National Myths
A now obsolete theory on the origin of the Albanians is that they descend from the Pelasgians, a broad term used by classical authors to denote the autochthonous inhabitants of Greece. This theory was developed by the Austrian linguist Johann Georg von Hahn in his work Albanesiche Studien in 1854. According to Hahn, the Pelasgians were the original proto-Albanians and the language spoken by the Pelasgians, Illyrians, Epirotes and ancient Macedonians were closely related. This theory quickly attracted support in Albanian circles, as it established a claim of predecence over other Balkan nations, particularly the Greeks. In addition to establishing "historic right" to territory, this theory also established that the ancient Greek civilization and its achievements had an "Albanian" origin. The theory gained staunch support among early 20th century Albanian publicists, but is rejected by scholars today. The Pelasgian theory of the origins of the Albanians had a measure of support in during the years of Communist Albania, though the "Illyrian" theory tended to have primacy. The protochronist ideology developed in Communist Albania was directly borrowed from the original protochronist ideology developed in Communist Romania.
Among controversial claims Aristotle, Pyrrhus of Epirus, Alexander the Great, and Phillip II of Macedon (along with all the ancient Macedonians) were Pelasgian-Illyrian-Albanian and that ancient Greek culture (and thus the result of the Hellenistic civilisation) had been spread by Albanians. Macedonians are considered forefathers (among several others) of the Albanians. Ancient Greek gods are seen as "Albanian" as well.
Through the Pelasgian claim, most if not all European cultures are claimed to be derivatory, even those of the Romans and Celts.
Robert D'Angély is one of the authors that tries to re-actualize 19th century claims that Albanians descend from the most ancient peoples, the Pelasgians, and that the European "white race" descends from these people. According to Angély, Greek people or Greek nation does not exist (he writes that Greeks mixed with Semites) and that the ancient Greeks were Pelasgian Albanians.
Edwin Everett Jacques, an American 19th century missionary in Albania in his book "The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present" supported and recreated these notions by considering all the Ancient Greeks Albanians.
Ismail Kadare, an Albanian novelist, winner of the Man Booker International Prize in 2005 and of the Prince of Asturias Award in 2009 claims that Albanians are more Greek than the Greeks themselves, and attempts to construct a Greek-Illyrian continuity.
Read more about this topic: Albanian Nationalism
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