New book revisits King Zog’s legacy

A new book is offering a fresh look at the legacy of Albania’s King Zog, a central figure in the country’s early statehood.

Historian Bernd Fischer says Zog played a key role in building modern Albania, despite what he describes as clear flaws and mistakes.

The study, titled King Zog and the Foundations of Modern Albania, has been republished more than thirty years after its first release, now with new archival material.

Fischer says the aim is to present a more balanced and objective view of the monarch.

The book comes as Albania approaches one hundred years since the creation of its monarchy.

It also draws on rare conversations Fischer held with Queen Geraldine in the 1970s.

Organisers say the publication is meant to encourage wider debate about how Albania understands its past.