Joseph Limprecht Memorial Website

In the News

[The following article (in translation) contains several inaccuracies , misconceptions, and speculations, but poignantly portrays the manner of Joe's death and its effect on the villagers.]

The Lake of Slabs in Lura Mountain was only two kilometers away (a mile and a half), when in the afternoon of May 19, US Ambassador Joseph Limprecht passed away. The news was made known in a couple of seconds, but it remained unknown why Limprecht was far away from Tirana on that Sunday.

For the first time, during this entire period, a team of journalists from "Gazeta Shqiptare" made their way to the little village hidden amongst mountains to reveal the reasons of a visit, which was surrounded by gossips. Why was Limprecht in Lura? Who was with him, what means of transportation did he use, what did the villagers of that region offer him and all other question marks raised around this issue.

The Visit

The feast of Saint Nicholas in Lura resembles to other summer feasts that occur on March 14 in other areas. "It was 9:30-10:00 when Limprecht arrived in the village. We had been informed about his meeting the previous night," says the head of Lura commune Hysni Buci. The US Ambassador, accompanied by his wife, Nancy, initially rendered a visit to the main bar of the village, where they conversed with many villagers. This was a special moment lbr everyone, because it was the first time that a statesman and a diplomat visited Lura. Then, he had a long meeting with the head of Lura commune in his cozy office. "He sat in the armchair, right there, Hysni points with his finger, while his wife sat in front of me. Other personnel of the Embassy and the interpreter accompanied him. We talked about the wonders of Lura and had a glass of home-made plum grappa," adds Hysni. He stands up and takes from the shelf the grappa-filled-coca-cola-bottle and poured something in our glasses. Ever since the day Limprecht passed away, the grappa has not been removed from the shelf. The head of the commune kept that as a sign to show others that the grappa had not been poisoned. Limprecht also revealed the secret of this sudden visit. "I could not leave Albania without visiting the wonders of Lura. I have read in a book that the one who does not visit Lura, has not seen much of Albania. He must have read this from Gjergj Fishta--Father George Fishta²,"--admits the head of commune. Following his visit in the commune, Limprecht had a desire to visit one of the historical towers of the area. Accompanied by his wife, Nancy, and his bodyguards, Limprecht was the first foreigner to set foot in the 200-year-old tower of Man Tolleve. The couple remained flabbergasted by the visit in the tower.

Traditional dish

"l was prepared for the Ambassador's arrival. I wanted him to have lunch on that day at my home," confesses the head of the commune. Due to time constraints, the Ambassador was obliged to turn down the invitation. He had prepared the traditional dishes for Ambassador Limprecht. “I had prepared a lamb in charcoal, traditional pickle from Lura, yogurt made of sheep's milk, cheese, butter, Lura honey, homemade plum grappa and to add more traditionalism to all this, I had decided that everything be served in a low round dining-table and not in one of those fancy tables. He had the right to choose, definitely, trying to reveal that there are tables even in those areas," says Hysni. But Limprecht refused due to time constraints. "He made his way towards Lura Mountains, unaccompanied by any of the villagers. I wish I had gone with him, but ! had other guests at home. When I told him that I couldn't, he agreed with that and then they left."

Going towards the mountains

What we generally refer to as the Lakes of Lura is located a few kilometers away from the center of Lura. Despite its proclamation as a National Park since 1967, it has lost quite some elements from its former charm. The road that takes you there is very hard to go through. No one has rehabbed it since 1990. The annual downpour has made it impassable by ordinary vehicles. The only vehicles that could make it to the top are the big trucks. The three vehicles Ambassador Limprecht was driving with, managed to go up to a certain extent. After that point, it was almost impossible to keep going. The Ambassador then got off the car, and chewing some peanuts, started walking. He stopped at a fountain to drink some water, and then proceeded his way. Referring to superstition, the villagers say that Limprecht's death is related to the cold water. They explain that the warm body of Limprecht got in contact with the coldness of the water. He resumed walking with his escort, which followed him.

The stone of rest/relax

His power was fading. He sat on a stone, which served as a bench to relax. His bodyguards approached him, when they saw frothing at the mouth. They performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. At the beginning it was the driver, then the wife, but to no avail. First-aid choppers started flying in the sky, but no one was able to do anything. The team performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to him for hours. A mirror was often placed over his mouth, to see whether steams got over that. Syringes, needle and other equipment were needed to bring him back to life. Extreme efforts and choppers which could hardly descend on that sloping mountainous ground. At the end, the wife ordered to leave him in peace. The assistance was huge, but the Ambassador had passed away a few moments after he sat on the stone.

At the lakes

For many days, bloodstained sheets, endless syringes and other equipments lay on the road. One of the shepherds took home the bloodstained sheets. The rain and the brooks have swept away many of the syringes. However, in the corner where first aid was offered to him, some of them are easily noticed.

The unfulfilled dream

He traveled hundreds of kilometers to get to Lura. He had read that Lura had seven charming lakes, some of which were filled with white lilies. He would leave Albania soon, but not without seeing them. He passed away only two kilometers away from their beauty. He did not even see the first one, otherwise known by the locals as the Lake of Slabs. The locals want to name the street after Ambassador Limprecht, as a token of their honor to him.

"Only if the Ambassador had stayed for lunch with us..." - Page 3

Now that the Ambassador passed away, rumors seem to have been erupted. The villagers, who saw him getting off the Chevrolet before shaking hands with commune leader Hysniu, noticed that his legs turn to jelly, by making a step backwards.

At the main bar of the village, when asked about his death, everyone keeps telling this as something destined to happen. The villagers also believe that if Limprecht had stayed for lunch there, nothing would have happened to him. "No, no, it is not that, adds someone. Limprecht died because he drank fresh water from the font at the high plateau of the mountain before going to the lake. The water is very fresh. It seems as it cuts your hand, it is colder than the one kept in fridge. The Ambassador had perspired while walking, drank some water and then passed away." Following his death, there have been quite some rumors regarding his trip. The villagers remember that his wife was with him. However, there has been another woman amongst the people that accompanied him, who did not enter the office of the commune leader. All say she was slim, and seemed like a foreigner. "She is American, probably a police officer. We saw her even during the memorial service at the Palace of Congresses. She was dressed in police uniform." It takes a long time to get to Lura. It takes 6 hours from Mirdita~to Fushe-Lure. The Ambassador did not get to the village from the traditional route. He arrived from the road that goes around Dibra, which takes longer and is more difficult than the other route from Mirdita. The ordinary villagers seem not to be surprised at anything. Even the death of the Ambassador has not surprised them at all. None of them had any doubts on other people. Neither the grappa made out of plum has been put into question. Even his bodyguards drank from that grappa. The police did not have any doubts. None of them went to the village to interrogate anyone. They, themselves, heard of the Ambassador's death through a radio station. The choppers, which filled the sky in the afternoon of May 19, forewarned that something terrible had happened at the top of the mountain.

² He was a very well known Albanian poet and patriot. He was originally from Shkodra and became a catholic monk. (Note of the translator) ³ Region in northern Albania.