From SHPEND TOPOLLAJ
In memoriam
Memorie.al / It has been years since the legend and giant of Albanian sport, Petrit Murzaku, is not among us. But many, many more years will pass and he will never be forgotten. While rummaging through his endless relics, in order to find what I needed to write this article, about a rare man and a phenomenal athlete, a dedication of the time, when he was a student, that the St. Petersburg couple Valentini and Valentina, had left on the occasion of Petja’s 20th anniversary, on the first page of Yevgeni Fedorov’s novel titled; “Stone Generation”.
More than a coincidence, I got the impression that this choice of these simple people was a prophecy, since with the results he achieved for more than two decades, gyms, platforms, tracks, rings and different swimming pools, inside and abroad, this “Sports Master” of 1953, “Grand Master” of 1987, “Honour of Albanian Sports”, “Honorary Citizen” of Tirana, became one of the granite stones in the foundations of our generation of athletes, who, for the glory of Albania, put not only their physical abilities and talent, but also their pure and patriotic spirit.
It is a beautiful coincidence, the birth of Petri Murzaku, on a summer day, that is, on March 14, 1932, in Tirana, in the bosom of a family whose tradition was to keep the door open for former freedom fighters. Thanks to this fortunate coincidence, he seems to have preserved throughout his life a cordiality and human love for his companions, a perpetual light friendly smile, which graces like a spring breeze, that charming face which Cicero calls the mirror of the soul, where easily read will and determination. Likewise, the education he received in his family made him become a man before his time, and after receiving his weapon at the age of 12, he joined the 17th Assault Brigade, a partisan, where for his courage and bravery, he was not left behind by other partisans.
When the country was liberated, in March of 1945, that is, as soon as the “Skënderbej” Military School was established, Petriti began his studies at this school, where he quickly caught the eye of Ali Kastrati, Rexhep Rama and Izet Çani, who determined the future of his. The four years spent at the “Skënderbej” school, which the more time goes by, the more its brilliance is added, left an indelible impression on Petriti.
Here he made friends with boys who came from all over and who produced, among others, so many great masters of sports. And only those who have lived among the Skenderbegas, know what a sacred thing is for them the friendship forged in their joint efforts, to become as valuable as possible to the most precious and magnificent thing we have: Albania.
In the photographs of those years, Petrit Murzaku hardly fills his eyes. Except for the soul, there is fire; agile and tireless, he never trains anywhere and with anyone, until he takes the physical appearance of a real gladiator, not to mention that you see him with a spear in his hand, this giant full of charm, 10 years in a row national champion in this competition, reminds you of Medauri, that Illyrian deity, as described in the inscriptions found in ancient Rizon, in the castle where Queen Teute once sheltered.
The four years of the “Skënderbej” school strongly influenced the formation of Petri Murzak’s invincible character. They seriously tested his sporting abilities. He quickly became known among his friends as a football player, basketball player, athlete, fencer and boxer. His name began to be heard more and more often on a national scale, as he participated in football, alongside famous names, in the “Partizan” team, and in 1948-1949, the basketball team where Petrit Murzaku played was declared runner-up. national.
At this time, Petriti was sent to high school in the former Soviet Union and there in the then Leningrad, he attended the preparatory sessions of the Russian national volleyball team, at that time world champions. He trains with the great masters; Kostandin Reva, Shagin, Evladian, etc., attracts their attention, learns unknown technical and tactical elements from modern volleyball, and upon returning to his homeland, this young officer (after whom every girl would leave his mind) , is appointed to the “Partizani” Sports Club, and enters this sport with a special passion, while with other friends, such as; Vangjel Koja, Napolon Llalla, Shefqet Kau, Egon Gjadri, Fatmir Meka, Masar Aga, Todi Koçi, etc., in the years 52-64, became national champions ten times.
They win three Republic Cups and Murzak himself is considered one of the six best volleyball players of the century, simultaneously winning the survey of the 10 best sportsmen of the year, 6 times in a row. In basketball, in the years 1952-’56, his team was declared national champion four times and won the Republic Cup once.
A rare thing in Albanian sports, but it must be said that this versatile sportsman, in the years 1952-’54, participated in the football team of “Partizan” and together with the famous; Loro Boriçi, Slave Llambi, Rexhep Spahiu, Besim Fagu, Sulejman Maliqati, Skënder Deda, Gani Merja, Andon Parapani, etc., has won the title of champion three times, and twice that of the Republic. In athletics, apart from the javelin, he participates in the shot put, the discus throw and ten races, where only the well-known athlete from the city of Durrës, Master Idriz Çinari, surpasses him.
And as if all this unparalleled sports activation was not enough, Petrit Murzaku has also been active in water polo, while in the sport of rowing, in the years 1960 – ’64, he became the champion of Albania. I am convinced that if there was a diving championship, this amateur spearfisherman would definitely take first place.
In the sports life of master Murzaku, an important place is occupied by successful and numerous international meetings, such as the European volleyball championship in Bucharest, the championship of former friendly armies in Lajcpig, the European volleyball championship in Prague, the Balkan championship, the Champions Cup , the world championship in Kiev (1962), as well as three tournaments in the People’s Republic of China, not forgetting the Youth Festivals in Warsaw (1955) and Moscow (1957).
In Petrit’s memory, but also in our sports annals, he appears as a participant in 110 meetings, 68 of which belong to volleyball matches, even with very prestigious teams, such as those of the Soviet Union, China, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Holland, Egypt, etc., etc. Murzaku proudly remembered 57 victories, and did not leave without mentioning two moments during the match with Finland: the raising of our flag and the distribution for the first time of the creepy sounds of the national anthem and the 3:2 victory, as well as with Holland, which had already victory, yes 3:2, also set a record, with 3 hours and 20 minutes that the meeting lasted, thanks to an unprecedented rivalry.
In international basketball matches, the Balkan Championship of 1959 should be mentioned, where he, with great competence and fighting spirit, covered Korac himself, the legend of the former Yugoslavia, with whose name a special cup has been organized there for years. We knew what the excited heart of Petri Murzaku felt with his friends, when he faced foreign teams. It was about the glory and name of a small and indomitable country, therefore the responsibility was extremely great.
But he also definitely imagined how we stood with anxiety and frozen blood for the results that would be achieved, and how we flew with happiness when we were honored and won, and how much our love and pride for our country increased. And this is perhaps the greatest reward given to the motherland. And these are the spiritual bonds that are created between people who have a clear identity, whether they are athletes or sports fans. And it is for this, in the first place, that people like Petrit Murzaku of “Partizani” owe everyone, and as such, they have the right to express their gratitude, both in Tirana and throughout Albania.
But Petrit Murzaku was not only an outstanding athlete and captain. He has performed various duties in the army with dedication. He also completed his studies at the Higher Institute of Physical Culture “Vojo Kushi”, worked as head of physical training in the unit commanded by the “Hero of the People”, Colonel Myslym Keta. He returned again as a boss at the “Partizani” Sports Club. In 1964, he was appointed a lecturer at the “Enver Hoxha” High School of Officers in Tirana and after two years, he was appointed head of the physics department of this school, until he retired in 1987.
But how could he, who I called a permanent boy, who was never separated from this school, who continued to be the head judge of the collegium of the capital’s volleyball judges and has repeatedly refereed national championship matches, retire? that together with the living legend Ali Kastrati, with the wise Ismet Bellova, with the wise Isa Tara, with the charming Et`hem Ibrahim, were the most distinguished activists of the National Association “Skënderbegasi” (Honour of the Nation); those who you would find present in every activity, wherever it took place.
Petrit Murzaku, the lecturer who gave the proper place to the physical training of officers, was received with special respect wherever he went. There is no officer who has not known or heard about him and without fear I say that; there wasn’t an officer that our Petja didn’t know. Even on the theoretical level, Petrit Murzaku has provided valuable help for the progress of physical training in the army. In all the checks organized by the Ministry of People’s Defense, the legend Petrit Murzaku would definitely be included.
He did not show any sign of superiority during these checks. He acted the same, as if he were being controlled; he got among the soldiers and officers, he ran along with them, he sweated like them, he guided and helped them to reach their goals, he was happy for the high results, he got upset when the work didn’t go as it should, he understood the troubles of the departments, he left tasks with simplicity bigger and never, that big-hearted man, put anyone in a difficult position.
The tact and high education that Petriti showed were part of his noble character and his civic formation. This side, perhaps, constituted the most outstanding value of this distinguished sports framework of our army, without which even the figures we mentioned would not have their true meaning.
Throughout his life, Petrit Murzaku manifested a high sense of collectivity and a spirit of sacrifice. February 6, 1981, when the unexpected avalanche on Mount Meçek, (in the training complex of Feken in Mount with Pits) kidnapped 11 officers and trainees in their prime and injured 100 others, is the culminating point that transformed lecturer Murzaku in a real lion, to save with superhuman effort, the lives of his subordinates and friends, until he himself crawled for more than 300 m., on a rough terrain, from a second avalanche and escaped thanks to of an iron build and a true warrior spirit.
In the glorious path of Petrit’s life and work, his family played a first-hand role, and in the first place his wife Kleopatra, a renowned sportswoman who understood her husband’s mission in Albanian sports. In addition, from the honorable Murzaku family, other excellent athletes have emerged, such as Petrit’s brother, Thomai, the famous basketball player of the “Partizan” and national teams, his sister Dhurata, a swimmer and climber, his daughter of Petriti, Mirela volleyball player of “Dinamos” and Ingridi of “17 November”, who has been playing for a long time with the champion team of Greece, “Vrisilia”, in volleyball.
With my good friend, born military Dr. Sciences, Novruz Zejnati, we were visiting Petrit’s house in Tirana some time ago. A piece of furniture from the most modest, he had just added a minibar, where, with the suggestion of his daughter, he would place all the countless medals that he had won during his life. This was the entire fortune of this giant, named by a jury composed of the best specialists of the country, as the best multi-starred sports star in the history of our sport. He was never worried about material interests.
Kish put everything at the service of sport, for goals that never die and that Tolstoy had formulated so clearly: “In life there is only one unquestionable happiness: to live for others”. And talking about this point, Petriti smiled and remembered: “In 1957, when we became champion in basketball, since no reward in lek was allowed, the Federation asked us what they could buy us. I asked for 6 deep plates, 6 shallow plates, and 6 forks. While Andon and Jorgji Koja, wanted from 12 m. Meringue, since they had just got married, they needed sheets”.
Petrit Murzaku had only one regret, who continued to tell us: “In ’55, ‘Partizan’ needed an athlete for javelin throwing. Dilaver Toptani chose me and since the time was short, I entered the competition with one day of training.
Since I didn’t have a spear, the champion Shaban Zeneli told me: “Take my spear”. By throwing it, I broke the national record. Shabani was happier than me, who, after kissing me, gave me that spear, which I, due to carelessness, could not save…! How I would like to have it! This was Petrit Murzaku, who with his life and work, reminds us of Buasti’s expression that; “heroes, like works of art, seem bigger, from the distance of time”. Memorie.al
