A short biography of the founder Hasan Bekteshi
The old owner of the villa, Hasan Bekteshi, was born at 1862 in a civic family with a
well economically being.His grandfather was city’s commander during Pashalik of Shkodra times, and his father also had leading posts in Shkodra.
His father’s death found him at a young age, only 14 years old, making him responsible for his family well- being. This thing made him to enter trading activity, starting with the city of Korça, where he took and the “little gega” nickname.
At the age of 15 he went in the war against Montenegro’s invasion (Ana Mali battle 19 November 1877), and in the passing years he was very supportive of the activities and efforts to declare the independence of Albania, by holding connections with diaspora (from where clandestinely came books and magazines in Albanian language) and with many distinguished figures of the Kosovo war for freedom like: Hoxhë Kadria, Isa Boletini, Bajram Curri.
Even after Albania declared autonomy, Hasan Bekteshi continues his commitment at economical, social and political life of Shkodra in participating into Local Administrative Council established by Austrians at 1914, when Shkodra was administered by the International Commission. But after the reconquest of Shkodra by the Montenegrins in 1915, he was arrested along with other activists, including Luigj Gurakuqi, Çerçiz Topulli, Hilë Mosin, etc. and was held prisoner in Podgorica for several months. In April 1917 he was part of the delegation of 34 representatives from Albania who met with the new emperor of Austria-Hungary, Carl I, successor of Franz Ferdinand, to thank him for the autonomy that the Habsburg empire had recognized to Albanian lands
Consolidation through years of the trading activity also with Turkey, Austria, Italy, made him realize the need to buy a merchant ship, which ended sinking during World War I from damages caused by a battleship.
He was an autodidact man at learning foreign languages and trading rules, very emancipated for the time, mentioning the fact that he sent his four daughters at a nun school (his older daughter was the first muslim girl to study in a catholic school) and two suns to study in Austria and Italy. He was known for good friendship relationships with the catholic part of the city.
It was a coincidence that during his agony in bad health conditions, were present Bishop and Pop, whom were his friends and were there for a visit.
Between his friends was even father Gjergj Fishta, who dedicated the epitaph which he had written on his grave.
His daughter’s marriages were with the most known muslim families of the time like Bushati, Boletini, Ulqinaku dhe Kazazi.
He took many courageous initiatives at the time, like the idea of deepening the Buna river to make possible for larger ships to sail there. To make this possible he also with another trader from Shkodra, Tef Curani went at KRUP Germany to propose the possibility to invest on this project.
He died at 1928.
