1920 – Born in Vlorë, Shaban Demiraj, a prominent Albanian linguist, Albanologist, and academic. He served as President of the Academy of Sciences of Albania from 1993 to 1997. He worked as a teacher, professor, and scientist for over 60 years – a pleasant record in itself. For his subjects, he authored corresponding textbooks, published as course materials and separate books, which are still used today by universities in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, etc. He skillfully led, both scientifically and administratively, the Albanian Language Department at the Faculty of History and Philology for 27 years (1962–1989). Scientifically prepared with a strict character and demanding first of himself and then of others – students and colleagues—with unwavering integrity, always humane. Because he was such, he was elected a member of the organizing committee and delegate of the Orthography Congress (1972), was awarded the high titles of Professor (1972), People’s Teacher (1977), Merited Professor (1990), member of the Academy of Sciences of Albania (1989), its President (1993–1997), foreign member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo (1996), member of the Central European Academy of Sciences and Arts (1997), honorary member of the Diplomatic Academy of London (2000), Vice-President of A.I.E.S.E.E. (International Association for Southeast European Studies) (1994–1998). Laureate of two Republic Prizes, second class (1979) and first class (1989). He was decorated with the Order “Grand Master of Work” (2000). He is an Honorary Citizen of Vlorë (2001).
1934 – Alcatraz Island, off the coast of San Francisco, becomes one of the most famous federal maximum-security prisons in the United States of America. In this 20-hectare island prison, over its 56 years of existence, some of the most notorious figures of the American criminal world served their sentences, such as Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, George Kelly, and Robert Stroud. However, only 3 inmates managed to escape from the island by swimming, and their bodies were never found.
1937 – Born on January 1 in Elbasan, Demir Hyskja. He completed primary and secondary education in his hometown. From 1951–1955 he finished secondary construction school. He worked as a construction technician from 1955–1962 and later as an actor at the “Skampa” Theatre. During his 30-year career in theatre, he performed over 50 leading roles. For the “New Albania” Film Studio, he made 24 feature and documentary films. He was decorated several times with various orders, up to the “First Class Naim Frashëri” Order. In 1969, he was honored with the title “Merited Artist,” and in 1979 with the highest title “People’s Artist.” He was elected as a deputy to the People’s Assembly four times in a row.
1942 – The Declaration by United Nations is signed in San Francisco by 48 countries. This declaration would formalize the alliance between the anti-Nazi-fascist states led by the so-called Big Four, which included the USA, the USSR, Great Britain, and China. Later, this declaration was also signed by other states liberated from Nazi occupation, such as Albania.
1946 – Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Rivellino, one of the most famous footballers of this country. Rivellino distinguished himself with his talent in the Brazilian National Football Team, becoming World Champion in Mexico 1970, and also achieving an honorable place in Germany 1974 and Argentina 1978. For his extraordinary football skills, he was nicknamed “The Atomic Kick.”
1951 – Born in the village of Negrovc, Drenas Municipality, Jakup Krasniqi, an Albanian politician and former Acting President of Kosovo. He has been the Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo. During the Kosovo War, he was the political spokesperson of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In November 2020, he was arrested for war crimes against humanity presented before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers. In the free elections after the 1992–1998 occupation, he was a deputy in the parliament of Kosovo. In the session of the new Kosovo parliament on January 9, 2008, following the November 17, 2007 elections, Jakup Krasniqi was elected Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo. In 2014, together with Fatmir Limaj, he formed the party called the Initiative for Kosovo (Nisma). He is currently the Chairman of the National Council of this party.
1959 – Ends successfully after a 6-year period, the Cuban Communist Revolution led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara. After several months of fierce fighting, the Cuban revolutionary guerrilla forces called the *Barbudos* (the bearded ones), take control of the capital Havana. Fidel Castro is proclaimed the leader of communist Cuba, while the pro-American leader Fulgencio Batista flees to Mexico.
1993 – The state of Czechoslovakia dissolves peacefully, thus making way for the creation of two new Central European states: the Czech Republic with its capital Prague, and Slovakia with its capital Bratislava. Following the Velvet Revolution, Nobel laureate Václav Havel became the first president of post-communist Czech Republic. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, in the following years, would experience slow economic growth.
1999 – The common currency, the Euro, comes into force in 12 states of the European Union. In the years following the EU’s enlargement, the Euro became the official currency of all member states of this organization, with the exception of Great Britain and Denmark. However, after 2010, the official European currency significantly fell in value against the dollar, leading to a subsequent decline in the European economy.
2007 – Romania and Bulgaria become the newest members of the European Union. Following the accession of a number of Central and Eastern European countries, Sofia and Bucharest officially joined the EU, thus becoming the third wave of Balkan states to join this organization after Greece and Slovenia. However, simultaneously, these two countries ranked among the weakest economies in the European Union.
2012 – Dies in Skopje at the age of 94, the first President of Macedonia, **Kiro Gligorov**. Gligorov would lead the small state of Macedonia towards a peaceful separation from the Yugoslav Federation in 1991. He survived a bomb attack on his presidential motorcade two years later by still-unknown perpetrators. The Macedonian state formed by Gligorov would have an Albanian population constituting 40 percent of its demographic makeup.
