Walter Zahra, 1912-2003

by Sergio Grech

published by Wirt iż-Żejtun, 2022

The treasures of Malta’s cities, towns and villages often remain undiscovered by non-residents. In recent years, organisations such as Wirt iż-Żejtun have been raising awareness of this ‘hidden’ patrimony and presenting it to a broader audience.

Fortunately, Wirt iż-Żejtun believes that such patrimony is not only confined to the aesthetic experience; there are several remarkable lives that deserve to be remembered and celebrated. In recent years, it has published several publications recalling the achievements of military architect and engineer Michele Cachia and composer Carlo Diacono, among others.

This year, the same organisation launched a book by historian Sergio Grech on the life of trade unionist, campaigner and author Walter Zahra (1912-2003).

Zahra – the father of author Trevor Zahra – lived a remarkable life coinciding with the period when the idea of the Maltese nation was cemented and developed. In this, as Grech amply demonstrates, Zahra was no mere spectator.

Born in December 1912, Walter Zahra showed academic promise from a very young age. Some of his colleagues at the Lyceum would make a name for themselves. They included Judge Wallace Gulia and Bishop Emanuel Gerada.

There were some shortcomings at the Lyceum. Studying at the height of the ‘language question’ was not easy: Maltese was not taught, so Zahra had to teach himself Maltese.

Similarly, history was a contentious subject – the syllabus vacillated between British history and the history of Rome at the expense of Maltese history.

In his own time, Zahra was active in the Catholic Social Guild. This whetted his appetite for learning in different fields, including ethics, sociology and public administration. It also imbued in him an appreciation and a love for Catholic social teaching, which, ultimately, inspired his Catholic-inspired sociology.

His employment with the British Services in Malta led to his transfer to Alexandria in Egypt in May 1940. He remained there until 1944.

During his time in Egypt, Zahra actively participated in the activities of the then-numerous Maltese community. He was secretary of Il-Qawmien Malti – a movement set up to promote Maltese culture and to publish books in Maltese. He was a representative of the Alexandria-based Xirka għat-Tixrid tal-Qari Malti, which had as a motto: “F’Ilsien artna l-għaqda tal-Maltin, Is-saħħa u l-qawwa ta’ nazzjon żagħżugħa” (In our mother tongue lies the unity of the Maltese, the strength of a young nation).

This organisation bridged the promotion of Maltese literature with the encouragement of a national conscience. He was also an editor for Il-Qari tal-Malti (based in Port Said) and a correspondent for Il-Ħabbar Malti (based in Cairo).

Zahra is not currently commemorated in his hometown

Upon his return to Malta, Zahra became active in political and trade union circles. He was a close friend of Sir Paul Boffa, whom he had known and admired for a while due to his support for the Maltese language. Zahra was initially also an active member of the General Workers Union.

However, he cut contact with this union when it engaged in non-industrial issues. This, however, did not stop Zahra from being an active trade unionist, founding unions for artists, fishermen and quarry workers, among others.

When the Labour Party split in 1949, Zahra followed Boffa rather than Mintoff. He was part of the executive of the newly formed Malta Workers Party and edited the party newspaper Leħen il-Ħaddiem between 1950 and 1951. He also contested the 1950 election, though he only managed to garner 128 votes.

Grech’s book offers some interesting insights into the character of Sir Paul Boffa. As a close collaborator, Zahra was in a position to provide some pertinent observations. Firstly, Zahra believed that the war helped Boffa mature to the point where his first government was more Christian Democratic in tone. Secondly, Zahra thought that Boffa was no extremist.

The encyclical Rerum Novarum profoundly inspired him. Unlike other socialists, his concern was not on waging class wars against private property and enterprise but on ensuring wealth was adequately distributed.

By 1950, there were attempts to reconcile the two parties. In 1951, there was a tacit agreement that the two parties should not attack each other. However, despite mediation from various quarters, the merger failed.

Walter Zahra wrote several books on Żejtun, including one on the parish church of St Catherine. Photo: Shutterstock.com

His second active period in politics came during the 1960s, at the height of the crisis between the Church and the Labour Party. Zahra was an active member of the Christian Workers Party led by Toni Pellegrini. Once again, Zahra was a member of the executive and an editor of the party paper It-Tarka. The editorial line was fiercely anti-communist and in opposition to Mintoff and Borg Olivier, while sympathetic to Archbishop Gonzi.

Despite his foray into political life, Zahra’s love for the written word and the Maltese language never left him. Neither did his passion for his hometown. He was active in heritage circles. He wrote several books on Żejtun, including one on the parish church of St Catherine, the old parish church of St Gregory and a volume on the history of Żejtun until 1798.

He translated several books into Maltese and was involved in publishing projects with the Klabb Qari Nisrani. Several of his manuscripts remain, sadly, unpublished. He also maintained a healthy correspondence with various authors, including the national poet Dun Karm Psaila.

He also ensured many of his co-citizens were adequately commemorated. Paradoxically, Zahra is not currently commemorated in his hometown. Nonetheless, Grech’s book goes some way to make sure that this is rectified. His book ensures that this prolific writer and citizen inspired by Catholic social teaching is not forgotten.