Background
Jani Vreto was born in Postenan, a village near Leskovik, southern Albania in 1822.
Jani Vreto was born in Postenan, a village near Leskovik, southern Albania in 1822.
He went to the local school where he took his first lessons from Nikolla Ikonomi, who would teach him both Greek and Albanian. In 1879 he became one of the founders of Society for the Publication of Albanian Writings, (Albanian: Shoqëri e të shtypurit shkronjavet shqip), an organization responsible for publishing Albanian textbooks and opening Albanian schools. Vreto transferred its headquarters from Istanbul to Bucharest after the organization was banned by the Ottoman authorities.
At the same time he was excommunicated by the Orthodox metropolitan of Gjirokastër, who accused him of having committed heresy by "creating an Albanian question".
Many of the works of Naim Frashëri, national poet of Albania were published by this organization.
Vreto was also a member of the Central Committee for Defending the Rights of the Albanian People along with Pandeli Sotiri, Hasan Tahsini, Pashko Vasa, Koto Hoxhi, Sami Frashëri and Abdyl Frasheri.
As a member of this society Vreto set up and operated the Albanian printing house of Bucharest playing an important role in the advancement of the Albanian movement.