealed that the birthday of Ismail Qemal is the same of Enver Hoxha. This was kept secret, was not written in any history book. In Albania's history textbooks his birthday is on January 21, 1844. In fact it is on October 16, 1844.
4 Ismail Qemali lived 72 years, 3 months and 8 days or a total of 2628 days. He had a medium height and with a average of body weight. Ismail Qemali was seen always dressed with a modern western costume of the time, a modern tie, with gray hair carefully brushed with a white beard. The color of his costume was black, he wear hats also.
5 Ismail Qemali throughout his life lived in these countries: Albania, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Bulgaria, Syria and briefly in France, England, Switzerland and Germany.
6 Ismail Qemali is graduated l in Ioannina Zosimea high school and after a substantial career in the Turkish administration. Was educated in Paris for Legal and Economic Sciences. With this education, he was one of the most educated in the Turkish administration at that time.
7 Ismail Qemali was known as a polyglot, a weapon that served him throughout his political activity for the cause. He spoke clearly Albanian, Ottoman, Turkish, old Greek, Latin, Italian and French.
8. Ismail Qemali is known as the father of the nation, because he committed the most historic act in the history of the state. He raised the flag of Independence in Vlora, on 28 November 1912 and declared Albania an independent state, by asking international powers to recognize this decision.
9. In any circumstances and in any situation, he did not use this sublime moment to benefit. Indeed, in the Declaration of Independence day, he said, that, as the Lord wanted to be the first to raise the banner of independence, so to became the hero of the first Albanian state.
10 Ismail Qemali is the first Prime Minister and President in the history of the state. He stood at the head of government from 28 November of 1912 until 22 January 1914 to 12 months and 56 days.
11 Ismail Qemali raised a red flag with two headed eagle in Vlora, a flag that date comes in three variants. First, that is knitted by Marigo, a bride's house where Ismail slept last night. The second one that the flag is brought by Spyridon third, and the last that of Eqrem Bey Vlora, that he gave to Qemali the banner that Aleadro Kasstriota, the husband of a princess who pretends to be a successor of Skanderbeg, gave to him.
12 The estimation of the work done by the leaders of the Turkish administration, Ismail Qemali is known as: Worthy Vali, diplomat, MP, state leader, thinker and first president of the Albanian state.
13 Ismail Qemali began his political career as a translator in the Foreign Ministry of Ottoman Turkey in 1860. The second duty is that of the Secretariat of Legal Office in Sofia, Bulgaria, in that time was part of Ottoman Turkey.
14 Ismail Kamal then assumed the office of deputy perfect, an office he held for five years. In 1873, he resigns and leaves that duty.
15 Ismail Kamal was appointed Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey in 1876, a task that helped him to recognize the Turkish diplomacy from within, but also the foreign one. In this task remained for a year.
16 In 1877, he incurs a penalty in his career, according to his patriotic activity against Albania. Because he sought the autonomy of Albania, he was interned for seven years in Kytahja Anatolia. But the pressure of a Turkish administration and Albanian patriots, forced the Sultan Avdylhamiti to remove the deportation and even appoint him as Vali of Bollu.
17 Ismail Qemali is appointed Kamal Vali in Syria, a high duty of that time and moreover that it was a province that later took became independent state. This duty was held until 28 June 1892.
18 Because of good performance Ismail Qemali managed to become personal mentor of Sultan Avdylhamiti, when the Ottoman Empire was at its end. A task which he held from 1892 until 1900. This helped him to recognize from within the empire.
19 Of all his duties as a member of the Sultan Ismail Kamal, is remembered that he proposed to Sultan the construction of a railway from Durres to Istanbul. A project that was not built at that time and continues to be built today.
20 On 1 May 1900, Sultan Avdylhamiti, for good quality work appoints him General Vali of Libya, a quite high duty by the time. But Ismail Qemali left Tripoli and in return went to Paris, London and elsewhere, to work for the cause.
21 In 1908, with the help of northern Albanian Macedonia, Ismail Kamal elected deputy district of Portland, but it was representative of all Albania. While Kamal Ismail was the first deputy in the Parliament of modern Turkey, he had a considerable share. Kamal Ismail speeches in Parliament have been out on more oratory and thought, prompting opponents to attack without right.
22 Ismail Qemali was unmasked in 1871, right in the heart of the Ottoman Turkey, because he subbmitted three successive requests for the opening of Albanian schools in Albania. Although working as part of the Ottoman administration, he attended a meeting in th Istanbul Albanian Renaissance to create the Albanian alphabet.
23 In 1865, Ismail Qemali began working for the independence of Albania, for that matter creating a club in the capital of the empire, Istanbul, together with Konstantin Kristoforidhi.
24 Turkish security administration revealed that while working for Turkey, Ismail Qemali had drafted a document to project an independent Albania. This was also one of the biggest causes of the persecution that later was taken against him.
25 Ismail Kamal died in mysterious circumstances in Perugia, Italy, a few moments before giving a press conference. His death remains a mystery.
26 The main suspicion is that he is poisoned by Greek and Italian anti-Albanian clans, who saw on him a great influential personality about Albanian cause.
27 The body of Ismail Qemali was held in Perugia for two weeks after the death, with the idea of mummifying. But this added more allegations of poisoning, because they had extracted all the internal organs to eradicate any sign for the autopsy.
28 Ismail Kamal is buried twice. The first time in February 1919 in Kanina, place of his birth and his predecessors, and the second time on 28 November in Vlora, 1932.
29. Second Burial is specially made by order of King Ahmet Zogu, on the occasion of 20th anniversary of the Independence.
30 The reburial ceremony of Ismail Kamal is known as one of the biggest ceremonies organized by Ahmet Zogu. He made the greatest honors and called him the father of the nation.
31 Ismail Kamal is one of the political personalities who has written his memories. But his memories are not complete and never published and this is the daze that has accompanied every thing in his life.
32 The greatest charge made against Ismail Qemali, is that he conceptualized the independence of Albania in cantons sharing the model of Switzerland. But according to people who laid the charge, this would make easier for the neighbors to invade Albania.
33 For the first time in the history of the Albanian state is discussed that Ismail Qemali name to be removed from an institution. This scandal came when the rector of the University of Vlora, Tanush Shaska, proposed the removal of the Ismail Qemali name of Vlora University. This proposal sparked a pretty severe reaction from politicians, the media, intellectuals and the public.
34 The most active Descendants of Ismail Qemali in nowadays are Darling Vlora, Nedim Vlora and Ariana Vlora. While most other descendants have died, the rest is in the emigration.
35 Qamil Bey Vlora (1895-1950) was the son and last child of Ismail Qemali. Qamili was the only guy who did not left Albania. Although not dealt with politics, in 1946, after refusing the cooperation with the communist regime, he was arrested on the pretext of "illegal possession of weapons", after communists found an ancient revolver on him. In prison got ill with tuberculosis and died at the age of 55.
36 Ismail Vlora and Xhevdet Vlora are the two grandchildren of Ismail Qemali. They were polyglots who worked for living. Both grandchildren of Ismail Qemali refused to cooperate with the communist regime and thus were forced to work in different villages in manual labor.
37 Ismail Kamal was married twice. The first time with a widow from Konica, which had no children, because he died after the birth with his daughter. While for the second time was married in 1886, with Kleoniqi Surmeli, the daughter of a Greek nobleman from the province of Edrine.
38 Ismail Kamal had to grab his second wife because by the time was forbidden the marriage of a Muslim with an Orthodox. As writes in his memories, Ismail Qemal, on the advice of her father-hijacked grabbed the bride, and the marriage was officially recognized in 1886-n, he was 23 years old.
39 By the second marriage Ismail Kamal had nine children, three girls and six boys. Girls were called Myvedet, Aliye, Ylvi. While the boys were Mahmoud Bey, Tahir Bey, Ethem Bey, Cevdet Bey, Bey and Qamil Qazim Bey.
40 Ismail Kamal speech on the afternoon of November 28, 1912, Vlora, lasted about five minutes. Contained 450 words and speech was interrupted several times by the shouts of people gathered in the town square. The longest termination of his speech is the moment he brings the flag and lash it in the air and says "Long live Free Albania".
41 Kamal Ismail speech on the Declaration of Independence was read entirely in Albanian. In it is mentioned the Declaration of Independence, Wars of Skanderbeg, the Albanians suffering and finally, a prayer to God to protect Albanians and Free Albania.
42 The most particular sentences of Ismai Qemali speech is: "Great God, ... to accept that henceforth I am the first martyr of the Fatherland, as I had the honor and fortune to be the first to kiss and flutter Free. Our Flag, in our Free Fatherland."
43 The first decision of Ismail Qemali after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the assumption of office as prime minister, was to spread the news in all regions of the country and sending telegrams in larger countries to recognize Albanian independence.
44 Ismail Qemali is the son of Mahmut Bey Vlora, wich sometimes was booked by Ottomans, and of Hadije Hanëmi Alizoti, known family of Gjirokastra. Ismail Qemali had a sister and a younger brother, Solomon. Solomon died in exile during family exile made by the Turks in Thessaloniki, around 1871.
45 Copy of Declaration of Independence document, published in 2007, is thought to belong to Lef Nosi, which was the first Albanian government Minister of Post and Teleghraph.
46 From the text and the proclamation of the independence, the communist regime removed many names from the signatories of the independence. But the proclamation excludes some passages.
47 Vlora government cabinet consisted of 10 members. Prime Minister - Ismail Qemali, Deputy Prime Minister - Nikoll Kacorri, Minister of Foreign Affairs - Myfit Libohova, of War - Mehmet Pasha Dėrralla, Justice - Petro Poga, Education - Luigj Gurakuqi, Finance - Abdi Toptani, Agriculture - Pandeli Cale, The Post telegraph - Lef Nosi.
48 To date there are no pictures from the time of the Declaration of Independence on 28 November 1912 for reasons not yet known. While the picture that represents the raising of the flag in Vlora Ismail Kamal does not belong to the 28th November 1912, but dated December 1, 1912.
49 The Declaration of Independence of Albania on November 28, is not recognise from Europe. Albania's independence was recognized by European countries only in 1913, also in this year Ismail Qemali was recognized as Prime Minister of Albania.
50 Ismail Qemali declared the independence of all Albanian territories. In this act is comprised Kosovo, part of Macedonia, and the Cham region.