Lasgush Poradeci

Llazar Sotir Gusho (pronounced [ɫaˈzar sɔˈtiɾ guˈʃo]; 27 December 1899 – 12 November 1987), commonly known by the pen name Lasgush Poradeci, was an Albanian philologist, poet, translator, writer and pioneer of modern Albanian literature. He is regarded as one of the most influential Albanian writers of the 20th century whose works are directly connected with Romanticism and Realism.

Born in the small town of Pogradec on the Lake of Ohrid, then in the Ottoman Empire, he completed his primary and secondary education in Monastir and Athens, subsequently receiving his academic education at the universities of Bucharest and Graz. He developed and maintained close liaison with Asdreni, Ernest Koliqi, Gjergj Fishta and Mitrush Kuteli who all of them became among the most outstanding Albanian writers of that time.

Poradeci is best remembered for his poetry collections Vallja e yjve and Ylli i zemrës inspired by the traditions and peculiarities of Albanian life. His style is characterised for its stylistic and technical achievement, its form and content as well as its engagement with nature, eroticism and philosophy. He notably translated several major English, French, German, Italian and Russian works into Albanian.

Aside from his literary achievements, Poradeci is also uniquely known in Albania for having been a 33 degree freemason, which is also the highest degree within Freemasonry. This was proved following the release of documents from a masonic lodge in Bucharest, Romania.