Aurel Plasari

Early life and education

Plasari was born in Tirana, where he completed all levels of his education. At the age of seventeen, while still in high school, Plasari began to publish translations from world literature.

Career

After graduating from secondary school, he fulfilled compulsory military service and, as for several years his right to pursue higher education was denied for "biographical" reasons, he started work at the most basic level of the press, as a copy-editor in the typography for "Mihal Duri".

From 1982 he worked as literary editor at the magazine "Nëntori", an organ of the Writers and Artists' Union of Albania. After graduation in 1989 he worked as an editor of translated literature, and later in 1990 as secretary of the editorial board, at the same magazine.

Beginning in 1990 he was invited to become a part-time lecturer at the University of Tirana's Faculty of History and Philology. In 1991 he completed a postgraduate specialization at "Alcalá" University in Madrid, Spain, and in 1992 he became a full-time lecturer at the Faculty of History and Philology (UT), where he also held the position of vice dean. In 1994 he obtained a doctoral degree in Comparative Literature, the first doctorate in this field in the country.

Plasari was a lecturer and doctoral fellow for university subjects such as "History of Aesthetics" and "Principles of Aesthetics", as well as for special courses "Introduction to Narratology", "Theory of Reception", etc. In 1995 he was recognized as an "Associate Professor", and from 1995 to 1996 was a guest lecturer at Inalco (Institut des Langues et Civilisations Orientales), Paris. Returning to Albania, he continued to work at the Faculty of History and Philology (UT) until 1998, when he was invited to become director of the National Library of Albania, a post he still held in 2014. Since 2010 he has held the title of "Professor". In the Master's Course of Library Science’s Second Level, organized for the first time in the Albanian education system, he has developed the new subject "Introduction to Albanology".

From 1990 until 2014 he engaged in national and international scientific-academic activities, lecturing and attending conferences in the USA, Kosovo, Italy, France, Spain, Romania, Greece, Austria, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Macedonia.

Plasari headed the new edition of the cultural magazine "Hylli i Dritës" in 1993–1997 (from the reopening until it was closed again), and wrote frequently in the free Albanian press, including the newspaper "Rilindja Demokratike" from its first issue, writing in various fields of culture, but also on policy. Beginning in 1990, some editions of Fishta, Merxhani, Harapi, and Beduli have been prepared by him; he also directed the series "Intelligenda" (Publishing House "55"), with various Albano-Balkanological's contributors, including Jorga, Jirecek, Gelcich, Suliotti, Londres, Konica, Nadin, and Xhufi.

In the field of cultural activities he has led some national juries, and has participated as member in national and international juries. In 2012 he was member of Interministerial Committee of Celebration of Proclamation of Independence's 100th Anniversary.

In Albanian

Don Kishoti zbret në Shqipëri, Tiranë 1990

Vija e Teodosit rishfaqet, Tiranë 1993; T. 1995

Letërsia dhe muret, Tiranë 1993

Anton Harapi Redimensus, Tiranë 1994

Kuteli midis të gjallëve e të vdekurve, Tiranë 1995

Fishta i dashuruari, Tiranë 1996

Plani i fshehtë për një Internacionale të re, Tiranë 1996

Përballë një kulture të vdekjes, Tiranë 1997

Biopolitika: a ekziston në Shqipëri? Tiranë 1999

Fenomeni Voskopojë, Tiranë 2000

Dhjetë ditë që nuk tronditën botën (arlekinadë), Tiranë 2001

Lufta e Trojës vazhdon, Tiranë 2002

Rrëmbimi i Europës, Tiranë 2005

Alfabete në Bibliotekë, Tiranë 2008

Skënderbeu: një histori politike, Tiranë 2010

Published abroad

Saint Jerôme – fils d’Illyrie, Tirana 1990

La linea di Teodosio torna a dividere, Bari 1998; Bari 2000

The Line of Theodosius reappears, New York 2001

Il ratto dell’Europa, Bari 2009

Translations from world literature

L. Hughes, Lumi i vrerit, T. 1976

J. L. Caragiale, Një letër e humbur, T. 1977

H. Smirnenski, Të bëhet dritë, T. 1977

Këngë të popujve, T. 1978 (co-translator)

A. Jozsef, Shoku pyll, buçit, T. 1979

Muzat në vitin e luftës, T. 1980 (co-translator)

Poetë francezë, T. 1980 (bashkëpërkthyes)

A. Mizkiewicz, Vjersha dhe poema, T. 1980 (co-translator)

F. García Lorca, Jerma, T. 1982

F. García Lorca, Dasmë gjaku, T. 1985

Tregime e novela të shek.XX, T.1983 (co-translator

Antologji e poezisë së re greke, T. 1986 (co-translator)

G. García Márquez, Gjethurinat, T. 1986, Prishtinë 1988

G. García Márquez, Kolonelit s’ka kush t’i shkruajë, T. 1986, Prishtinë 1988

G. García Márquez, Një histori me paskuinë, T. 1986, Prishtinë 1988

G. García Márquez, Kronikë e një vdekjeje të paralajmëruar, T. 1986, Prishtinë 1988; T.1999

Esé dhe shkrime të tjera kritike, T. 1988 (co-translator)

J. Cortázar, Autostrada e Jugut, T. 1988, Prishtinë1989

F. Dostoiewski, Net të bardha, T. 1990, T. 1995; T. 1999

Poetë spanjollë të shekullit XX, T. 1991

M. Sorescu, Një flatër dhe një këmbë, T. 1993

J. Cortázar, Armët e fshehta, T. 1999

O. Fallaci, Mllefi dhe krenaria, T. 2001

A Ahmatova, Përzitje, T. 2003

A Ahmatova, Poezi, T. 2009

I. Montanelli, Shqipëria një dhe njëmijë, T. 2003; T. 2005

C. Malaparte, Teknika e grushtit të shtetit, T. 2006

Awards, orders and honors

2012, Gratitude of Albanian Parliament In 100th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Albania

2009, Certificate of Gratitude, National and University Library of Kosovo

2008, “Order of Merit of the Italian Republic", President of Italian Republic

2005, Award "Best Practice", first edition, For National Library's Leadership, Junior Chamber Italiana / Junior Chamber International

2003, Award "Serembe", For the book "Lufta e Trojës vazhdon", "Serembe" Foundation

2000, Award "Penda e Argjendtë", For the book's translation "Armët e fshehta", Julio Cortazar, Ministry of Culture

1993, Award "The best literary translation", For the book "Një flatër dhe një këmbë", Marin Sorescu, Ministry of Culture

1989, Order "Naim Frashëri", "For special contribution as well as high artistic level in the field of literary translations", Presidum of the People's Assembly of Albania