Oliver Schmitt

For the German footballer, see Oliver Schmitt (footballer).

Oliver Jens Schmitt
Oliver Schmitt in an interview given to the Romanian newspaper HotNews.
Born15 February 1973 (1973-02-15) (age 51)
Basel, Switzerland
NationalitySwiss
Occupationhistorian
Known fora member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and expert on Medieval Albania

Oliver Jens Schmitt (born 15 February 1973 in Basel) is a professor of South-East European history at Vienna University since 2005. He is a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.[1]

His book Skanderbeg. Der neue Alexander auf dem Balkan, a critical biography of George Castrioti-Skanderbeg, caused a debate in Albania.[2] A Swiss national daily newspaper Tages-Anzeiger published Schmitt's interview given to Enver Robelli in Tirana on 25 February 2009, in which it is emphasized that Schmitt claims that Skanderbeg's mother Voisava was Serbian, a member of the Branković family and that the Kastrioti surname probably is derived from Greek word kastron (fort).[3] He was accused of committing sacrilege and sullying the Albanian national honor.[4] Ardian Klosi, who translated his book from German to Albanian, was accused of treason.[5] Schmitt, in response to critics, said that he had never claimed Skanderbeg was Serbian and furthermore states that he considers him to have been an Albanian.[6]

  1. ^ "Complete List of the Members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences". Die Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  2. ^ Robelli Enver (2009) Schweiger Historiker weckt den Ārger der Albaner, Tages Anzeiger, 25-2-2009.
  3. ^ Robelli, Enver (25 February 2009), "Schweizer Historiker weckt den Ärger der Albaner", Tages-Anzeiger (in German), Switzerland, Skanderbegs Mutter Vojsava war eine Serbin aus der einflussreichen Familie Brankovic. Der Name des Stammes Kastrioti leitet sich laut Schmitt vermutlich vom griechischen Wort «kastron» (Festung) ab
  4. ^ Klaus Steinke (2010). "Recension of the Living Skanderbeg – the Albanian hero between myth and history / Monica Genesin ... (eds.) Hamburg : Kovač, 2010 Schriftenreihe Orbis ; Bd. 16" (in German). Hamburg: Quelle Informationsmittel (IFB) : digitales Rezensionsorgan für Bibliothek und Wissenschaft. Retrieved 24 March 2011. Wer es dennoch versucht, wird, wie der Wiener Osthistoriker Oliver Jens Schmitt erfahren mußte, schnell in der albanischen Öffentlichkeit zum Buhmann, der ein Sakrileg begeht und die nationale Ehre beschmutzt.
  5. ^ Lechner, Gerhard. "Buch über Nationalhelden Skanderbeg erregt die Albaner". Wiener Zeitung. Archived from the original on 30 November 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2011. Nun wird in albanischen Medien und Internetforen heftig gegen Schmitt und seinen Übersetzer Ardian Klosi, dem gar "Landesverrat" vorgeworfen wird, polemisiert.
  6. ^ Vizion Plus Youtube Channel. "Skënderbeu" tërhiqet Schmitt - Vizion Plus - News - Lajme. Statement by Schmmit: 0:27 - 1:03.