Kolë, the Albanian Polyglot Who Spoke 18 Languages and Impressed American Missionaries in the 1920s

Kolë, the Albanian Polyglot Who Spoke 18 Languages and Impressed American Missionaries in the 1920s

In the aftermath of World War I, Albania was a country struggling with poverty, instability, and the challenges of nation-building. During the 1920s, an American Red Cross mission arrived in the country, determined to provide shelter, food, medical care, and education to the population. What they discovered in Albania, however, went beyond hardship—they found extraordinary individuals whose talents left a lasting impression. Among them was Kolë,…