From Dishwasher to Top Diplomat: The Extraordinary Odyssey of Fate Velaj

When Fatmir Velaj crossed the border into Austria in September 1991, he had little more than 100 Deutschmarks (about 50 euros) and a suitcase full of dreams, according to the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper. He fled Albania, which was sinking into chaos after decades of Stalinist isolation under Enver Hoxha. Today, renowned media outlets such as the Salzburger Nachrichten dedicate entire special pages to him in order to honor his life's work—a work that is as multifaceted as his paintings.

The shock of silence: From Vlora to the “Kreuztanne”

Velaj's first stops were the Traiskirchen initial reception center and finally the Mostviertel region. In his autobiographical novel “Kreuztanne,” he aptly describes the culture shock: he, who dreamed of metropolises like Rome, found himself in a mountain inn in St. Anton an der Jeßnitz. “I waited 30 minutes at an intersection to see which direction more cars were coming from so I would know where the next settlement was. But not a single car came,” Velaj recalls with a smile.

His first knowledge of German came from old war movies – words like “Halt!” or “Achtung!”. But Velaj, who is now referred to as a “refugee out of curiosity,” did not let himself be discouraged. He worked as a dishwasher in Gaming and later spent six and a half years as a shift worker in a metal factory in Kienberg, where he manufactured steel gas cylinders.

The call of art and mentoring by Nitsch

Despite the hard physical work, Velaj never lost his eye for beauty. He began painting in his spare time. A turning point came when he sold a watercolor painting to a guest for 1,000 schillings—almost a week's wages at the time.

His path eventually led him to Vienna, where he studied art and cultural management at the University of Applied Arts. A key supporter was the late action artist Hermann Nitsch, who became his mentor. Velaj established himself as an internationally recognized painter and photographer with exhibitions from Washington to Cairo.

Velaj is the founder of the forum “Connecting Worlds – Culture as Ambassador,” with which he attempted early on to build bridges between the Balkan states and the EU.

The leap into politics

His talent as a networker did not go unnoticed in his home country either. Velaj became an advisor to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (also an artist) and served as an independent member of the Albanian parliament from 2017 to 2021. In June 2024, he came full circle when he was accredited by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen as Albania's extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Austria.

He has received numerous awards for his services to international understanding, including the Golden Medal of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria, the title of professor, conferred by the Austrian Federal President, and the European Citizen's Prize of the European Parliament (2008).

His talent as a networker did not go unnoticed in his home country either. Velaj became an advisor to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (also an artist) and served as an independent member of the Albanian parliament from 2017 to 2021. In June 2024, the circle was complete: he was accredited by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen as Albania's extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to Austria.

He has received numerous awards for his services to international understanding, including the Golden Medal of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria, the title of professor, conferred by the Austrian Federal President, and the European Citizen's Prize of the European Parliament (2008).

A reminder for the present

At a time when migration policy in Europe is becoming increasingly restrictive, Velaj views the current situation with a mixture of gratitude and concern. He emphasizes that his success was also made possible by the climate of openness among politicians such as Franz Vranitzky and Alois Mock.

Today, he uses his position to promote cultural diplomacy. He recently presented his latest novel at the Vienna Book Fair, in which he recounts his experiences. His advice to young people who find themselves in a similar situation to his in 1991: “You have to have a dream and work hard. Learn the culture of the country you live in.”

Albanian Embassy Vienna