Tirana and its history, filled with power struggles, extraordinary personalities and unbelievable events, are the subject of the newest book by writer Ben Blushi, “The Crazy Stories of Tirana”. Appearing on the programme “Rreze Dielli”, Blushi said the book contains 38 stories and around 100 characters, spanning from 1600 to the 2000s. “This is a novel, a historical thriller. I have selected events that are not ordinary, that are unusual”, the author said. Among the accounts, the story of the founding of Tirana stands out, along with the rivalry between the Bargjini and Toptani families, as well as the mystery surrounding the origin of the capital’s name. Blushi rejects the theory that the name Tirana comes from Tehran, proposing another explanation linked to the word “tiran”.
“There are many legends and many stories about the name of Tirana. In a special chapter I have dealt with the name of Tirana. The folk tales that the name Tirana comes from Tehran are not true. The name Tirana existed before 1600, people lived here. In my view, the closest variant of the name is a Pelasgian phrase, that is, pre-Illyrian, which comes from the word tiran, meaning dictator. Tirans were several people who overthrew kings and became tirans. Tirana is a city ruled by tirans nonstop and, to some extent, it still continues to be so today”, Blushi said.
One of the most unusual stories is that of Albert Einstein, for whom Blushi claims he stayed in Tirana and received an Albanian passport from Ahmet Zogu in order to leave for America. Beyond stories of the past, the writer also shared his concern for the future of Albania, particularly the emigration of the population.
“We are losing population, Albania is emptying out every day”, he stated. Having left politics, Blushi says that today he is devoted solely to literature, considering writing his main purpose in life. “A writer who loses the connection with the reader suffers, and I do not want to experience that feeling”, Ben Blushi concluded.