Polish traces in Tirana

We were honoured to visit the Municipality of Tirana and discuss the Dutch-Polish relations as well as an amazing transformation of Tirana.

Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska with Ms Blerina Beshku, Foreign Affairs Officer of the Municipality of Tirana, on the roof of the Municipality Building. Photo credits: communications-unlimited, © Copyright
Communications-Unlimited.nl, 2019. All rights reserved.

There are Polish traces in Tirana. One of them is a monument of Frédéric Chopin or Frederik Shopen, as he is called in Albania. Thanks to the Municipality of Albania and Ms Blerina Beshku, Foreign Affairs Officer of the Municipality of Tirana we have received lots of interesting information on this subject.

The monument is a donation from a Polish sculptor member of the Polish–Albania Friendship Association. There is also the “Frédéric Chopin” Association, which periodically conducts competitions and piano festivals.

There is a street in Tirana named after Prof. Stanisław Zuber (Polish Geologists), a pioneer of Albania industrialization. Professor Stanisław Zuber with his work in Albania in the 30. and 40. of the XX century laid foundations for development of Albanian geology and mining, including the oil industry. Kucova developed after the Second World War into an important center of oil production thanks to his research. Stanisław Zuber, died after being tortured in an Albanian communist prison in 1947, and his death remained unknown till 1991.

One of the main streets in Tirana has the name of Pope John Paul II, and at one end of this street, near the national stadium, there is also his his monument.

Near the Polish Embassy, is situated a basso-relievo of Tadeusz Mazowiecki.

And, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence, the Polish Embassy donated 100 oaks to the city of Tirana, which were planted in the Farka Lake area and the “Park Poland” was created.

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