Raising the flag, Ismail Qemali's original speech on November 28, 1912

On the occasion of Independence Day, we bring back today the full speech of Ismail Qemali, held on November 28, 1912, in the great event of the raising of the flag and the declaration of Independence in Vlora.

Original speech by Ismail Qemali:

Oh! How happy I feel today, that I see, here in Vlora, so many Albanian men gathered together, waiting with curiosity and impatience for the end of this historic meeting, for the fate of our beloved Motherland. Full of gas and with tears in my eyes, from longing, so I am coming here in front of you to make you happy with the great joy, that today, even this minute, the Congress revealed the greatness of Albania, we have informed the whole world about this work and putting me in charge of the temporary government of free Albania.

But this great change of our country seems like a dream to me, which removed the blackness of freedom five hundred years in a row under the Turkish rule, but now in recent times, it was ready to give up its soul forever, to die out and this Albania, which once shone with the incomparable bravery of its sons, was completely wiped off the face of the earth; this Albania, since Europe was threatened by the invasions of Turkey, under its immortal leadership, Skenderbejn, became an iron gate against the most furious attacks of the most ferocious sultans behind Turkey. However, God willing, that with the work, bravery and incomparable courage of the Albanians, the miseries and sufferings of our Motherland will end from now on, because, here and now, we are FREE, INDEPENDENT and SOON, therefore: laugh enjoy it! To reach this great white day, we have been helped by the blood of the martyrs and the valuable work of their patriots and of all the comrades who take part in this meeting and of all of you, who are now heartbroken by the great gas you feel; but the gathering, as the oldest that I am, charged me with raising the holy flag of our National flag, of our dreamed and beloved flag (bring out the Flag, which is placed on an iron pole, of course small, and hidden under his coat, and after a second he held it in his hand and stuck it to the balcony pillars. The fans, as soon as they saw the Flag, shouted with joy and a loud voice: Long live the Flag, Long live Free Albania).

Here, then, is Our Red Flag with the black double-headed eagle in the center. And now, all together, as a whole and undivided body, let's work to make it proud, to advance and civilize it as befits our Free Motherland.

Having finished, I have nothing left but to address a prayer to the Great God, that, together with His blessings that I beg Him to give us to be worthy of this day, accept that from now on I will be I am the first martyr of the Motherland, just as I had the honor and the fortune to be the first to kiss and make Lire cry. Our flag, in our free country.

Long live the Flag!

Long live Albania!

The hand of God

Kush ka patur fatin të ndodhet atje e ta shikojë këtë sqenë të përmallshme, s’ mund ta harrojë kurrë. Na u duk sikur Dora e Zotit e këputi zinxhirin e skllavërisë; sikur u çel menjëherë rruga e një jete të re e të lumtur për popullin t’onë; sikur duallëm nga terri në dritën e bekuar të diellit; zemrat na u mbushën me gaz e me shpresë. Qysh të mos lindeshin këto ndjenja duke parë sqenën e prekëshme të vëllazërimit: Myftiu i Dibrës Vehbiu q’u përfaqua me Ipeshkun e Durrësit Don Nikollë Kaçorin; orthodoksi beratas Bab Dud Karbunara mjekër-gjati që puthi në ballë katolikun shkodran Luigj Gurakuqin, bashkëpunëtori e dora e djathtë e Ismail Qemalit; Isa Buletini i Kosovës, me famë trimërie e në shumë kryengritje kundër Turqvet, që i puthi dorën Ismail Qemalit, beut të Vlorës; Murad Toptani nga Tirana, që ngriti flamurin në mes të Mbledhjes dhe këndonte Këngën e Flamurit, së bashku me përfaqësonjësit korçarë të Kolonisë së Bukureshtit q’e kishin prurë atë këngë nga Vllahia! Kush kishte parë ndonjëherë një pamje të tillë në Shqipëri? A mundej të mos mallëngjeheshim? A s’ishte për të derdhur lotë gëzimi? Një urim e një lutje pëshpëritte çdo buzë shqiptari: Falja, o Zot, tërë popullit tonë këtë vëllazërim për gjithmonë, që të munt të krijojë një jetë shtetërore të lirë e të lumtur.

From the memoirs of Dhimitër Berat - "Those who declared national independence",