http://www.croatia.org/crown en-us http://www.croatia.org/crown N/A letters@croatia.org Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:10:14 +0000 20 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11428/1/Anica-Markov---A-Dalmatian-Girl-from-Two-Continents.html "A Dalmatian girl from two continents" is an autobiographical book in which the author describes her untypical life from her birth up to her adulthood. She was born in Split, Croatia as the fourth child in a well-to-do family. However, due to political reasons, her parents decided to emigrate when she was 15. She loved Croatia and her life there, and she hated to emigrate. The book illustrates some memories of her childhood in various cities of Croatia. Then she continues describing her adulthood in a refugee camp in Italy, emigration to Chile and finally to Venezuela where the family settled. However, her love for Croatia was always present in her life. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 15 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11415/1/Croatian-mariners-in-the-ARCTIC-EXPEDITION-in-1872-1874.html The crew of the ship Tegetthoff was composed of 24 persons, out of them 12 Croats. Their names are Petar Lusina (from the island of Cres), Lovro Marolla (from Rijeka), Ante Vecerina (from Draga near Rijeka), Petar Falesic (from Bakar), Juraj Stiglic (from Bakar), Jakov Sucic (from Volosko), Fran Lettis (from Volosko), Vicko Palmic (from Lovran, on the photo), Josip Latkovic (from Plomin), Ante Katarinic (from Mali Losinj), Ante Lukinovic (from Pucisca on the island of Brac), Ante Zaninovic (from Sv. Nedilja on the island of Hvar). darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Sat, 06 Jul 2024 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11350/1/Michael-Buble-Canadian-global-singing-star-of-Croatian--Italian-origin.html Michael Buble has Croatian roots on his father's side, and Italian on his mother's side. More precisely, Michael Steven Buble was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada in 1975, the son of Lewis Buble, a fisherman with Croatian ancestry from the island of Lo¹inj, and Amber (nee Santaga), of Italian origin. He and his wife Luisana Lopilato have four children. The second name Buble is Croatian, and should be pronounced as boobl:e. Michael Buble visited Croatia in 2019, and had an emotional 2-hour concert in the city of Zagreb. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 05 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11349/1/Epidaurus-Festival-Cavtat-Croatia-3-8211-18-September-2022-directed-by-Ivana-Marija-Vidovic.html The XVI-th Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat near Dubrovnik has international character, consisting of music and arts perfomances. The participants arrive from Argentina - Luis Horacio Caruana, Mariano Siccardi, Holland - Marijke Brekelmans and Ronald Drenton, Canada - Sunny Maria Ritter, Ukraine - Irina Smirnova, Italy - Piano duo Aventaggiato Matarrese, and representing Croatia - Diego Vitasoviæ, Nika Ru¾arija Orepiæ, Milo¹ and Olivera Krivokapiæ, Ðuro Vidmaroviæ, Radojka ©verko, Ksenija Prohaska, etc. The spiritus movens is indefatigable Ivana Marija Vidoviæ, the founder and director of the Festival (on the photo, on the right). darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 03 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11322/1/Peter-Tomich-recipient-of-the-USA-Medal-of-Honor-described-in-Croatian-film-quotHeros-are-Never-Forgottenquot.html ÃàÃàdarko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 09 Dec 2021 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11321/1/Vesna-Skulic-Croatian-cinderella-participating-in-White-Path-humanitarian-action-in-BiH-1993.html Vesna ©kuliæ is living in the village of Ra¾anac near the city of Zadar, Croatia. As an amateur radio operator, she She trasfered more than hundred thosand humanitarian messages. She actively participated in solving numerous problems related to the humanitarion action of White Path in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993. According to late Professor Slobodan Lang, Zagreb, who was the chief organizer of the action, this was the first ever successful joint Christian - Muslim humanitarian operation in history. Vesna Skuliæ, a courageos and charming Croatian woman, is a paraplegic. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 02 Nov 2021 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11287/1/CROATIA-HAS-CHANGED-ME-15-Things-I-Started-Doing-After-Moving-to-Zagreb.html Sarah Cosi: ...I discovered Croatia on one of my trips back in 2007, where I fell in love with the country (and then ended up marrying a local, who is now also my business partner at Royal Croatian Tours). Since we both love exploring and showing people the beauty of Croatia, opening our own agency just came naturally. We think we make an excellent combo, as Ivan is a local Croatian and knows all of the ins and outs of Croatia, while I'm an expat, and do all of the communication with our guests personally. Coming from Canada, I understand what our guests are looking for when planning their trip, and traveling to a foreign country. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 12 Mar 2021 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11268/1/Marina-Jurica-singing-meteorologist-lead-commentator-for-NASAs-Jet-Propulsion-Laboratory-since-2019.html Marina Jurica graduated from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) with two degrees: one in Meteorology and the other in Opera Performance. She is persuing both of her passions. She worked in Orlando, Florida, before becoming chief meteorologist at CBS47 in 2016. She was the first female chief meteorologist in the USA, and is still one of the few female chiefs. She appeared as professional opera singer in the Canadian tour of "Les Miserables" and debuted her own show "Seasons of Love" on Broadway in 2018. Her father is from the island of Lastovo, and mother from the city of Opatija, both in Croatia: "I am a first generation American, my ENTIRE family is Croatian. Growing up in a Croatian home and French immersion school, I became tri-lingual quickly.". On the photo, Marina Jurica is with her son John. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 01 Dec 2020 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11261/1/Christophe-Dolbeau-published-his-monograph-quotBy-the-Croatian-Patriotsquot-in-French-in-2019.html Christophe Dolbea published his new monograph entitled Aux cotes des patriotes croates (By the Croatian Patriots), as a private edition, in 2019. The book commprises 11 chapters, and ends with a complete bibliography of the author. In the middle of the book, twelve pages containing the photos of the main persons described in the book are exhibited. The book deals with Croatian emmigration in France, with parts of which the author was very close. We also learn of Dominque Gay, a young Frenchman who fought during Homland Defensive War and tragically died in Croatia in 1992 near te town Drni¹. The book represent an important contribution to the study of the history of Croatian emmigration in France. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 10 Sep 2020 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11182/1/Vladimir-Novak-Croatians-in-America-fascinating-photomonograph-published-in-2018.html  Vladimir Novak (1928-2016) darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 27 Oct 2019 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11180/1/New-Book-quotImmigrant-Daughter-Stories-You-Never-Told-Mequot-by-Catherine-Capphahn.html American-born Catherine knows little of her Croatian mother's early life. When Marijana dies of ovarian cancer, twenty-two-year-old Catherine finds herself cut off from the past she never really knew. As Catherine searches for clues to her mother's elusive history, she discovers that Marijana was orphaned during WWII, nearly died as a teenager, and escaped from Communist Yugoslavia to Rome, and then South America. Through travel and memory, history and imagination, Catherine resurrects the relatives she's never known. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Tue, 01 Oct 2019 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11153/1/Teresa-Perinic-and-the-King-of-Dolls-representing-Croatia-at-the-Day-of-Europe-in-Argentina.html The Day of Europe has been celebrated on 9th of May 2019 in Buenos Aires. It consisted in Common Stories (Historias Comunes) connecting Europe and Argentina, in which also Croatia has participated. The collection of common stories consists of 20 stories from various European countries, collected in a book. The Croatian story deals with Ljeposlav Periniæ, better known throughout the world as The King of Dolls. The title of the story is "From Zagreb to Don Torquato - The King of Dolls". On the photo Teresa Perinic de Bellofatto, daughter of The King of Dolls. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 13 May 2019 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11126/1/Peter-Tomich-1893-1941-recipient-of-the-Medal-of-Honor-for-his-courage-at-Pearl-Harbour-in-1941.html Peter Tomich, Croatian-American hero born in Bosnia and Herzegovina (town of Prolog), one of 15 men to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. Named for him were a destroyer escort ship in 1943, the USS Tomich, and Tomich Hall in 1989, where the Navy's Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, R.I., is housed. Medal of Honor is a film about double heroism. One hero, Peter Tomich, made an instant decision that cost him his life but saved hundreds of others. He won the Medal of Honor. Another man, Robert Lunney, worked for nine years and spent thousands of dollars to find a rightful home for the Medal. Solemn premiere of the film 'Heros are Not Forgotten' will be on 7th December, 6 pm, at the House of Military Forces of the Republic of Croatia 'Zvonimir', with Symphonic orchestra of Croatian TV under the baton of Olja De¹iæ which will play the original film music of Nenad Bach. The film (52 min) will be shown by HRT1 (Croatian TV), 8th Dec.at 13:15. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 02 Dec 2018 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11077/1/Stjepan-Radic-1871-1928-a-great-Croatian-politician-humanist-and-martyr.html In 2018 we commemorate a tragic death of Stjepan Radiæ, one of the greatest Croatian politicians and humanists in history (on the photo with his grandchildren), assassinated in 1928 in the Belgrade Parliament. We provide an articl written by Dr. Ante Cuvalo, an information about a new street in the Prague bearing his name (and his wife Marija was a Czech schoolteacher), as well as an article about him written by a Danish writer Karin Michaelis, who used to know his family in person. We conclude the article with a very interesting article of Stjepan Radiæ about the Russian Branch of the noble Croatian family of Jelaèiæ. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 05 Jun 2018 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11048/1/Marijan-Zubanovic-1931-2016-Croatian-technical-thermodynamics-expert-in-France.html Marijan Zubanoviæ, born in 1931 in the village of Virje on Croatian north, completed his studies of mechanical engineering in 1957 at the University of Zagreb. In 1959, not willing to work for military industry of ex-Yugoslavia, he emigrated to France. In 1970, he founded and directed STS enterprise (Systeme Thermodynamique Serivce). He solved the problem of air conditioning for the first French atomic submarine "Le Redoutable", and patented cooling systems for French nuclear power plants. marinko.frka@gmail.com (Mauricij Frka-Pete�i�) Mon, 05 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11040/1/Denis-Vignot-author-of-the-novel-Le-Choix--The-Choice-dealing-with-Croatia-published-in-France.html Denis Vignot from France wrote a deeply moving historical novel entitled Le Choix (The Choice), dealing with Croatia in the early 1990s during the Yugoslav and Serbian agression on Croatia. It is based on personal experiances in Croatia, dealing with love, with the country in trouble, with honor. This extraordinary book, published in France in 20016, containing more than 750 pages. One of the main protagonists in the book is Anton Domovina, former memeber of the French Legion, which the readers will easily recognize (Domovina = Homeland, in Croatian). The author, Denis Vignot, deserves our deep gratitude for having written this monumental literary testimony. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 16 Jan 2018 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11032/1/Slobodan-Praljak-1945-2017-the-truth-about-Croatia-and-Bosnia-Herzegovina.html On the photo Slobodan Praljak 1945-2017, portrayed by Ante Gotovina. Slobodan Praljak is holder of three academic titles - in Electrical Engineering, in Humanities (Sociology and Philosophy) and from Theatre and Film Academy, all of them from the University of Zagreb. On Carla del Ponte: "If I, by any chance, Slobodan Praljak, had written or said such qualification [see in the article], no matter when, in any form whatsoever, in relation to any nation or group during the war in the territories of the former Yugoslavia, I would have been sentenced to 5 years of prison for it only." darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 29 Nov 2017 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/11000/1/Darko-Varga-1956-2017-distinguished-Croatian-publicist.html Darko Varga, 1956-2017, born in the city of Osijek, grown up in the town of Dalj, attended High School in his native city, and completed his studies in Electrical Engineering at the University of Zagreb. From 1993 till 2000, he served as director of HEP (Croatian Electric Supply) in the region of Baranja on the NE of Croatia. He was active in revitalizing Croatian villages as well as ecotourism in Baranja, ravaged in the early 1990s during the Serbian aggression on Croatia. Also, he was an indefatigable promoter of cultural traditions of the region. His latest work on an impressive monograph dealing with the cuisine of the noble Croatian family of Zrinski, has been published in 2015 on the occasion of 450 years since the legendary Siget Battle in 1566. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 03 Aug 2017 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10841/1/Interview-with-Giovanna-Drpic.html Bolivian born Giovanna Drpic is a journalist and the host/producer of the Emmy-nominated business show, Money & Main$treet on Verizon FiOS1. CROWN recently sat down with her and asked her about her life and career and how she came to the U.S. from Bolivia as well as her origins from the island of Brac. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 18 May 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10811/1/Umro-je-Dr-Slobodan-Lang-smrt-koja-nas-moralno-obvezuje-na-gradnju-mira-i-einjenje-dobra.html Umro je ... hrvatski domoljub i nacionalist, ®idov i Hrvat, ¹tovatelj i sljedbenik ideja i vjere Isusa Krista, hrabar èovjek u ratu, spasitelj brojnih ljudskih ¾ivota, idejni zaèetnik humanitarnih konvoja "Libertas" (uz Branku ©eparoviæ) i "Bijeli put" (s Hermanom Vuku¹iæem), odan suprug i bri¾an i nje¾an otac i djed, sin velikog znanstvenika i plemenitog èovjeka dr. Rikarda Langa ... Ni¹ta od onog ¹to je bio Slobodan Lang nije nikada pre¹utio i zatajio i zato bi nas njegova smrt mogla potaknuti na gradnju mira i èinjenje dobra. (Prof.dr. Slaven Letica) slaven1947@gmail.com (Prof.Dr. Slaven Letica) Tue, 23 Feb 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10810/1/Pavo-Jurisic-published-an-important-monograph-about-50-years-of-pastoral-care-among-Croats-of-Melbourne.html The monograph And the hand of the Lord was with them / Celebrating 50 Years of Pastoral Care among Croats of Melbourne, written by Dr Pavo Juri¹iæ, is dedicated to Croatian immigrants in Australia, especially those in Melbourne who lived their faith and represented their homeland, and to their fellow countrymen in Australia, their new homeland which accepted them and gave them shelter. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 21 Feb 2016 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10756/1/Ilko-Corkovic-a-Croatian-refugee-from-Bosnia-and-Herzgovina-becomes-Mayor-in-Sweden-in-2015.html Mr. Ilko Æorkoviæ (48 years of age in 2015) left the city of Banja Luka in 1993 as one among numerous Croatian refugees during the Serbian aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Accompanied with his wife and a young daughter, one and a half years old at the time, he arrived to the island of Oland in Sweden. With innate optimism, strong will and hard work, he was subsequently able to enroll at the Faculty of Economy, which he successfuly completed in 2000. In 2015 he was elected Mayor of the town of Borgholm on the island of Oland. vesnablazins@hotmail.com (Darko Zubrinic and Vesna Blazina) Wed, 28 Oct 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10712/1/Paul-Musin-promoter-of-Cricket-in-Croatia-and-creator-of-the-portal-Croatia-Week.html Originally from New Zealand, Paul Musin (left) moved to Croatia, and is a member of the Croatian Cricket Federation, where his primary role is to administer and develop the game of cricket in Croatia, right from coaching kids in schools, up to everything to do with the Croatian national side. If that weren't enough to keep him busy, he decided to create the now popular website Croatia Week. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Fri, 10 Jul 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10696/1/Violet-Grgich-Following-Your-Own-Path-While-Keeping-the-Legacy.html To every immigrant (and every winemaker) Mike Grgich's journey is tremendously inspiring and empowering. He arrived in America poor but hopeful, and eventually achieved a level of success that placed him on the menus of famous restaurants, the White House wine cellar, in history books and the Smithsonian Museum. Mike Grgich is a giant, but Violet Grgich (left), the proprietor and vice president of Grgich Hills Estates, is clearly not overshadowed by his success; she lets her own soul shine through with much genuine love and gratitude. tajci.official@gmail.com (Tajci Cameron) Mon, 01 Jun 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10695/1/Warren-Mason-8211-Kurt-Cobain8217s-Music-Teacher-Shares-His-Great-Musical-Gift.html In a neat little house in Aberdeen, surrounded by well-cared-for shrubs and trees, lives Warren Mason (left), the man who taught Kurt Cobain to play guitar and to write music. The veteran all-round musician, guitarist, fiddler and violinist plays and teaches all styles of music from folk, rock and jazz to classical on every major string instrument except harp. Warren Mason was born into the Croatian immigrant community in Raymond. His mother was Bonita Medak whose parents Joe and Yerka Medak had come over from the old country. JKraljic@msn.com (John Kralji�, Esq) Fri, 29 May 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10663/1/How-to-travel-the-world-with-almost-no-money.html Tomislav Perko, 29 (left), is a travel writer from Croatia. After a career of a stockbroker, broke because of the financial crisis, he hits the road and turns it into his home. He uses alternative ways of traveling – hitchhiking, couchsurfing, working/volunteering, and manages to wander around the world with just a little bit of money in his pocket, meeting the most amazing people on the way. Five years later, he publishes a book “1000 Days of Spring” and goes around giving lectures about what it means to live on the road. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Fri, 27 Mar 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10644/1/Super-Bowl-XLIX-will-be-a-battle-of-the-Croatians.html What do Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks, Bill Belichick, and Rob Ninkovich of the New England Patriots all have in common? If you guessed that they all had ties to Croatia, give yourself a pat on the back and get ready for Super Boxwl XLIX! That's right Sunday's game features a battle of the Croatians. If you are interested in reading about the trio's Croatian ties then read on!  stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Fri, 30 Jan 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10642/1/Michael-Bilandic-mayor-of-Chicago-1977-1979-proud-of-his-Croatian-heritage.html Michael Bilandic was born in 1923 in Chicago, Illinois and was one of four children born of his Croatian immigrant parents. His father was from a village near Sinj, Croatia and his mother was from the island of Brac, also in Croatia. In 1977 he was elected as Chicago’s 40th mayor until 1979. He was devoted to his family, faithful to his church, and proud of his Croatian heritage. He was presented the Vinodol Code Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the administration of justice in Illinois. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 19 Jan 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10640/1/Documentary-about-Mia-Slavenska-Mia-a-Dancers-Journey-to-be-screened-in-NYC-on-January-31-2015.html Don't miss the only New York City screening of "Mia, a Dancer's Journey," January 31st, 3:30 p.m. at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater. The film is a daughter’s promise to tell her mother’s story which serves as the starting point for this documentary on the life of the celebrated Croatian ballerina Mia Slavenska, which becomes a fascinating and moving reflection on historical memory, national identity, and the power of dance. The film retraces Mia’s journey from tumultuous prewar Europe through her emergence as a glamorous ballerina of the Ballets Russes and a star attraction on stages across America, culminating with her return to her homeland. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Wed, 14 Jan 2015 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10583/1/Ane-Strazicic-Rodriguez-Traditional-Croatian-Cuisine-From-the-Region-of-Dubrovnik.html Ane was born on the Croatian island of Mljet, where she grew up in a fisherman’s family, which instilled in her a love for cooking. After moving to the United States in the late 1980’s, she married a professional chef from Puerto Rico, Luis Rodriguez, and had two children, Alberto and Michelle, who loved their Mom’s cooking and inspired her to compile the recipes from her native region in a cookbook. Story by Susanne Metz. SusanneMetz@verizon.net (Susanne Metz) Wed, 09 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10577/1/Ljiljana-Coklin-teaches-writing-at-the-University-of-California-Santa-Barbara.html   In the midst of the Croatian War of Independence, Ljiljana Coklin, today a lecturer in the Writing Department at UC Santa Barbara, was just a college student trying to complete her degree and escape chaos. Academically focused and driven, she finished her undergraduate education, and found immediate refuge in Canada. Today, she calls Santa Barbara her home. Her winding path to Santa Barbara brings up numerous unanswered questions of how she found her way here and where she’s headed. In her distinct Croatian accent, she opens up to answer these questions and tell her story. juliagraham@umail.ucsb.edu (Julia Graham) Tue, 01 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10572/1/Josos-Croatian-Seafood-Restaurant-in-Toronto-in-Stephen-Holts-interview-with-Leo-Spralia.html Stephen Holt interviews Leo Spralia at Joso's, one of Toronto's top Seafood restaurants, during the Toronto International Film Festival as broadcast on the Stephen Holt Show. Sept.'02. The restaurant serves food prepared in Dalmatian way from Croatian coast. Owned and operated by Leo and Shirley ©pralja and founded by Joso ©pralja in the 1960′s, Joso’s restaurant has achieved continuous success of over 36 years in business and is considered a landmark of the Toronto hospitality scene. It has been visited by numerous celebrities, like Mike Jagger, Paul Newman, Jose Feliciano etc. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 11 Jun 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10566/1/The-Baron-familys-Croatian-tamburitza-band-in-the-USA-in-1930s.html By age 12, the Baron kids were proficient on traditional Croatian tamburitza instruments such as the prim, tambura and bas-prim, and were put to work playing at weddings, apartments or wherever my great-grandfather could hire them out (places where shots of whiskey apparently flowed during breaks). Their parents are from Zagreb, Croatia, who carved out a life in Braddock, in a rented flat near Pittsburgh's burgeoning steel mills. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 27 May 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10565/1/Ljubo-Krasic-director-of-Croatian-Ethnic-Institute-in-Chicago-USA.html The Franciscans established the Croatian Ethnic Institute in 1975, with headquarters in Chicago, for the purpose of preserving and promoting the Croatian heritage in the United States and Canada. This foundation was established with one far-sighted goal, namely, that all which is valuable and in any way related to the Croatians could be found in one place and used for various kinds of research. An additional goal of the Institute was to promote Croatian history, culture, literature, and heritage. The current director of the Croatian Ethnic Institute is fra Ljubo Krasiæ. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 22 May 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10545/1/Ignacio-Frezik-Croatian-that-flooded-Colombia-and-half-of-the-world-with-his-strawberries.html For half a century, The Frezik-Rozman Family is reputed to sell the most delicious strawberries in EL FRESAL (The Strawberry Place) located at Saucio neighborhood, Choconta Municipality of Colombia. Ignacio Frezik came to Colombia in 1954 as a refugee from World War II after escaping from four concentration camps. With his wife Elizabeth Rozman (on the photo) and their children also from Croatia, he began less than zero: Bricklayer, domestic service, foreman, farmer, cook and micro-entrepreneur. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 12 Apr 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10540/1/Everything-is-Forever-by-Victor-Zimet-docu-drama-on-the-life-of-Nenad-Bach-World-Premiere-April-11th-2014.html WorldFest, founded in 1961, is the third oldest film festival in North America & the Oldest Indie Film Festival in the World! This annual event has evolved into a competitive Independent International film festival showcasing rising Indie cinematic talents! WorldFest Houston is a non-profit Educational and Cultural Organization. Croatian rocker/composer Nenad Bach's cinematic journey through war and peace and rock and roll. An unflinching examination of the universal creative process. The world premiere will be in Houston on Friday April 11th @ 9PM. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 07 Apr 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10542/1/Branko-Istvancic-Croatian-filmmaker-recipient-of-the-Liliane-Stewart-Award-for-Design-Arts-in-Montreal-Canada.html Branko I¹tvanèiæ is recipient of a highly praised award at the The International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) 2014 in Montreal, Canada, for his very beautiful and poetic documentary film "Straw-Girls." The “straw girls” are anonymous Croatian artists of Bunjevci ethnicity who live in the province of Baèka. They found straw to be the “green” medium of choice for creating paintings, sculptures and applied art objects as an antidote to their difficult life on the vast Pannonian plain. In 2013 Mr Branko II¹tvanèiæ already won the Gold Camera Award for best documentary in Los Angeles, USA. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 01 Apr 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10528/1/Heritage-and-History-Tour-of-Croatia-with-Robert-Jerin-September-26---October-9-2014.html Join noted genealogist, Robert Jerin, for this custom designed exploration of Croatia’s history and heritage. We’ll have a chance to meet with local villagers as well as professionals working in the field of genealogy while we tour this country rich in tradition and benefiting from a confluence of cultures for thousands of years. We will be visiting: Dubrovnik, Peljesac, Medjugorje, Makarska, Split, Brac Island, Plitvice Lakes, Karlovac, Zumberak, Samobor, Zagreb stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Thu, 27 Feb 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10514/1/-Joko-Paro-in-Houston-for-the-United-Nations-Remembrance-Day-2014-.html His Excellency, Mr. Jo¹ko Paro, Croatian Ambassador to the United States (left) was in Texas on January 27, 2014 to make a presentation to the Houston Holocaust Museum. This was part of the United Nations Remembrance Day commemorations. There was also recognition of the Croatian "Righteous Among Nations". slavonac46@gmail.com (David Byler) Sun, 02 Feb 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10513/1/Karlo-J-Mirth-1917-2013-distinguished-Croatian-writer-and--lifetime-president-of-Croatian-Academy-of-America.html Karlo Mirth was born in Otoèac in Croatian region of Lika, where also Nikola Tesla was born. He studied Forestry and Civil Engineering at the University of Zagreb. Forced to leave Croatia after 1945, he studied  Journalism at the University of Rome. He later studied at the Universities of Barcelona and Madrid, and the Library Sciences at Columbia University. Karlo Mirth was a prolific writer of many articles related to Croatian culture and history. He was very active in Croatian Academy of America, and in 2013 published his autobiographical book ®ivot u emigraciji (Life as an Emigree). darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 02 Feb 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10507/1/Joza-Vrljicak-writing-about-Croatian-Government-Advisory-Council-for-Croats--Abroad.html Mr. Joza Vrljièak from Buenos Aires, Argentina,  participated in the First Meeting of the Advisory Council to the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Croats Living Abroad, which was held in Zagreb on 18th to 20th December 2013. The Council was established by Croatian law in 2012 and it is formed by 55 representatives of Croatians from around the globe. joza.vrljicak@gmail.com (Joza Vrlji�ak) Sun, 19 Jan 2014 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10497/1/Zed-Seseljas-maiden-speech-to-the-Australian-Senate.html Video of the speech prepared by newly elected ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja for his maiden speech in Australia's Federal Parliament. He was elected to the Australian Senate in the Australian federal elections held on 7 September 2013. simtam@internode.on.net (Boris Jakovac) Thu, 12 Dec 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10483/1/Vukovar-is-an-indelible-part-of-European-and-World-History.html In this article we have collected some of the songs and verses dedicated to the tragic destiny of the city of Vukovar and its citizens. The destiny of numerous victims is still not known. This Baroque city on the Danube river was savagely destroyed in 1991. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Mon, 18 Nov 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10481/1/How-do-Croatians-Communicate-By-David-Byler-8th-Generation-Croatian-American.html "How do Croatians Communicate" is a vital topic for many of us. Croatian musicians, poets, artists, politicians, preachers, and marketing people of all varieties, no less than those from any culture or from any ethnicity, are communicators. Our success depends on persistent and pervasive communication. A song heard only by a few birds in the forest, as pleasant and appreciative an audience as they may seem to be, is somehow unsatisfying to us. Our satisfaction is not derived from the wealth or power that our communication might yield but about our "voice" being heard and perhaps eliciting a response from our audience. slavonac46@gmail.com (David Byler) Tue, 12 Nov 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10468/1/Phil-Boskovich-King-of-Onions-descendant-of-Croatian-immigrants--dies-in-2013-at-the-age-of-97.html Boskovich was born in Los Angeles in 1915 to Croatian immigrants. After graduating from North Hollywood High School in 1933, he joined his father, Stjepan, on the family’s small farm, according to a release from the company. His brother Joe, cofounder of the company, died in 2008. Today, Boskovich Farms grows produce on more than 15,000 acres in California and Mexico and employs more than 500 people in Ventura County. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 05 Oct 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10441/1/George-Mikan-gentle-giant-and-the-first-big-dominant-basketball-player-in-the-history-of-NBA-has-Croatian-roots.html George  Mikan, a famous Croatian-American basketball player, the first big and dominant man in the NBA (212 cm tall). He was born in Joliet, and baptized in the Croatian Roman Catholic Church in. His grandfather, whose name is also George Mikan, was born in Croatia, as Juraj Mikan (in Croatian, Juraj = George), and he once said th efollowing: "I am proud of my grandson, and am glad that we Croatians have made a contribution to the progress and development of our America, not only in its industry, but in its sporting world, also." A statue was erected in honor of the NBA Hall of Famer at the Target Center in Minneapolis. In 2013 his two grand-daughters, Gina and Molly, visited Croatia and, among others, payed a visit to the native village of George Mikan's grand-father, and to their relatives - Mikans in Croatia. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 20 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10424/1/Joseph-Thomas-Rukavina-1922-2013-Croatian-humanitarian-and-Democratic--activist-in-the-USA.html Joseph Thomas Rukavina, 91 years old of White Bear Lake, MN died on June 10, 2013 at Southview Acres Health Care Center  in West St. Paul. Joe was a long time activist within the Democratic party and so proud of his work with three Croatian American groups:  Croatian Fraternal Union, MN Croatian Cultural Society and the National Federation of Croatian Americans (co-founder).  He was honored with awards from both the Republic of Croatia and The White House for his outstanding humanitarian work during the 1990s war in Croatia and in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  He was a founding member of St. Pius X Church in White Bear Lake and was active there  for 59 years. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10423/1/Nikola-Primorac-Croatian-captain-of-City-of-Ragusa-craft-sailing-from-Liverpool-to-New-York-and-back-in-1870.html There are honored people in Croatian maritime history who contributed to the various fields of maritime affairs. One of them is Captain Nikola Primorac, born in Dubrovnik on July 27, 1840, who sailed in his small boat across the Atlantic from Liverpool to New York and back to Liverpool, England. In Liverpool he made a bet with one Englishman for 100 pound sterling that he will cross the Atlantic in a small boat. It was sensational news in Britain which the London "Times" wrote: "It is an incredible brave and crazy adventure ever made that could turn into tragedy or triumph". darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10412/1/Don-Wolf-author-of-autobiographical-photo-monograph-Croatian-Love-Story.html Long before Don Wolf was born, the outline for A Croatian Love Story was formed in the 1900’s. An ethnic neighborhood was the site where determined women and men struggled to build, to educate and to become citizens. These Croatian immigrants formed the strong shoulders supporting cherished traditions as they learned to live in and to love their new country. Don’s photographs depict Croatian life both in the United States and in Croatia. His writing preserves generations of memories. This book is a tribute to those who came before and a blessing to those who are yet to come. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 26 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10408/1/Call-for-proposals-for-international-conference-on-Croatian-history-language-and-migration.html The conference to be held from 5-7 February, 2014, honours 30 years of Croatian Studies at Macquarie University in Sydney Australia. The focus of the conference is on the development of the identity and political consciousness of Croatians in Croatia or abroad through the exploration of the construction and expression of personal and group identities of Croatians of all social classes, in all periods from the Middle Ages to the modern day. Themes include but are not limited to: identity, history, language, art, trans-national communities, literature and politics of Croatians in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and all the other places where Croatians live as a minority group or diaspora community. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Thu, 16 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10402/1/Adam-Eterovich-1931-2013-distinguished-researcher-of-the-history-and-culture-of-Croatian-diaspora-in-the-USA.html Adam Eterovich's studies of Croatian diaspora in the USA are inavoidable for understanding the contribution Croatians to the history of the USA. He has accumulated and published a list of several hundred thosanad of names of Croatian Americans. On his well known web-site www.croatians.com Mr. Eterovich has selected dozens of interesting biographies, some of which left indelible mark in the history of the USA, like Nikola Tesla (the father of three-phase system in world's electrical engineering), Anthony Lucas (or Antun Luèiæ, a father of world's petroleum engineering), Mario Puretiæ (Puratiæ, important inventor in fishing industry), etc. etc. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 02 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10398/1/Documentary-film-Lovers-and-Madmen-is-now-available-in-English.html Lovers and Madmen, (based on a book of memoirs by the same title), is a documentary film about the life of Zvonko and Julienne Busic, which was broadcast on Croatian State Television on March 9, 2013. The facts are straightforward: in 1976, the Busics, along with three other Croatians, hijacked a TWA airliner with the sole goal of forcing major world media to publish a leaflet on the human rights abuses against Croatians and others in the former Yugoslav dictatorship: murders, assassinations, imprisonment of students and intellectuals. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10356/1/Jacob-Jake-Matijevic-1947-2012-NASA-engineer-of-Croatian-origin-father-of-Curiosity-rover-on-Mars.html  Jacob (Richard) Matijevic, also known as "Jake" Matijevic, (3 November 1947 - 20 August 2012) was an American NASA engineer of Croatian origin who worked on Mars Exploration Rovers. Dr. Matijevic, PhD in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, was involved in developing the "Sojourner", "Spirit", "Opportunity" and "Curiosity" rovers. For his contributions to the rover projects, NASA named several landmarks (including "Matijevic Hill" and "Jake Matijevic" rock) for him on the planet Mars. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 30 Dec 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10339/1/Petar-Janjic---Tromblon-defendor-of-Vukovar-and-Croatia--in-1991-and-twenty-years-after.html Petar Janjiæ nicknamed Tromblon, was an active participant of the defense of Vukovar in 1991, and survived infamous concentration camps in Serbia. He is speaking about his life and about Croatian defenders in his important and unique autobiographic book about the 1991 Vukovar tragedy, entitled "®edni krvi gladni izdaje" (Those Thirsty of Blood and Hungry of Treason). He is openly and very courageously describing some of the current problems of contemporary Croatia. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 18 Nov 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10337/1/Dr-Ante-L-Padjen-Croatian-neuroscientist-and-founder-of-I-Medici-di-McGill-Orchestra-in-Montreal-CA.html Professor Ante Padjen was educated in Croatia (University of Zagreb, Croatia; 1966, MD; 1970, DSc), University of Edinburgh (Graduate Studies), NIMH (1971 - 1975, Washington, DC). He has served as Professor at McGill University, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics from 1976. His primary research interests include neuroscience, information technology and knowledge translation in biomedicine with a particular interest in developing areas. He is the founder and principal viola of I Medici di McGill Ensemble (The Physicians of McGill), a performing orchestra made up largely of physicians, medical students and medical faculty. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10330/1/Nenad-Bach-Antun-Lueiae---Anthony-F-Lucas-i-Boris-Ljubieiae-u-Slici-Hrvatske-s-Karolinom-Vidovic-Kristo.html   Nenad Bach u Slici Hrvatske na HTV-u govori o svojoj dosada¹njoj karijeri, planovima za buduænost ali i o dru¹tvanoj i politièkoj slici Hrvatske. Jeste li znali da je otac naftne industrije Hrvat? Pogledajte prièu o malo poznatom Spliæaninu Antunu Luèiæu - Anthony F. Lucasu! Boris Ljubièiæ govori o dizajnu dr¾ave Danske. Urednica: Karolina Vidoviæ Kri¹to na fotografiji, 6. listopada 2012. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10327/1/Tajcis-California-Tour-Fall-2012.html Tajci will be performing a 7 week tour of California starting on October 15, 2012. She will be performing several programs "Born of Love," "i Do Believe," "Let it Be," and a new program for All Soul's Day - "Love Lives On". She will also be at the Medjugorje Peace Conference in Ivrine, California on October 20-21, 2012. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10329/1/-The-unbelievable-story-of-a-Croatian-hero-Michael-Palaich.html We asked Mr. Palaich about his activities during the 1991-1995 war in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as about an indictment against him in the USA, that stemmed from his efforts to help Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina to defend themselves against Serbian aggression. Those who know Mike, are well aware of his hesitation to talk about himself. But since so many have already forgotten about what happened in a not so distant past, and for the sake of new generations, he agreed to answer to a few questions, so that we may all remember how much liberty and independence meant, not only to Croatians in the homeland but to those around the world as well. cuvalo@gmail.com (Dr. Ante �uvalo) Wed, 10 Oct 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10296/1/Dr-Josip-Marcan-born-in-Croatia-is-widely-recognized-as-the-foremost-expert-on-tigers-in-the-world.html Dr. Josip Marcan discovered his uncanny ability with animals during his childhood in Croatia. Dr. Marcan eventually made his way to the United States in the late 1960's and began focusing more on the endangered Bengal tiger.  By the early 1980's he had developed a breeding program that was producing the finest, genetically sound Bengal tigers anywhere. Animals from his breeding program have made their homes in zoos and wildlife parks all over the world. darko.zubrinic@gmail.com (Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 14 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10279/1/Thomas-Crowley-1949-1995-Irish-hero-of-Croatian-defense-1991-1995.html Thomas Crawley (1949-1995) arrived to Croatia in 1991, where he participated in its defense. He tragically died in 1995 at the age of 46. He was a Major of Croatian Army. Commemorative Mass in his honor has been organized in the city of Split on 10th June 2012 in the Cathedral of St. Dujam. His earthy remains are buried in the Split cemetery. Thomas Crowley is not only the son of Ireland, but also the son of Croatia. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10277/1/Dr-Andrija-Puharich-parapsychologist-medical-researcher-and-inventor.html Andrija (Henry) K. Puharich M.D., LL.D., was born on February 19, 1918 in Chicago, United States. He graduated from Northwestern University Medical School in 1947 and completed his residency in internal medicine at Permanente Hospital in California. During his scientific career Dr. Puharich held 56 American and foreign patents for his inventions in the fields of medical electronics, neurophysiology and biocybernetics. His most known invention was a microelectronic hearing-aid for nerve deafs, which was developed in "Intelectron Corporation" in New York, a 1960 venture of Puharich where he had served as president and director of research for 10 years. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Fri, 08 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10253/1/Mia-Slavenska-1916-2002-Croatian-ballerina-one-of-the-greatest.html   Mia Èorak Slavenska, born in Croatia, a child star at 4 in Croatia's capital Zagreb, became a solo dancer at 12, prima ballerina at Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb at 18, starred as prima ballerina of the Ballet Russe in Paris, Ballet Theatre, London Festival Ballet. Organized her first ballet company at 12. With Slavenska-Franklin Ballet, created dance history with the ballet A Streetcar Named Desire. Mia was fluent in five languages. She also starred in the prize-winning French film, Ballerina (in French La Mort du Cygne), considered one of the best ballet films ever made. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10249/1/Sinking-of-the-Titanic-in-1912-and-Croatians.html April 15, 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the famous Titanic liner.  Among 1,316 passengers, out of which 818 died in this horrific tragedy that stunned the world, there were also a number of Croatians and/or people coming from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Carpathia was the only ship to come to Titanic’s passengers and crew rescue. At the time of Titanic’s sinking Carpathia was on its regular route New York – Rijeka (Croatia). There were 76 Croatians working as crew on the Carpathia – the hero ship. cuvalo@gmail.com (Dr. Ante �uvalo) Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10214/1/Tarara-Croats-and-Maori-in-New-Zealand-monograph-by-Senka-Bozic-Vrbancic.html Maori called us Tarara. , as we speak so fast... At the beginning of the twentieth century, as Croatians left Dalmatia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire for the brave new world of New Zealand, Drawing from official documents, oral histories, novels, letters, newspaper articles, marriage certificates, and much more, Senka Bozic-Vrbancic on the photo explores relationships between Maori and Croats. How has their collective identity been shaped by changing legal regulations from colonial times to the bi cultural New Zealand of today? Croatian and Maori Christmas concert for 2011 in New Zealand. Dame Mira Szászy b. Petrièeviæ was the first Maori woman with university degree. Her father was Croatian. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10189/1/Travels-bring-experiences-and-memories-that-last-a-lifetime-Capt-Iv-Vidos-and-Violi-Calvert.html Travels bring experiences and memories that last a lifetime. They give us the opportunities to visit beautiful and interesting places, and meet amazing people. During a recent holiday my husband and I had included a 10-night Mediterranean cruise. In his welcome address I noted that the Captain is Croatian. Captain Iv Vidos reflected in his talk to passengers his great love for the sea and his mission of ensuring the safety and enjoyment of the holidaymakers as well as the staff of the ship. Aside from sharing valuable information and pointers, his good sense of humour came through his announcements before docking at various ports. violicalvert@optusnet.com.au (Violi Calvert) Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10187/1/Esther-Gitman-and-Jadranka-Juresko-Kero--The-Harriman-Institute-on-November-3rd-2011.html New York premier of the documentary film made by Jadranka Juresko Kero (photo left). This is a story about dr Esther Gitman, a historian of Jewish origins who has written the book “When Courage Prevailed”. Dr Gitman’s message is the film’s main motive. Her message is that the rescue of the Jews in the Independent State of Croatia and the role played by Archbishop Stepinac deserve internationalization so that the whole truth is known about the Croatian people whose courageous representatives were the only ones in Europe during World War II to openly oppose Hitler’s racist laws. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10147/1/Croatian-Viewpoint-website-of-Jean--Ante-Marinovic-husband-and-wife-team-in-Melbourne.html Croatian Viewpoint’s mission is to bring the Croatian ‘journey to freedom’ to an English-speaking audience.‘Viewpoint’ presents an analysis of key Croatian issues from a human rights perspective, and the ‘Virtual Policnik Museum’ interprets the Croatian history of the Zadar hinterland from an ethnographic viewpoint. Croatian Viewpoint’s hosts are Ante Marinovic and Jean Lunt Marinovic, a husband & wife team, who voluntarily contribute to this independent project.  Jean is the principal author and she gets her support from her husband Ante and their family, and she gets her inspiration from the courage and optimism of Croatian people. darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Sat, 30 Jul 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10140/1/Carmen-Verlichak-Vrljieak-Hrvati-u-Argentini---Croatians-in-Argentina.html Carmen Verlichak is distiguished Croatian writer living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, born in Madrid, Spain, expert in the history of Croatians in South America. In 2011 her publishing house Krivodol Press seated in Buenos Aires, and named after a small Croatian village of Krivodol from which her predecessors arrive, issued an extremely interesting book Hrvati u Argentina (Croatians in Argentina), in Croatian langauge. It is closely related to her previous very successful edition bearing the same title, but in Castellano: Los croatas de la Argentina. The book is is full of exceptionally interesting life stories of Croatian families, accompanied by several dozens of photos. It is a pleasure to read this book. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10126/1/Casting-Call-For-House-Hunters-International.html House Hunters International, on Home and Garden TV is looking for people who have recently relocated to Croatia to appear on the show. Being on the show is a lot of fun for participants and a great way for them to document their exciting search for a home and new life abroad.  It's also a very positive show which offers a wonderful opportunity to inform our viewers about interesting countries and cultures worldwide. It can drive interest in tourism and we've even had people tell us they bought homes in a city after seeing it on House Hunters International! stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10109/1/Joseph-Mikulec-Croatian-globetrotter-appearing-in-a-silent-movie-1922.html Message from Angelina E. Payne, Canada:  "Hello, I happened upon the name of Joseph Mikulec while watching old silent films by the National Film Preservation Foundation. It's from 1922 and I thought that perhaps it might interest you. ... I, too, would love to know what became of this interesting fellow as well as his book." Josip Mikulec met the American president Theodore Roosevelt three times. Mikulec made thousands of kilometers on foot in the USA, China, Japan, India, South America, ... darko@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach and Darko �ubrini�) Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10028/1/Zvonimir-Ranogajec-preserves-the-story-of-the-Croatian-diaspora-on-film.html   This historic image of Croatians demonstrating in Washington D.C. for Croatian independence in 1991 is one of many that Zvonimir Ranogajec has captured on over 250 documentary films spanning a period of 30 years about the Croatian communities in Canada and the United States. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Wed, 13 Oct 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/10020/1/Julienne-Eden-Busics-second-book-quotYour-Blood-and-Minequot-available-in-English.html In her best-selling autobiography, "Lovers and Madmen", Julienne Eden Busic wrote about the events leading up to her participation, in the 1976 political hijacking of an American TWA plane. Thirteen years later, the author shares in her acclaimed second book, "Your Blood and Mine", an intimate glimpse into the meaning of suffering, commitment, and waiting. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9956/1/Croatians-of-Chicagoland-book-set-to-launch-May-17-2010.html The Chicago area is home to more than 150,000 people of Croatian descent. In its heyday, the community grew so robust, it was known as the "second Croatian Capital." In her new book "Croatians of Chicagoland, " Maria Dugandzic-Pasic examines how this community and its leaders, clergy, laborers, politicians, athletes, benevolent societies and social organizations helped build and shape Chicago's history. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9825/1/Julienne-Eden-Busic-Your-Blood-and-Mine-waiting-for-Zvonko-for-32-years.html Julienne Eden Bu¹iæ's speech at the book promotion, "Your Blood and Mine", held in an overcrowded hall of the Mimara Palace in Zagreb, May 21, 2009, in the presence of her husband Zvonko, both on the photo from 1970s. They met each other again in 2008 after 32 years of separation. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9806/1/Drazen-Domjanic-and-his-wonderful-musical-family-in-Liechtenstein.html Dra¾en Domjaniæ is Croatian pianist born in the town of Èakovec, living with his family in Liechtenstein. He is artistic director of Musik & Jugend (Music and Youth Foundation) which organized many master classes and concerts aiming to help young musicians from Central Europe, with emphasis on Croatia. His children Sara and Andreas are also musicians, playing violin and piano. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9790/1/Kronika-povratka-Zvonka-Busica-u-Hrvatsku.html Nakon 32 godine provedene u amerièkim kazamatima Zvonko Bu¹iæ vratio se u domovinu Hrvatsku. Dne 24. srpnja 2008. godine sletio je u zagrebaèku zraènu liku, gdje ga je uz suprugu Julienne doèekao i velik broj rodbine, prijatelja i po¹tovatelja iz javnog i politièkog ¾ivota Hrvatske. Bu¹iæ je kao zatvorenik s najdu¾im sta¾om deportiran iz Terre Hautea, gdje je bio jedini nemuslimanski zatvorenik. julienne-eden.busic@zg.htnet.hr (Julienne Busic) Thu, 14 May 2009 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9602/1/Croatian-Heroes-Dubrovnik-defenders-in-1991.html Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful mediaveal cities in the world. Its flag is unique by its inscritpion LIBERTAS, that is, Freedom. We want to remind the reader on the dramatic days in 1991 when the City was mercelesly bombed and shelled during the Serbian agression on Croatia. We also present the Memorial Room of Dubrovnik Defendres. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9588/1/Nenad-N-Bach-in-Lipik.html  Dr. Marica Topiæ, director of the City Hospital of the town of Lipik, with Nenad N. Bach. We invite you to read about this Croatian town which was totally destroyed in 1991, visited by Nenad in June 2008. Lipik is famous for its Lipizzan horses, a part of which was returned home in 2007. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9512/1/Croatians-in-America---photo-collection-by-Vladimir-Novak-part-2.html Mr. Vladimir Novak is well known for his rich collection of photos related to life and work of Croatians in America, collected over several decades in the USA. We continue with the second part of a series of articles. Much of this material is presented for the first time, exclusively for the readers of CROWN. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9417/1/Book-Review-Escape-from-Despair.html Katarina Tepesh has probed the depths in her compelling and powerful memoir, "Escape from Despair:  A Croatian Family's Survival".  Born into an impoverished family in the former Communist Yugoslavia, Katarina's mother is taught to believe that there are "rewards in heaven and punishment in hell." stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9298/1/Croatias-Sailing-Grandmothers.html   One group of Croatian grandmothers may have found the secret to staying young: sailing. Meet the seafaring seniors as they navigate their skiff off the Dalmatian coast of Croatia mijat.marko@gmail.com (Marko Mijat) Wed, 10 Oct 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9270/1/New-book-Escape-From-Despair----A-Croatian-Familys-Survival.html  Katarina Tepesh (left) has published a memoir titled "Escape From Despair - A Croatian Family's Survival" learn more about the author, the book and where you can get it. stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Wed, 19 Sep 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9231/1/Celebration-at-the-Dubrovnik-Maritime-College.html Fifty years ago 22 young students graduated from the Dubrovnik Maritime College. On September 14, 2007 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a special celebration is in the works to mark this event. argosy@sympatico.ca (Capt. Ivan I. Coric) Fri, 24 Aug 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9156/1/The-perfect-wine-legacy---It-all-started-when-Peter-Vegars-great-grandfather-left-Croatia.html   It all started when Peter Vegar's great grandfather left Croatia with a grape cutting to escape the poverty and to fulfil his dream of living the perfect life in a vineyard. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9006/1/US-could-take-a-lesson-from-Irish-and-Croatians.html So many prospective good Americans from various countries, who want to follow the rules, have been discouraged by our bizarre immigration policy: reject the honest people, and allow the rule-breakers to sneak in.   larryvote@aol.com (Larry Cirignano) Wed, 28 Mar 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8988/1/Mijo-Juriae-Osamnaesto-Proljeaee.html   Na svim stranama osjeæalo se zajedni¹tvo i odluènost u borbi za samostalnost. Sloga i solidarnost postajale su dio nas. Pokrenuta je akcija prikupljanja novca za gradnju autoceste Zagreb - Split, koju smo veæ bili nazvali Autocesta kralja Tomislava. Ljudi su davali od srca, neki i preko granica svojih moguænosti. Govorilo se veæ i o èlanstvu Hrvatske u UN-u, o samostalnom nastupanju hrvatskih ¹porta¹a itd...1971. prodecor@aon.at (Mijo Juri�) Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8957/1/Croatian-Instructor-Knows-How-it-Feels-to-be-a-Citizen.html  When John Basor isn't teaching citizenship classes, he's teaching English and Spanish at Watsonville High School. He knows what it's like to be an immigrant because he first arrived in Watsonville from Croatia in 1963 with his mother and his father and his three sisters when he was 14. luci@adriatictours.com (Luci Hazdovac) Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8900/1/Andrija-Mohorovieiae-and-his-MOHO-discontinuity-of-the-Earth.html Among scientists studying seismology the famous Moho layer (or Moho discontinuity) of the Earth is well known. It was named after the great Croatian geophysicist Andrija Mohorovièiæ (1857-1936), professor at the University of Zagreb. His discovery was essential for understanding the inner structure of the Earth and the behavior of seismic waves. This is one of the greatest achievements in the history of Croatian science.   darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 17 Jan 2007 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8869/1/William-Feller--outstanding-Croatian---American-mathematician.html  William Feller (Zagreb, 1906 - New York, 1970), graduated in mathematics from the University of Zagreb (1925), earned his PhD in Göttingen (1926), since 1939 living in the USA. One of the founders of Probability Theory as a scientific discipline. Many mathematical notions bear his name. Author of a one of the best math textbooks of the 20th century. Recipient of the National Medal of Science, USA. darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Fri, 15 Dec 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8856/1/Josip-Novakovich-Ruth8217s-Death--nonfiction-memoir.html It's hard for me to write about parents since I know more about children than about parents. That is because when I was a child, I was more interested in myself and my siblings than in my parents, and now that I am a parent, I find our children more interesting than us parents.   josipn@yahoo.com (Josip Novakovich) Wed, 06 Dec 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8841/1/Can-We-Go-Higher.html www.croatia.org is a web site initiated by Nenad Bach. It is an attempt to answer the question "Can We Go Higher?", raised in the title of his beautiful song. We invite you to visit his fantastic video-clips maintained at video.google.com, revealing the driving force and spirituality of the artist. This video is a Christmas gift for all of us, that everybody should see and listen to.   darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com (Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic) Wed, 29 Nov 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8828/1/Razgovor-dr-Radoslav-Mariae.html   Dr. Radoslav Mariæ, autor knjige "Moja polnoæka" (urednik knjige prof. dr. Ivan Biondiæ, naklada "Kamen" Publishing LLC.), roðen je g. 1938 u Hercegovini, ¹kolu je polazio u ©irokom Brijegu i Mostaru, medicinski fakultet zavr¹io u Zagrebu, a porodni¹tvo i ginekologiju specijalizirao je u Petrovoj bolnici. Zbog politièkih pritisaka ¹ezdesetih godina odlazi sa ¾enom i djecom u Kanadu. Jedan je od utemeljitelja i èlan Upravnog odbora Udruge amerièkih Hrvata "Croatian American Association" (CAA). stecak@sbcglobal.net (Marko Pulji�) Tue, 21 Nov 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/8525/1/H-Moja-Polnocka.html PRIKAZ KNJIGE "MOJA POLNOCKA" Subota, 10 Lipanj 2006 Dana 8. lipnja 2006. godine u sedam sati na vecer u velikoj kinodvorani Studentskog centra u Zagrebu vrlo uspjesno je predstavljena knjiga Dr. Radoslava Marica, Hrvata iz Amerike, koji je morao napustiti domovinu jos davne 1969. godine. Knjigu su predstavili prof. dr. Zvonimir Separovic, kao viktimolog; dr. cs. Josip Jurcevic, povjesnicar; admiral Davor Domazet-Loso, analiticar i auktor. Prof. Ozana Ramljak vrlo efektivno je vodila prezentaciju i citala odabrane pasuse iz knjige. Urednik knjige je prof. Ivan Biondic. Naslov knjige je malo zavodljiv, zar ne? U pravu ste! Na prvi pogled bi to bila religijska knjiga. Ali, cim se pregleda sadrzaj uocit cete da se tu radi o UDB-i. Glavna tema je opis stvaranja, u osnovi klijanje i rast jedne od rijetkih antijugoslavenskih i antikomunistickih organizacija koje su stasale u 1950-im godinama. Osim glavne teme ima tu cijeli skup razlicitih dogadjaja koji su kao ukrasi objeseni na bozicno drvo, (sto se misli na glavni dogadjaj). Moram istaknuti da je drzavni sustav Titove Jugoslavije potrosio silnu energiju i novce da se to sve dovede pod njihovu kontrolu, ali nisu uspjeli. sto se u stvari dogodilo? Bio sam onda treci razred gimnazije u sirokom Brigu. To je jesen krvave antikomunisticke revolucije u Madjarskoj, i doba rata triju drzava (Velike Britanije, Francuske i Izraela) protiv Egipta. Uzbudjenja su bila velika, a nade jos vece da ce se slomiti komunisticka vlast. Smatrao sam potrebnim opisati dogadjaje koji su na mene imali utjecaj u mom formiranju. Zato je tu opis moga sela i ljudi. Onda opisujem slucaj moga odlaska na polnocku na Bozic 1956. godine s jos cetvero djaka. Taj odlazak u crkvu sam poduzeo na svoju osobnu inicijativu. Nitko me na to nije nagovorio. Obzirom da sam bio dezurni u djackom domu, imao sam kljuceve od vanjskih vrata, pa je to bilo lako izvedivo. Odmah u jutro sam bio pozvan od uprave doma, ali se nista nije dogodilo za slijedecih deset dana. Od opcine Posusje sam imao stipendiju, ali im je uzelo deset dana da mi je ukinu. Petog sijecnja kasno na vecer su me izbacili na ulicu pod izgovorom da nemaju izjavu mojih roditelja da ce za mene placati dom. Nisu me izbacili po danu, dok sam mogao naci mjesto kod nekoga za prespavati. Izbacili su me kasno po noci da se smrznem od zime. Stvarno sam mogao smrznuti se tu noc. Onda me je sef UDB-e zloglasni Mirko Praljak optuzio da propagiram Pavelicevu i Macekovu politiku. Tvrdim da onda nisam ni znao sto su te politike zastupale. Za vrijeme zimskih praznika moj nepismeni otac mi je dao jedan letak na ruskom jeziku, koji je pozivao ruske zene da se pripreme za antikomunisticku revoluciju. Tek prije dvije godine, citajuci knjigu ÃÂBattleground Berlinàshvatio sam da je taj ruski letak izdala CIA u Zapadnom Berlinu. Znaci jugoslavenska UDB-a je putem svojih agenata podvalila jednom srednjoskolcu (meni) letak proizveden po americkoj CIA. Samo po sebi se namece pitanje kakvu kooperaciju su imale te dvije tajne sluzbe. Ocito je da su cuvari Jugoslavije imali nekakve planove sa mnom, obzirom da sam i ranije pokazivao znakove neposluha. Siguran sam da je UDB-a podvalila taj letak momu ocu, znajuci da cu ja zagristi. Admiral Loso, prof. Z. Separovic, dr. Maric, autor, prof Ozana Ramljak i dr. Josip Jurcevic sto ste Vi napravili s ruskim letkom? Prvo sam ga preveo na hrvatski, pa ga odnio kod jednog prijatelja u selo Goricu, koji je bio djak u gimnaziji u Imotskom. Nakon razmatranja svih mogucih komplikacija nas dvojica odlucili smo osnovati tajnu antikomunisticku i antijugoslavensku omladinsku organizaciju. Osnutak je bio 27. sijecnja 1957. godine. Organizaciju smo nazvali TIHO, malo izmjesana slova za Tajnu organizaciju hrvatskih intelektualaca. Mislili smo da ce tako biti bolja konspirativnost. Ja sam vec prije vise od godinu dana za sebe smislio tajno ime ÃÂDr. Uto PonyÃÂ. Uzeo sam si titulu dr, jer su me jos iz osnovne skole tako zvali zbog mog rukopisa, a onda nisam znao nista engleski, pa ni znacenje rijeci ÃÂponyÃÂ. Ideja za to ime je dosla od skracenica za dane u tjednu: pon - za ponedjeljak, ut - za utorak. Dakle, toga dana ja i moj gimnazijski kolega Kruno Galic smo u kuci njegovih reditelja osnovali organizaciju TIHO. On je vec taj dan bio siguran da ce se nasoj organizaciji prikljuciti njegov prijatelj iz razreda po imenu Bruno Busic, i jos neki momci. Ja Brunu do tada nisam poznavao, ali me je prijatelj upozorio da je vec objavio neke pripovijetke u ÃÂPoletuÃÂ, knjizevnom casopisu za omladinu. Mi smo jedan drugom tada obecali da cemo stvoriti veliku organizaciju medju srednjoskolcima i moguce studentima. Nas dvojica smo tada odlucili da cemo raditi samo usmeno bez ostavljanja ikakvog pismenog traga! Kako je islo sa stvaranjem organizacije? Organizacija se rascvala kao tresnje u proljece. UDB-a nije znala sto cu ja napraviti nakon citanja letka. Zato su odmah po povratku u skolu podmetnuli mi jednog slabijeg djaka u sobu kod moje gazdarice. Ja nisam mislio da ce ovaj biti podobna osoba za nasu novu organizaciju, i nisam mu ni kazao za letak, niti sam ga nagovarao da pristupi. Nekoliko dana kasnije dosla su jos trojica stanovati kod moje gazdarice. Jedan je bio meni dobro poznat iz cetvrtog razreda, a druga dvojica meni potpuno nepoznati. Svi su bili ucenici splitskog sjemenista kojeg su komunisticke vlasti zatvorile. Od te dvojice neznanaca jedan je bio iz Splita, sin Poljicke republike, a drugi iz Dubrovnika, sin Dubrovacke republike. Onda je meni bila velika cast i izazov druziti se s takvom kremom drustva. Oni su bili prevec pametni i informirani o situaciji u svijetu i u drzavi. Znali su i za emisiju Radio Madrida koju je vodio general Luburic. Za mene je to bio svijet snova. Vrlo brzo su me uvjerili da su oni vrlo aktivni borci protiv komunizma i Jugoslavije. I ja sam nasjeo. Povjerio sam im stvaranje organizacije TIHO. Obojica su bili odusevljeni idejom organizacije i programom koji sam ja zacrtao. Postali su clanovi moje organizacije. Onda su oni doveli i treceg covjeka iz Splita. Ime mu je bilo Frane Peskura. On me je pak uvjerio da ce Jugoslavia propasti za 6 mjeseci ili ranije, i ja sam naletio na minu. On me nagovorio da sve napisem u obliku programa, i jednog letka, koji bi bio citan preko radio postaje. Imali smo sastanak u Imotskom na 5. svibnja 1957. Trebao je to biti sastanak svih clanova iz Imotskog i nas trojice iz sirokog, i Frane iz Splita. Po njima on se bavio samo organiziranjem ovakvih organizacija. Osim nas cetvorice sastanku su prisustvovali samo Kruno i Bruno iz Imotskog. Ostali momci nisu se pojavili te nedjelje. Meni je to bio veliki neuspjeh, jer sam bio siguran da je Imotska organizacija bila bolja od moje u sirokom Brigu. Frane je imao puno novaca. Ni to mi nije otvorilo oci! Odrzali smo formalni sastanak u Borku, procitali smo moj Program organizacije TIHO, i mi smo ga prihvatili. Danas imam dokaze da je UDB-a podmetnula ovu trojicu. Prvo Mirka i Miljenka meni u sobu, a preko njih i Franu. Medjutim, onda u veljaci 1957, nisam ni znao da se UDB-a bavi podmetanjima. Dakle na tom sastanku u Imotskom 5. svibnja 1957. bilo je tri UDB-asa i tri stvarna antikomunista. Tako je UDB-a znala svaku rijec sto smo izgovorili, a mi nismo znali tko su oni. Svih nas sestorica smo u nedjelju jeli rucak u kuci Brune Busica. Naravno, Brunin otac nije znao da je pripremio rucak trojici UDB-asa, i trojici UDB-inih zrtava, ukljucivsi svoga sina. On ce nekoliko tjedana kasnije i sam postati UDB-inom zrtvom Kod Brune su spavali ova dvojica UDB-asa, a ja i Frane Peskura smo spavali kod Krune u Gorici. U ponedjeljak smo upoznali i druge clanove organizacije, za vrijeme skolskog odmora. Dvojica od njih su danas poznata imena hrvatskoj javnosti. Jedan je Ivan Gabelica, bivsi saborski zastupnik, a drugi je Mate Babic, ministar gospodarstva u jednoj od prvih vlada HDZ-a. Za mjesec dana svi smo uhapseni, saslusani i pusteni kucama. Samo sam ja zadrzan u zatvoru dvije noci i dva dana, jer dugo nisam htio priznati postojanje organizacije. Ja nisam znao da su Imocani bili saslusani dva dana ranije, a da su svi moji clanovi isto na saslusanjima. Od svih njih su trazili suradnju, i svi su formalno pristali. Kasnije se pokazalo da su neki stvarno pristali raditi za UDB-u, a drugi su odbili. Od poznatijih ljudi koji su tada odbili suradnju s UDB-om je sada pokojni Bruno Busic i Ivan Gabelica. Meni nisu ponudili suradnju, nego mi nisu dozvolili upis u cetvrti razred. Efektivno su mi zabranili skolovanje bez ikakve sudske odluke. Znaci li to da ste Vi stvarali organizaciju po nagovoru UDB-e? Ne, to nije bio nagovor. UDB-a nije nagovarala mene. Ja sam radio protivno iz uvjerenja. Postojale su dvije energije, koje su bile u direktnoj suprotnosti. Prva je bila mi srednjoskolci - hrvatska mladost zeljna pravde, a druga je bio krvavi rezim Jugoslavije na celu s Titom. Ideju o tajnoj antikomunistickoj organizaciji ja sam nosio u sebi barem nekoliko godina. Zato sam si izmislio ime ÃÂdr. Uto PonyÃÂ. Isto tako i Kruno i Bruno su mastali o jednoj sveopcoj hrvatskoj organizaciji koja bi jednoga dana preuzela vlast od komunista. Iako smo bili srednjoskolci, shvatili smo da se ne moze glavom kroza zid! Svi smo znali kakve zlocine je pocinila Komunisticka partija Jugoslavije u nasim krajevima. Znali smo i to da je takvih zlocina bilo po cijeloj drzavi. Nadali smo se da ce se jednoga dana sve silnice usmjeriti u jednom pravcu i da ce doci do preokreta. Zato nam je ruski letak bio kao munja, energija koja je osvijetlila pravac u kome treba ici. Ako je jedan letak iz ruskog prostora dopro do naseg kamenjara, nama je to znacilo da se nesto veliko u svijetu sprema. Htjeli smo biti spremni za dolazece promjene. Dakle, sto se tice nas osnivaca organizacije, mi smo isli s cistim namjerama i jasnim pojmovima. Znali smo da je opasno, ali smo htjeli biti u prvim redovima jurisa na omrazeni komunisticki rezim. Komunisti su to isto znali i zato su nam postavili stupicu. Preko ucenika u splitskom sjemenistu, kojega su oni zatvorili, doznali su sve sto smo mi mladi momci htjeli izvesti. Naravno, vlast je vlast, ima snagu i novce, moc potkupljivanja. I tim najnizim oblikom ljudske egzistencije, snagom potkupljivanja i izdaje UDB-a je dosla vrlo lagano do pune kontrole svih aktivnosti ondasnje mladosti kroz nekoliko generacija. Nazalost, mnogi moji kolege to nisu htjeli shvatiti, pa su odlezali debele godine zatvora, Golog otoka ili vec sto. UDB-a je od mene htjela napraviti svojega suradnika, ali su me prvo htjeli dotjerati u stupanj beznadja, pune ovisnosti o njima. Ja sam im se odupro. Cijenu koju sam za to morao platiti je prisilni odlazak u inozemstvo, kad sam vec bio uspio u svom zvanju lijecnika, i kada sam vec nekako bio osigurao krov nad glavom. Dakle, UDB-a je kontrolirala nase aktivnosti zahvaljujuci izdaji medju nama clanovima, ali je sigurno da osnivaci nisu podlegli njihovim zvjerskim mucenjima. Neki od nas su se oduprli napasti ugodnog zivota pod UDB-inom kontrolom, a neki su toj napasti podlegli. Knjiga je puna imena ljudi koji su zdusno radili za UDB-u pa su ostali u vlasti nakon promjena, kada su komunisti shvatili da se moze bolje profitirati ako se prilagode demokratskim promjenama. Neki originalni clanovi organizacije TIHO postali su i ministri u vladama naslijednih republika Titove ÃÂnedjeljiveÃÂ, ambasadori, i kojesta sto donosi profit i slavu, a oni od nas koji su stvarno odbili suradnju s UDB-om, jos uvijek samo plesemo na marginama sustava i cekamo bolja vremena. Organizacija TIHO nije tako poznata medju narodom, jer su je UDB-asi skrivali, nisu htjeli sudski progoniti clanove, nego samo administrativno. Da su isli na sud, njihove prljave radnje bi se lako otkrile, a po priznanju same UDB-e to bi skodilo i medjunarodnom ugledu Jugoslavije. To doslovce pise u jednom dokumentu nacinjenom po UDB-i, sada vam ne mogu citirati stranicu. Zasto ovakva knjiga bas sada? Prije svega ja nisam imao vremena ni pojesti dnevni obrok, a kamoli pisati knjige, sve do mog umirovljenja. Nisam znao kako doci do nekih dokumenata koje sam smatrao vaznim za vjerodostojan prikaz. Onda sam prije tri godine saznao da postoji Hrvatski drzavni arhiv gdje se cuvaju UDB-ini dokumenti. Na moje veliko iznenadjenje i zadovoljstvo nasao sam 73 stranice u dosjeu koji je UDB-a odlucila sacuvati o mojim aktivnostima. Oni su imali na tisuce stranica sakupljenih u roku od 12 godina, koliko su me progonili, dok konacno nisam napustio domovinu. Sve su ÃÂocistiliÃÂ, osim tih 73 stranice. U tom dosjeu su dva saslusanja Brune Busica o meni. Isto je u tom dosjeu Gabelicin iskaz i iskaz Krune Galica o meni. To su ljeto i jesen 1965. kada sam bio na odsluzenju vojnog roka. Bruno Busic i Ivan Gabelica su tada bili u zatvoru, dok Kruno nije. sto sam im ja trebao 1965. godine, vec svrseni lijecnik sa radnim mjestom u Klanjcu? (Titov rodni Kumrovec je selo u opcini Klanjec). Kad sam mojim bivsim suradnicima predlozio pisanje povijesti nase organizacije, svi s kojima sam uspio razgovarati su odbili. Neki su mi rekli da se okanem toga pravca i da usmjerim svoje snage za buducnost. Ja sam pak nakon svih ovih godina dosao do uvjerenja da oni koji izbjegavaju diskusije o proslosti imaju zato osobnih razloga, zavisi o prilikama i vanjskim faktorima. Svi se mi pitamo danas je li ovaj ili onaj ikada nesto lose ucinio protiv nas ili nasih najdrazih? Oni koji neznaju proslost osudjeni su na ponavljanje iste, a to bi mi Hrvati morali izbjeci svim raspolozivim energijama. Zato je nastala ova knjiga. Uspio sam takodjer doci do izvora dokumenata koji opisuju rad organizacije TIHO, pod uvjetom da ne spominjem izvor dokumenata i jos jednu osobu koja je umrla za vrijeme komunizma. Imajuci sve te dokumente spoznao sam da ja upravo zato moram napisati ovu knjigu. Jer moj odlazak na polnocku je uzrokovao cijelu lancanu reakciju citavog sustava za cuvanje Tita, njegove drzave i rezima. Nebrojene ilegalne aktivnosti su ucinjene da bi se mene, jednog srednjoskolca, a preko mene mnogi od mojih vrsnjaka doveli u ovisnost o UDB-i. Kome je to trebalo? Trebalo mi je nesto vise od tri godine rada od kada sam prvi put vidio svoj dosje dok nisam predstavio ovu knjigu javnosti. Zasto prikazivanje knjige u Studentskom centru? To sam objasnio na samoj predstavi u centru. Radi se o studentskim demonstracijama 1959. godine. Toga dana je riza za rucak bila oneciscena benzinom. Studenti su se pobunili i izbile su velike studentske demonstracije, prve javne demonstracije od kada je Tito preuzeo vlast. Zadnje demonstracije prije tih Zagreb je vidio za Bozic 1941. godine, dakle pod Vladom Ante Pavelica. U Zagrebu su izlazile cetvere dnevne novine, a nigdje ni jednog slova o tim demonstracijama. Ako se neki ozbiljan istrazivac onoga vremena upusti u trazenje po novinama, ne ce naci ni jednu rijec o tome. Jedino je dvotjednik Studentski list, pod urednistvom Stipe suvara donio jedan clanak o tome. Toga dana sam bio na Rebru pa se nisam nasao u studentskim demonstracijama. Imao sam srecu! U Posusju su mi komunisti rekli da su bili spremni imati festu na mojoj kozi. Pregledali su kilometre filmskih traka, i nigdje nije bilo moga lica. Zato su mi ponistili odgodu vojske, sto sam lijepo opisao u knjizi. Drzim da su te demonstracije vrijedne ulaska u javnost i povijest. Treba ih zabiljeziti i pamtiti. Gosp. Josip Manolic mi je rekao da su te demonstracije prouzrokovali Srbi u Hrvatskoj na nacin da su sabotirali rizu, nadajuci se da ce tako izazvati studente, sto su uspjeli. Onda je dosla cistka medju hvatskim komunistima, koje on naziva ÃÂnacionalistimaÃÂ. Dakle, Srbi u Hrvatskoj su radili provokacije odmah poslije rata, i za vrijeme cijele vladavine Josipa Broza. O tome se ne moze citati u nasim sredstvima javnog priopcavanja. Neka bar ostane zapisano u jednoj knjizi! Vi spominjete Manolica na kraju knjige. Procitavsi moj dosje nisam uopce bio svjestan sto se tamo nalazi. Nije bilo nista da bih se ja mogao osloniti i formulirati misljenje. Spominju se tri akcije UDB-e, sto ja nisam mogao razumjeti. Ponovo sam procitao nekoliko puta i shvatio da su postojale dvije smjernice u UDB-i. Jedna blaza a druga vrlo agresivna, koja me je htjela u zatvor. Tamo nalazimo OPERATIVNI IZVJEsTAJ od Stanice Milicije u crnomercu od 10. prosinca 1975. godine s nalogom za PRETRES i PRITVOR kada su shvatili da se nalazim u USA, s preciznom adresom. Ne bi to bilo cudno da ja nisam otisao u inozemstvo jos 1969., sest godina i dva i pol mjeseca ranije. Moram ovdje napomenuti da sam ja u New Yorku kod jugoslavenskog konzulata trazio i dobio dozvolu za pretvaranje moga privremenog boravka u inozemstvu u stalni. Naime, ja sam se bojao da ce mene pozvati u rezervu, pa kada se ne odazovem, postat cu vojni bjegunac. To je znacilo da se moram odreci Hrvatske, a to nikako nisam htio. Isto sam kod konzulata dao prevesti svoje medicinske dokumente, Index Medicinskog fakulteta i Diplomu. Bilo je vise od duplo jeftinije nego kod Berlitza. Ponovo u rujnu 1978. imadu izvjestaj o mojoj novoj adresi u USA. Dva ili tri tjedna kasnije u Parizu ubijaju Brunu Busica. Moram ovdje napomenuti da gosp. Manolic misli da su vjerojatno htjeli ubiti i mene. Ali je rekao da on nema saznanja o tome. Ne bih htio da vi citatelji shvatite da ja ovdje promoviram ikoga, a pogotovo ne gosp. Manolica koji mi je potvrdio moje misljenje da je doslo do raskola u UDB-i Hrvatske. Jedna struja su bili Srbi, koji su se okomili na sve sto je hrvatsko i mislilo drzavotvorno. On tvrdi da je medju Hrvatima UDB-asima postojala i drzavotvorna struja, on ih naziva "hrvatski nacionalisti", i da su Srbi u Hrvatskoj bili narocito kivni na te Hrvate UDB-ase. Tada mi je otkrio jednu veliku tajnu, za koju ja nisam ni slutio da bi mogla postojati. Do raskola u vrhu Partije jugoslavenskih komunista i njihove udarne, izvrsne vlasti UDB-e, doslo je jos za vrijeme ulaska Kavranove grupe. Poznato je da je OZN-a (preteca UDB-e) organizirala povratak hrvatskih boraca i onda ih sve pobila. Taj lanac ubijanja Hrvata da je sprijecio Staljin osobno, jer se bojao da mu to klanje ne dovede u pitanje njegove globalne planove. Svakako ova tema zasluzuje puno vecu paznju nego sam ja ovdje mogao opisati. U cemu je bio Vas glavni problem s UDB-om? Bolje pitanje bi bilo zasto su bili tako kivni na mene? Ako procitate proglas HRVATSKOJ OMLADINI i PROGRAM ORGANIZACIJE TIHO, koje sam ja osobno napisao i vjerno koliko je moguce reproducirao u knjizi, onda to postaje jasno. Od 1918. godine pa sve do 1990. godine postojala su samo dva programa nastala na hrvatskom narodnom prostoru, ne racunajuci one u inozemstvu, koja su zahtijevala striktno odcjepljenje Hrvatske Drzave iz okvira Jugoslavije. Prvi je bio, znamo onaj ustaski. Drugi je bio program moje organizacije TIHO, osnovane 27. sijecnja 1957. godine. U mom programu se kaze da pokusaj ujedinjenja Srba i Hrvata nije uspio, pa prema tome da je bolje za obadva naroda da se podijele. Nigdje u mom programu nije bilo ni naznake da je potrebno Srbe iseliti iz Hrvatske. Toga u Programu nema. Ali, ta ideja o iseljenju Srba iz Hrvatske nalazi se u dva iskaza. Prvi je u iskazu Marijana caglja, iz Medova Doca, sacinjen 8. srpnja 1957. po Mirku Praljku, (ocem generala Slobodana Praljka) sefu Ispostave SUP-a u sirokom Brigu. Drugi je u Iskazu Blage Pejica, ucenika sedmog razreda gimnazije u Imotskom, koji je sesti razred zavrsio u sirokom Brigu, (samo radi napomene: zajedno s Matom Bobanom). Datum je 25. travnja 1958. godine. (Blago je bio sudac u Imotskom za vrijeme propale drzave). Ova spoznaja da se jos dalekih 1950-ih godina govorilo o iseljenju Srba iz Hrvatske, barem meni je danas znakovita. Meni samo nije jasno tko je bio nositelj te ideje. Ocite su bile tri mogucnosti: UDB-a u Hrvatskoj, sastavljena od Hrvata ili ono krilo koje su cinili Srbi u UDB-i u Hrvatskoj. Treca mogucnost je da su iseljenje trazili Srbi iz Beograda, pripadnici Savezne UDB-e. Znamo cinjenicu da su iseljenje Srba iz Hrvatske organizirali sami Srbi, ali se zato u Haagu nalaze Hrvati, najznacajniji povratnici, borci za samostalnu Republiku Hrvatsku. Iz toga se lako dade zakljuciti da je bila zlocinacka organizacija na djelu puno prije pocetka Osvajackih ratova Srbije na prostorima bivse drzave. Ta zlocinacka organizacija zvala se Komunisticka partija pa kasnije Savez komunista Jugoslavije. Savez komunista Hrvatske bila je samo jedna od podruznica Saveza komunista Jugoslavije. Korjene svih zala koja su se dogodila za vrijeme Josipa Broza, a i ona poslije njegove smrti, su rezultat upravo programa i djela Saveza komunista Jugoslavije. Zato u Republici Hrvatskoj nije provedena lustracija, za kojom vapi i zemlja i nebo i ljudi. Medjutim, znamo da medjunarodna zajednica nije osnovala nikakav sud za gonjenje pojedinacnih niti onih skupnih zlocina koje je pocinila KPJ. Hrvatska drzava nije pokrenula ni jedan slucaj lustracije. Iz ocitih razloga. Na stub kod ulaznih vrata u klub Drustva hrvatskih knjizevnika na Jelacica trgu prosli tjedan smo nasli nalijepljen Vas poziv, ali je netko rukom upisao kukasti kriz. Hvala na informaciji. Zar vam to ne dokazuje u kakvom mentalnom sklopu zivi hrvatsko drustvo, sada vec 16 godina poslije otcjepljenja? Sve pojave i svi dogadjaji se jos uvijek ocjenjuju u duhu komunizma ili fasizma. U mojoj knjizi nema ni nakane u slavu bilo koje totalitarne ideologije, a fasizam i nacizam se osudjuju. Naravno, komunizam sam osudio stvaranjem antikomunisticke tajne organizacije a i mnogostruko u knjizi. Od Pavelica i njegova rezima se izricito ogradjujem. Nigdje u mom programu organizacije TIHO nema ni tracka tim ideologijama, i ja sam se trudio da to istaknem u mojoj knjizi. Ocito, osoba koja je napisala taj kukasti kriz zivi u mentalnom sklopu koji odobrava sve sto je u nas radio komunizam, a osudjuje sve sto su radili svi drugi pojedinacno ili u skupnom razmatranju. Takve osobe su i danas na vrhu drzave i drustva i od njih ne mozete nikada dobiti demokraciju i drzavu u kojoj vlada sustav zakona, gdje bi svi gradjani bili jednaki pred zakonom. Hrvatski narod se mora pogledati u ogledalo i prepoznati da je komunizam u 45 godina postojanja ucinio strahovitu stetu opcim narodnim interesima. Komunizam je dugorocno napravio vise stete nego svi prethodni rezimi i monarhije. Ocito takve osobe misle da njima pripada i drustvo i drzava i gospodarstvo, a ljudi koji ne misle kao oni, moraju nestati iz Hrvatske. U tom mentalnom sklopu jos uvijek ima dobar broj etnickih Hrvata, koji misle da hrvatska drzava pripada samo njima, a bilo tko da misli drukcije nego oni, zasluzuje osudu. Europa nam je rekla cistim jezikom da nas ne smatraju sebi ravnima, a kad se radi o dostignucima demokratskog drustva, bojim se da su u pravu. Zato je uzaludna bila ova utrka u Bruxelles. Bilo bi puno pametnije da Vlada Republike Hrvatske usmjeri svoje napore na poboljsanje demokratskog drustva. Ja sam tom pitanju posvetio jednu stranicu prije pocetka knjige, pozivajuci Vladu i Sabor da promijeni zakon o cuvanju i upotrebi arhivske gradje, prvenstveno one koju je stvorila zloglasna UDB-a. Svatko tko zeli mora imati dostup u moj dosje napravljen po UDB-i. Istovremeno to bi bilo garantirano svakom gradjaninu da provjeri bilo ciji dosje napravljen po UDB-i. Ja sam moj dosje objavio u cjelosti u ovoj knjizi. Zasto ja ne mogu vidjeti dosje recimo predsjednika Mesica, Vladimira seksa, predsjednika Vlade ili bilo kojeg clana moje organizacije TIHO? Ili mojega susjeda, ako bas hocu? Ja ovdje govorim samo o onim dosjeima koje je napravila UDB-a, dakle do vremena kada je Hrvatski Drzavni Sabor izglasao izlazak iz federativne drzave koju je Tito obnovio s ogromnom kolicinom krvi neduznog naroda. Treba vec jednom zavrsiti s komunizmom. Ja ne bih imao nista protiv toga da Sabor i Vlada donesu zakon po kojemu bi se osudili ucinci komunizma, a ljudi koji su to ucinili budu istovremeno pomilovani, a ne kaznjeni. Trazim osobe koje su voljne podrzati zahtjev za donosenje jednog takvog zakona. Potrebno je da se dokumenti otvore svima onima koji imaju interesa proucavati ih. Ovime pozivam Sabor i Vladu RH i sve politicke stranke da to omoguce. Je li Vam danas nakon pola stoljeca zao da ste otisli na tu polnocku? Vrlo tesko pitanje za odgovoriti. Ja sam mogao prihvatiti ponudu UDB-e u 1958. godini i vjerojatno dogurati do predsjednika savezne vlade. Ali, postojala je i druga opcija: mogao sam zavrsiti kao Andrija Hebrang na uzetu u nekom zatvoru, zato sto ne bih pristao da jedan komad hrvatske zemlje prisvoje drugi. To da nisam podlegao napasti zla mogu zahvaliti mojoj cijeloj obitelji, pogotovo bratu Ljubi, koji je pobjegao preko granice jos 1953. godine. Osobno nisam istrazivao tko od nas originalnih clanova organizacije TIHO je a tko nije radio za UDBu. Za to treba pregledati svaki dosje, svakog od nas clanova. To prepustam sudu javnosti. Kako ste vidjeli u slucaju naseg akademika, istina je vlasnistvo onoga tko uspjesnije laze. Admiral Loso me je iznenadio. Kada sam ga prvi put zamolio da procita moju knjigu, obecao je, onako preko volje. Onda je prihvatio da i on bude dio panela predstavljaca. Tek pod kraj svoga govora otkrio nam je da je moj cimer iz 1957. godine bio njegov razrednik u gimnaziji u Sinju. To je onaj agent provokator kojemu sam posvetio jedno cijelo poglavlje. Nadam se da cete u mojoj knjizi naci, osim mene i neke druge ljude koji nisu podlegli napasti zla, i da su uz osobne zrtve i muku odbili raditi protiv svog naroda. Kako sam ja dokazao kroz moju osobnu sudbinu u UDB-inim dokumentima, uz odredjene vanjske faktore osoba koja ima cvrst moral moze se odhrvati i najgorem zlu, kao sto je UDB-a. O tome bi mi morali duboko razmisliti! zivjeli, i hvala Vam. Radoslav Maric docmaric@aol.com http://amac.hrvati-amac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177&Itemid=93 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 14 Jun 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4905/1/E-I-have-traveled-to-the-soil-you-washed-from-your-hands.html ÂI have traveled to the soil you washed from your hands First printed in the Zajednicar FraternalistCroatian Fraternal Union of AmericaPUBLISHED on 31 August, 1988; Vol.#83/No.33; Page 6Written by Constant (Connor) VlakancicA Search For Roots - Stivan, Cres, CroatiaSunnyvale, CA -- This is a true story. For the last two years, my life is this story. It is also a story of the end of life, Not my life, I hope, for I have only just discovered but perhaps yours, as you have known it, as I hope you have known it.-- I am a grown man with a well developed and materially successful life. There is always more to have but as in all life, a price is extracted when we indulge in our wants. As such and in the best of health, and raising my son, a son I am genuinely proud of, what more does the soul of man hunger for?-- That which I have never known or known about. That which my grandfather left behind on the island of Cres in 1918. He bravely left on the greatest adventure of his young life. With a single mindedness, he looked forward, never went back that I know of and he built a life with the timber of the new world but on the foundation of his heritage that he knew so well but took for granted. For reasons that were his, he took this foundation to the grave with him.-- My grandfather died when I was but a young teen. Yet I do have memories of him. A machinist at Barber-Green in Aurora, Illinois, respected and responsible, he had built his life to his measure. I did not know him real well as we (my father "his son", my mother, my sister and myself) did not live nearby. But this I know without hesitation, I never heard any words from him but articulate English. From my own father who had known him for all his life, I never heard any words except English. Whatever he knew, he also took to his grave many years ago.Now moving forward to but two years ago, I accidentally learn (an amazing story in itself) that I am Croatian. A word, a nation, a culture that I had never known of or even heard of. A heritage to feed the hunger in my guts, in my heart. In two years, I have learned of things that I could not even have dreamed of. But this has not been learning to satisfy the hunger, this has only been learning that the food exists.I sit writing this in a jet plane returning to the United States from three weeks in Croatia. I have lived the monumental frustration of my hunger that I do not know if I will ever surmount. I cannot communicate in my grandfather’s native tongue. Oh father of my father, why must I suffer this so. I am a bird with spirit in my heart, with wings to fly, to soar in this beckoning sky. Trapped in the small cage of my few words laboriously learned, I am deaf and dumb and nearly blind.Through my own efforts, I have forged myself into a strong man, stronger than many. I demand of myself the courage to speak the unpopular thought, to perform the unpopular deed when in my heart I believe in the integrity of my convictions. And I will be patient as the oyster growing a pearl when actions are for naught. But I would say to you grandfather I am not certain that I can now still learn this language. Why did I not grow with it as a child? I believe and live this; “To know and yet not to do, is not yet to know.” I have done! I have traveled to the soil you washed from your hands and walked the paths of the village that bears your footprints. But will the research that I have started ever yield to me a life I have only just discovered? This is a story of the end of life. Not my life, for I will share with my son whatever soil is on my hands. I will show him the paths with my footprints. I will show him the food that he may hunger for. But what of your life? You, the sons and daughters born on the soil you explored with your father but now emigrated to another land, have you washed your hands? Do you share your foundation with your children? Or teach them your language? Will you take to the grave your life as you have known it?If you do not return, with your children, then others most certainly will and your life, as you have known it, will be as dead as an old cold candle that nobody knows what it burned brightly for - or - may - never - care - again. • Constant Vlakancic/Lodge 1983Connor VlakancicConnor Vlakancic was born and raised in the rural environment of northern Illinois, close to the birthplace of California Governor and U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Vlakancic was raised in a conservative farming family environment where productive work was encouraged and respected.His paternal Grandfather was of Croatian heritage from the Dalmatian Coast in the north Adriatic Sea, as a citizen during the end of Austro-Hungarian rule. Immigrating to America in 1917, he became a journeyman machinist.His maternal Grandfather was of German heritage from the Alsace-Lorraine region. Immigrating to the United States in 1916, he built a substantial dairy farm in the center of the northern Illinois "Corn Belt".Connor Vlakancic started his career in Silicon Valley, California, as an electronic engineer with Fairchild Semiconductor, Timex, Inc., Intel Corporation, National Semiconductor and Siemens Opto-electronics, developing semiconductor technologies. He also spent many years at Honeywell Instruments and Raychem Industries developing digital control systems in paper and plastics manufacturing, traveling worldwide to install multi-million dollar control systems.During the mid-1980’s, he was an early entrepreneur in the personal computer systems revolution by founding a successful computer retail sales company in Silicon Valley. He followed this success with several years at Apple Computer as a competitive, computer-marketing annalist.In 1990 he was a technologist in computer network standards at Networld+Interop, which, by 1995, had become the world’s largest open computer standards, tradeshow and exposition. He then joined a division of Alcoa Company responsible for a new business unit to produce desktop computer network technology products aimed at the Fortune 1,000,000 companies that were losing market-share to their networked competitors.During the late 1990’s, he created a family reunion, live videoconference service to provide "Familia Visitas" from San Jose, California to Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico. He captured business videoconference service contracts with Western-Union, the State of California and Sprint International. Additionally, as the end of the millennium approached, he was a business consultant and due-diligence investigator for the international venture capital investors headquartered in Silicon Valley, and a business development executive at Netscape Corporation and Sun Microsystems.His education includes undergraduate and graduate studies in Chicago, IL and California universities earning degrees in electronics and an aircraft pilot’s license. He has continued his business professional and leadership education, attending numerous extension programs from multiple Universities.He has published technology articles in several computer magazines and has been a featured lecturer at Internet communications conferences. His most recent communications business development expertise was focused in wireless messaging application solutions. He was awarded three US and international technology patents. His past and current membership in professional organizations includes The Commonwealth Club of California, The Churchill Club of Silicon Valley and The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of several corporations. He is a current active Trustee in the Committee for Economic Development www.CED.org national policy think-tank in Washington, DC.He is a published political author with a visionary dissertation registered in the U.S. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov (TXU-677-205), “The 1996 Federal Paradigm” on 16 Feb 1995, which defines a 10-point "contract" to be championed and advanced by the President of the United States. He presented his visionary "contract" to Rep. Newt Gingrich, Aug. 1994, which become a critical segment of the GOP “The Contract with America” in 1995. www.uwsa.com/issues/contract/A-TofC.html The visionary concepts of The 1996 Federal Paradigm did forecast and predict national and international issues which have become of paramount consequence since September 2001.He was recommended by US Ambassador to Croatia, William D. Montgomery, and selected by the US Department of State to support international elections monitoring, with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), during the year 2000 federal elections, in the Republic of Croatia.He has been a candidate for US Congress, the 15th Congressional District of California in 1995, 1998 and 2000 and also in the 17th Congressional District of California in 2004.He is developing "Favorite Son" support to deliver an innovative November 2006 election campaign for US Senator (Independent) from California. He has filed a benchmark California Proposition http://caag.state.ca.us/initiatives/pdf/sa2005rf0103_amdt_2_s.pdf to provide highly popular consumer and parental relief from California ABC regulations. This proposition is planned to be included on the General Election Ballot of November 2006. He is also promoting an extraordinary California Proposition www.generation18-20.com that would reduce to elimination alcohol abuse among 18, 19 and 20 year old young adults. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 12 Feb 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4906/1/E-Vedran-Vukusic-is-Traveling-man-with-a-big-plan.html ÂTraveling man with a big planÂVukusic survives war, injuries, SAT to become NU starBy Terry BannonTribune staff reporterJanuary 31, 2006In the fall of 2001, Vedran Vukusic left his home in Split, Croatia, and arrived in Evanston ready to play basketball and go to college. Alas, it wasn't that simple. "I had no idea what I was getting into," he said.And Bill Carmody wouldn't have predicted he was getting a player who will leave Northwestern as one of the school's career scoring leaders. "No," the Northwestern coach said. "The guy's improved a lot."Vukusic does not disagree, if only because he had a long way to go. "I couldn't shoot at home," he said.Carmody and his staff fixed Vukusic's awkward shooting mechanics, turning an all-around player into a scorer. Vukusic is on pace to finish as Northwestern's No. 3 career scorer and all-time leader in three-point field goals.While the Wildcats haven't gone to a postseason tournament with Vukusic, they've come within one victory of NIT eligibility (.500 record) the last two seasons and are once again on the postseason bubble with a 10-8 record going into Wednesday night's game at Indiana."He has been an extremely important part of taking Northwestern from the bottom of the pack to a competitive team," Carmody said.Back homeThe fates have been kind to Vukusic, whose childhood memories aren't all pleasant.Growing up in Croatia in the early 1990s meant more than going to school and learning how to play basketball in the same city that gave the Bulls Toni Kukoc.It meant surviving a war with Yugoslavia, and Serbian attacks on his coastal hometown from the Adriatic Sea.Vukusic remembers being awakened by his father and rushing to a bomb shelter, not that an 8-year-old totally understood."My mother later told me I thought it was fun—it was all a game to me," he said. "She said, 'You were laughing, it was all fun, bombs dropping and you're running down the street smiling.'"I remember my dad waking us up at 6 a.m. and walking down the street, everyone running. I remember everything that happened."His family survived the war, but his uncle, Jozo Bajamic, still has shrapnel in his shoulder.Peace came in 1995, allowing a return to school—and basketball. Vukusic's parents wouldn't have had it any other way. His father, Nediljko, is a retired factory supervisor, his mother, Radojka, a nurse.But before there were issues with Vukusic's jump shot, there were other considerations. He suffered from chronic ankle injuries, and his parents were concerned they could prevent his basketball odyssey from working out.http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/cs-060130nuvukusic,1,6016912.story?coll=cs-home-headlinesBy Terry BannonTribune staff reporterJanuary 31, 2006"My parents wanted to make sure I always had an education," he said.Moving to AmericaVukusic wanted to pursue both basketball and school. But in Croatia, as in most of Europe, it can't be done."At home you have to choose," Vukusic said."The USA was the only solution for him," said Vjeran Bosnjak, his coach in Croatia. "He would have been too young (18) and inexperienced to get the opportunity to play enough at the professional level. He couldn't continue his studies because [basketball] wouldn't leave him any free time."Before recruiting Vukusic, Carmody talked with Loyola assistant coach Pat Baldwin, who played in Crotia professionally after his Northwestern career ended."The (professional) money for those kids isn't that great to start out with, and that seven-year contract binds them," Baldwin said. "They're not able to test the market."Vukusic could have signed with a pro club in Europe, but a starting salary of $250 per month and the long contract turned him off. "It would have ruined my future," Vukusic said.His friend and teammate, Davor Duvancic, felt the same way. When Carmody came visiting in the spring of 2001, they were interested in what he had to say."It was a great opportunity for us," said Duvancic, who completed his Northwestern eligibility last year and now works for the insurance conglomerate Aon.But there were complications. Language wasn't one of them, because Croatian children study English in grade school. But there was the little matter of the SAT, which would not be offered again in Croatia in time for the players to enroll at Northwestern in the fall.There was one more chance to take the test—in Vienna.So one summer day, Duvancic and Vukusic piled into a Nissan Altima with their fathers in the front. It's a 300-mile trip from Split to Vienna as the crow flies, but a 10-hour drive as the Balkan roads bend.In the back seat, the prospective Wildcats crammed."There was pressure," Duvancic said. "We had to pass the test."It was a short night of sleep. "We woke up an hour before the exam started," Vukusic said.NorthwesternVukusic and Duvancic were among Carmody's first international recruits Another Croatian, Ivan Tolic, followed a year later. Tolic's NU career ended after last season because of injuries.Vukusic battled shoulder problems early in his college career, losing what would have been his sophomore season to a shoulder operation, his second. Vukusic's absence was a factor in the Wildcats' 12-17 record, the worst of Carmody's seven seasons in Evanston.This season, Carmody challenged Vukusic to be the Wildcats' leader in many ways. He has responded with a career-best 20.5 points per game, including 18.6 in the Big Ten."He's taken the team on his shoulders and he didn't do that before," Carmody said. "The other night he went 1-for-14 against Illinois and in the next game he gets 29 away from home (at Purdue). That's saying something."Carmody has noticed other little areas of improvement, like Vukusic's willingness to go for dunks instead of layups."It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is," Carmody said. "Now he's gotten the fact that 'I have to be the guy.' He's more forceful in his game, not letting it come to him. He's taken over some games for us."Vukusic has earned his bachelor's degree in communications and is pursuing a second major in international studies. As his college career winds down, he would like to be remembered for leading the Wildcats into the postseason."A couple of years before I came we didn't win a Big Ten game. Compared to that we've made some progress," he said. "But it's not what I want it to be, obviously."Vukusic's legacyNext year Vukusic will be playing professionally—in Europe if not in the NBA. But his impact on Northwestern will last.Next year's freshman class will include at least two 6-foot-8-inch players—Jeff Ryan from Glenbrook South and Kevin Coble from Scottsdale, Ariz.—who signed letters of intent in November."When we're recruiting other guys, they just love the way [Vukusic] plays," Carmody said. "It shows what you can do with big, rangy kids. Not only has he helped us while he's here, but he's helped us in recruiting, and however intangible it is, it's real."Vukusic's success also has kept Northwestern's name alive in Croatia, where the Wildcats are recruiting another 6-8 prospect, Nikola Baran.As Vjeran Bosnjak, Vukusic's youth coach, put it, "[Northwestern's style] fits the sensibility of players coming from this region."tabannon@tribune.com Copyright  2006, The Chicago Tribune  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sat, 04 Feb 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4908/1/E-Pianist-plays-lounges-at-night-preschools-during-day-Bob-Voca-story.html Pianist plays lounges at night, preschools during dayBy Nicole JanokPalm Beach Post Staff WriterWednesday, October 26, 2005For Palm Beach Gardens resident Bob Voca, life is about one thing: music.For most of his life, the Croatian native has studied and performed the piano around the world.CYDNEY SCOTTphoto:Bob Voca makes sure Lake Worth tot Gage Milligan, 2, has a steady grip on a hanging bar while Milligan's playmates from West Palm Beach's Palm Beach Preschool play aboard Voca's Ladybug Tumble and Music Bus, which Voca uses to teach kids gymnastics and music. A classically trained musician, Voca, 61, spent much of his career on Mediterranean cruise ships and hotels throughout Europe. In fact, while playing in one of Croatia's ritziest hotels, Voca met his second wife of 17 years â a South Florida resident named Diane. For the past 18 years, Voca has called Palm Beach County home and held a rotating schedule of local piano performances. He plays at Nordstrom's at the Mall at Wellington Green and McCarthy's Restaurant & Pub and Cafe Heidelberg in Tequesta.In the past two months, music has ataken on a new role in Voca's life â he is the proud owner of Lady Bug Tumble and Music Bus, a traveling classroom that teaches preschoolers gymnastics and music.Several days a week, Voca drives the big red bus, which he decorated himself, to local preschools where he uses over-sized musical notes and a xylophone to teach basic percussion skills."It's pretty neat," he said.Complete with a trampoline and mini roller coaster, the 30-minute sessions are split between tumbling and music. Another instructor teaches tumbling."They love the bus," he said. "It's beautiful."Voca came up with the idea after seeing other businesses that had a similar idea."I said, 'That's very neat, and I can do it during the day.'" And with a little administrative help from his wife, Voca wants to keep the Lady Bug running for a while. "I wouldn't want to become a millionaire with this bus," he said. "I don't want to get bigger; it's not a big plan to get bigger." Because that would interfere with his true passion: Playing for his local fans.It's really all he's ever known. At 7 years old, Voca started music lessons after his uncle noticed his talent."My father didn't really care," he said. "So my uncle put me in private lessons... and I loved it so much."His sister, Elvira Voca, also is musically talented â she's a well-known singer in Croatia who regularly performs on television, he said. Voca continued studying music throughout his primary and secondary education. He then went on to study at the Music Conservatory for Piano and Solfeggio in Salzburg, Austria, home of one of his favorite composers, Mozart. While he worked as a musician in Croatia, Voca had three sons, Oliver, 21, Daniel, 23, and Kresimir, 24, who all live in Germany near their mother. Voca visits his sons and his sister two or three times a year.Although Voca prefers classical and jazz music, he said he doesn't let his preferences get in the way of a performance."You have to open your eyes and see what's around you and play what people want to hear," he said.While traveling and studying, Voca realized he had another gift: Learning languages. He currently speaks five â Russian, Croatian, German, English and Italian.http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pb_gardens/content/neighborhood/pb_gardens/epaper/2005/10/26/npp5_vocapro_1026.html  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 03 Jan 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4907/1/H-Prvi-i-Zadnji-Bozic-u-emigraciji-1945-2005.html ÂPrvi i Zadnji Bozic u emigraciji 1945-2005ÂBolonia, Italia 25 dicembar 1945 PRVI BOZIC U EMIGRACIJI, pisalisu moj otac i moja majka, Nikola Francetic i Anda BiondicLa Plata, Argentina 25 dicembar 2005, ZADNJI BOZIC U EMIGRACIJI, pisemo Judith, Katarina, MarÃa Victoria, Mara, Jure, Nikola, ako Bog da Goran, i ja Jure Francetic Âcontact: jaflika@hotmail.com  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Sun, 01 Jan 2006 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4909/1/E-Andronico-Luksic-Man-of-summits.html ÂAndronico Luksic Manof summitsÂÂAndronico Luksic, chairman of this year's APEC CEO Summit, talks to Ruth Bradleyabout conquering mountains - in business and in lifeMay 2005ÂFor Chilean businessman Andronico Luksic, summits are very much on the agenda this year. In May, satisfying along-standing ambition as a mountaineer, he stood at the summit of Mount Everest. Thismonth, in what promises to be one of the crowning glories of a successful business career, he will chair the APECCEO Summit in Santiago. And, to top off the year, he plans to tackle yet another summit nextmonth - Mount Vinson in the Antarctic. Luksic is not a typical Chilean businessman. While many of his colleagues sport MBAsfrom prestigious US universities, Luksic unassumingly admits to being a 'collegedropout'. And, despite chairing Banco de Chile, Chile's largest locally-owned bank, he is a fundamentally shy man,who prefers a low profile and rarely gives interviews. But he commands an enormous respect that has itsroots partly in his perseverance - the quality that helps him to conquer summits.The history of the Luksic family conglomerate which, as well as financial services, includesimportant stakes in Chile's mining and manufacturing industries, dates back to the beginningof the last century when Luksic's paternal grandfather emigrated from his nativeCroatia. After working in Chile's flourishing nitrates industry, he built up aprofitable niche importing cattle from Argentina to feed the saltpeter miners - and latercopper miners - of northern Chile's arid Atacama desert.Despite its success in Chile, however, the family has not forgotten its roots andalso has important investments in Croatia. As well as being a major player in thecountry's hotel industry, it also controls a leading tour operator.In addition, the Luksic group has some important business ties with Asia. Three Japanesecompanies - Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Nippon Mining - are partners in its Los Pelambrescopper mine in northern Chile. And, in the 1980s, the group's Madeco copper manufacturer was the first Chileancompany - and possibly the first in Latin America - to invest in China when,along with Codelco, Chile's state copper company, it formed a joint venture with the municipalityof Beijing to build a plant to produce copper piping for use in the construction industry.Asia Inc: What do you see as the main importance of the CEO Summit from Chile'spoint of view?Andronico Luksic: Chile's presidency of APEC 2004 and the CEO Summit are an opportunityfor business and political leaders to get to know a part of the world that's not easyto reach and that they don't normally visit. And that includes not only Chile, butalso the rest of South America.Business people from Asia will be able to become better acquainted with Chile, itseconomy, its institutions and its people, in a direct and palpable way. And that'simportant because Chile can serve as a two-way platform for goods to and from Asia,not just to Chile, with its 15 million inhabitants, but also to much larger economies, like Argentina and Brazil. And,of course, most importantly, it will encourage businesses from other APEC economiesto invest in Chile and form partnerships with local businesses. That is, after all, themost profound expression of economic integration within the Asia-Pacific region.What have been the main challengesof organising the Summit?Although it's certainly the most important business meeting that Chile has ever organised, it's been facilitated by our country's international experience and its organisational capacity. We have a committee in which I am joined by Juan Claro, chairmanof Chile's Confederation of Industry and Trade; HernÃn Somerville, this year's chairmanof the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC); and Juan VillarzÃ, executive presidentof Codelco. In addition, there's an operational committee and an executive secretariat that help implementdecisions regarding the programme and logistical matters.The main challenges have beento obtain the human and financial resources required for this important Summit andto ensure the presence of the top-level business executives and political leaders we've invitedfrom around the Pacific Basin. However, I must say we've had a very good response.ÂWhat issues is the Summitgoing to focus on?We plan to concentrate on four or five main issues, and to be really productive on them: the safetyof international trade; transparency and corporate governance; human resources as the keyto competitiveness; economic reform processes; and the digital gap and its impacton the competitiveness of companies and of our respective economies.The Summit starts on Friday, Nov 19, with a luncheon at the CasaPiedra conventioncentre, where the entire meeting will take place. During lunch, the opening speech will be given by Erik Weihenmayer, the athlete andmountaineer who, although blind, climbed to the summit of Mount Everest.Over the course of the event, we also hope to be able to listen to addresses from PresidentGeorge W Bush, President Ricardo Lagos, President Hu Jintao, Prime MinisterJunichiro Koizumi, President Vladimir Putin, President Luiz InÃcio Lula da Silva andformer Secretary of the US Treasury Robert E Rubin, as well as allowing time forquestions and answers, and debate.Finally, it will be my responsibility to close the Summit and introduce the chairmanof the APEC CEO Summit 2005, which will take place in Seoul.ÂWhat do business people travellingto Chile for the Summit stand to gain?The CEO Summit always produces some very interesting networking and, this year, given thatso many people will be travelling from so far, we're trying to maximise opportunitiesfor making contact not only with Chileans, but also with colleagues from other partsof the region. That's why we've invited people from, for example, Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela -countries that aren't necessarily members of APEC but which make us, as a continent, muchmore interesting to Asian businesses. And we've organised parallel programmesboth before and after the Summit for different leisure, cultural and tourist activities. Ialso have the impression that most of our guests are going to take the opportunityto visit two or three other countries. You're also one of Chile's representatives in ABAC, which set anambitious agenda for this year in terms of increasing its effectiveness. How has that playedout?ABAC has worked very well this year under the chairmanship of HernÃn Somerville. It hasintroduced numerous procedural reforms that make it more efficient. It has energeticallypromoted the issue of liberalising trade through the Doha talks in the frameworkof the World Trade Organization. This is, without doubt, the most important issueof the year for APEC and the global economy.We've also given priority to analysing free trade agreements between APEC membereconomies, the issue of safe trade, the facilitation of trade, and the use of English as the languageof business.It's also important to point out that, in the execution of ABAC's agenda, we havedeveloped a valuable and fluid relationship with the public sector. This relationship isalso part of the success of ABAC 2004. We have ready communication with RicardoLagos, chairman of APEC Senior Officials' Meetings, with Ambassador Milenko Skoknic, executivedirector of APEC Chile 2004, and with Ambassador Adolfo CarafÃ, director of the Asia-PacificDivision of Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We have transmitted to all of them, inour own language, the opinions that business people have about the agenda and other aspectsof the APEC process.Through your role in the CEO Summit and ABAC, you've travelled extensively, promoting Chile. What has thisshown you about Chile's international image?Chile has an excellent image in the eyes of the business people and authorities of the Asia-Pacificregion. It's seen as a serious and stable country that's good at fulfilling its undertakings. Theenormous effort that the Chilean business sector has put into globalisation isalso admired abroad. That means a great opportunity for Chile to develop as aplatform from which many opportunities geared to business in other Latin Americancountries may arise.As a Chilean businessman, what do you see as the main challenges facing the country asgrowth rebounds?Its main challenges are to reduce its international vulnerability and to maintain the high and stablegrowth that reduces social and educational deficiencies and, particularly, poverty.And specifically for the banking sector in which you're involved as president of Banco de Chile?The banking sector has made an enormous effort in terms of global competitiveness andproviding high-standard, low-cost services for its domestic and internationalcustomers. The banking industry is one of the ‘great assets' of the Chileaneconomy and its image is optimum, as is shown by the low spreads it pays for overseasresources.As a family group, what do you see as the most interesting opportunities for futureexpansion in Chile and internationally? Our investments in Croatia may have theirroot in family ties, but they're also very profitable and important. In Chile,our idea is to consolidate in the sectors in which we already operate - mining,copper manufacturing, beverages and banking - rather than diversifying. There aresome very significant opportunities in mining.ÂYou recently climbed Everest. What was that like as a challenge?The physical and psychological preparation was very tough. And there's a point in thepreparation that's really important - forming a team. That's about being ableto face difficult moments together, without ever losing sight of the objective. That's why, during a littleover a year, we climbed various peaks of more than 6,000m in the Andes to test notonly our physical shape, but also to consolidate the team that was to face the challengeof Everest. ÂYou've probably been asked this question a thousand times, but what did it feel liketo conquer Everest?ÂI must say that, when I reached the summit, I shed more than a few tears; it was a reallyemotional moment and I felt deep gratitude to God and to the team that had made itpossible. I remember that all my family was in the United States celebrating thegraduation of my eldest son and the birthdays of two of my other children; I wasn't there, but they were with me and that's what was reallyimportant. I also remember thinking that my presence there showed that dreams arenot just dreams, but the starting point of a project, and that with a great dealof work, enthusiasm and perseverance, they can become reality. I would like toknow that many others feel the same way. At 50, I firmly believe that there'sno age limit on new challenges and rising to them; there's no age limit on new dreams. Isuppose what remains from that adventure is the lesson that those who do not follow their dreamsonly sleep through life.ÂSo what's the bigger challenge: Everestor the CEO Summit?The CEO Summit. As chairman, it's not only my reputation that's at stake, but thereputation of my country and its business people; that's why it's so importantto achieve a really excellent event. If I hadn't made it to the summit of Everest, theworst that would have happened was that a few friends would have laughed at me. If theCEO Summit doesn't do well, it's the country that suffers; but if I do well there, it's a triumphfor all of us who organised it. It's a different type of responsibility and Ialso feel that it's not only on behalf of Chile, but also of South America.ÂAfter the CEO Summit, what are the next summitson your personal agenda?In the short term, I'd like to conquer the highest summit of each continent or, inother words, to complete the seven-summit circuit. I've already climbed Aconcagua inSouth America, Kilimanjaro in Africa, and Everest in Asia. And later this year, I'mgoing to make a second attempt at the Vinson Massif in the Antarctic. I was there in 2003, but we were beaten by bad weather. That's the list but,more importantly, I'd like to stress that I have a very serious interest in mountaineering and that,more than a sport, it's simply a way of life.Âhttp://www.asia-inc.com/May05/APEC_man_may.htm letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Mon, 18 Jul 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4910/1/E-Proud-Croatian-American-Nick-Saban-investigating-his-heritage.html Proud Croatian American Nick Saban investigating his heritagePublished Thursday, June 23, 2005Saban pleased with progress made _ so farBy TIM REYNOLDSAP Sports WriterDAVIE, Fla.ÂNick Saban went back in time last weekend, investigating his heritage during a quick vacation in Croatia. The proud Catholic attended Mass in an impoverished community, learned about the nation's history and relaxed along the pristine, clear-water splendor of the Dalmatian Coast.Yet he found no athletes who could help his Miami Dolphins."Don't think I wasn't looking," the Dolphins' first-year coach said, grinning.He's scheduled to leave Friday night for another family vacation, this one in Georgia, a few thousand miles closer than the republic that was once part of the former Yugoslavia. But once again, his mind probably won't be far from football and his first Dolphins training camp, now looming just one month away.Over the last few months, during their allotment of "organized team activities" days, the Dolphins tried players at various positions, installed new offensive and defensive schemes, and began meshing several dozen players and a couple dozen new coaches and staff into some sort of cohesive unit.Are the new-look Dolphins ready for the season? No.Have they satisfied Saban so far? Apparently, yes."We have some guys that have made better progress than others in terms of their understanding and ability to execute with consistency and confidence and understanding so they can turn it loose and go get it," Saban said Thursday. "But if we had that accomplished right now, we wouldn't need 35-ought practices or whatever we have in training camp to get ready for the first game."Saban is leery to identify who any probable starters are at this point, insisting that tipping his hand now would be counterproductive; he wants people battling for jobs and trying to overachieve in camp, not pouting over being demoted to the second team.And he would not reveal if he's had any new conversations with the apparently soon-to-be-unretired running back Ricky Williams, who is reportedly back in South Florida and still planning to be with the Dolphins for training camp late next month. But indications are that Saban and Williams have had some sort of dialogue; Saban said he was aware of Williams' travel schedule from California last week."I knew exactly what he was doing, and he did exactly what he said he was going to do," Saban said, without elaborating.The Williams situation and the pending battle between A.J. Feeley and Gus Frerotte for the starting quarterback job remain two of the most interesting issues hovering over the Dolphins these days.Feeley and Frerotte are both incumbents of sorts; Feeley started half the games during Miami's 4-12 season a year ago, Frerotte knows the offense better, having played two years in Minnesota in the same system currently being installed here by offensive coordinator Scott Linehan."I would bet - if anybody wants to bet, not that I'm a gambling man - that at some point in time, we're going to need both of those guys to play well during the season," Saban said. "So our focus is on them both developing to be the best possible players they can be ... even ongoing after we name a starter."Notes:@ The Dolphins have scheduled visits with free-agent safety Lance Schulters, who was recently released by Tennessee in a salary-cap move, and Southern California defensive tackle Manuel Wright, who'll be at the Dolphins facility on Friday. Wright played behind All-American Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, the Philadelphia Eagles' first-round pick. Wright has entered the league's supplemental draft, and the Dolphins want "to find out if he has the right stuff to be a consistent performer," Saban said.http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050623/APS/506231158  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 23 Jun 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4911/1/E-Vukojebina---Courtney-Angela-Brkic---Interview-by-Robert-Birnbaum.html   Courtney Angela BrkicAuthor of Stone Fields converses with Robert BirnbaumPosted: May 24, 2005à2005 Robert BirnbaumImages by Red Diaz/Duende PublishingCourtney Angela Brkic is a first-generation American of Croatian descent. She studied archaeology as an undergraduate at the College of William and Mary and attended New York University, graduating from the MFA Program in writing. She has worked in Bosnia-Herzegovina as a forensic archeologist and for the United Nations International War Crimes Tribunal at The Hague and Physicians for Human Rights. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to research women in Croatia's war-affected population, as well as a New York Times Fellowship. Her translations of Croatian Expressionist poet A.B. Simic have appeared in Modern Poetry in Translation. Her story collection, Stillness, was awarded a Whiting WriterÀ™s Award. BrkicÀ™s memoir, The Stone Fields: An Epitaph for the Living, which describes her time with the victims of Srebrenica, Bosnia, along with the history of her Croatian family during World War II, was published in 2004. In 1996, at the age of 23, she went to eastern Bosnia as part of a Physicians for Human Rights forensic team. She spent a month helping to exhume and identify the bodies of thousands of men and boys who were massacred by Serb forces the year before. Courtney Brkic currently teaches at Kenyon College in Ohio and is at work on her first novel.Jonathan Yardley persuasively opines: ÀœThere are respects in which the story of Andelka and Josef [one of BrkicÀ™s familyÀ™s stories in The Stone Fields] is more moving than that of all the unknown victims of À˜ethnic cleansingÀ™ at Srebrenica; it is easier to become emotionally involved with a small cast of characters whom one comes to know than with a large one to which names cannot be attached. Either way, though, the story is the same. Courtney Angela Brkic tells it sensitively, sparely and with quiet passion.À? As you will find in the conversation below, she has gotten the Bosnian stories out of her system but certainly not the concerns that horrors like the Balkan tragedy occasioned. Robert Birnbaum: Courtney Angela, uhÀ”Courtney Angela Brkic: [Pronounces] ÀœBrkic.À?RB: I couldn't say it even after I looked in the pronunciation guide in The Stone Fields.CAB: It's hard. And actually the Cs, there are two types of "chu"À”there's a "chu" and a "che" which most people can't hear the difference between themÀ”so the variations even within those letters are difficult.RB: It is must be like DutchÀ”what's the language, Croatian?CAB: It depends on who you ask. It's Croatian or Serbo Croatian or Bosnian Croatian, Serbian, and right now the politically correct thing is to say "BCS" for "Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian." In Croatia people say Croatian. And in my family we say Croatian.RB: As in World War II in Holland, where the Dutch were good at ferreting out imposters because only Dutch people could say certain words that Croatian has the same characterÀ”is it true of your language?CAB: You can definitely tell when someone didn't grow up speaking it. People can tell with me because I have a very American accent. So they can hear immediately in the intonations or the just the way I say vowels. The Dutch thingÀ”I used to work for the War Crimes Tribunal for a short time and the tribunal was in a place called Scheveningen À”RB: [laughs] How do you know how to say that?CAB: À” right by the Hague. I had the taxi driver who said, "If you learn nothing else while you are in Holland, learn how to say "Scheveningen." It was used in the Second World War as code because nobody could pronounce it. I don't think I pronounce it correctly. You can [with Croatian] immediately tell where someone is from. And you'll have people coming from coastal regions like Dalmatia and they'll come to the city and live there many, many years but you can still hear in their accents. They never fully lose that.RB: In the United States, we basically only discern Southern and perhaps various New York City dialects and the Boston accents. I wonder what sociological baggage it brings. I heard a caller to a sports radio show degrade a Red Sox [Trot Nixon] who was from North CarolinaÀ”he called him a redneck and all but said he was a inbred hillbilly.CAB: Hill people, yeah. It's pretty bad, but it does bring such baggage. And I grew up in Virginia, and [if] you cross the border into West Virginia, according to the Virginians, the West Virginians are trash and hill people and there are all sorts of jokes running around about them. It is amazing how certain provenienceÀ”RB: I got the sense from reading your books there is that kind of tribal regional animus in Croatia.CAB: I'd say more regional than tribal. But in fact to the extent that in Dalmatia every island has its own identity, its own accents, its own dialect. There is one island called Vis, and on one side of the island is the town of Vis and on the other side is a town called Comeja. And we are talking five miles. When you pass over the large hill that separates them, it's as if you have gone to the other end of the country because the accent is so different. Of course, they make fun of each other.RB: I guess the verb "balkanize" has done much to prevent people being taken seriously from that part of the world. Did that play a part in whether people took seriously the break up of Yugoslavia?But there was this weird thing that happened in the war, and it happened in Croatia and BosniaÀ”that suddenly it wasn't considered racist or small-mindedÀ¦CAB: Absolutely. In a few of the stories I make a joke out of that. The words "internecine," "quagmire," "age-old ethnic conflict" À” there was a point where many of us, if we read that one more time, we were going to hurt somebody.RB: [laughs]CAB: It was amazing how easy it became to just pull that out of people's bags and use those words. I tried to explain it to a lot of people I worked with in Zagreb. I worked with a lot of Americans; if you talk that way about a group of people in America, everybody thinks it's wrong: it's either racist or you are being a snob about a region. But there was this weird thing that happened in the war, and it happened in Croatia and BosniaÀ”that suddenly it wasn't considered racist or small-minded: it was this way of making everything digestible, and if people could explain to themselves, "Oh, well the reason this happenedÀ”these people are blood thirsty. They are absolutely warlike in their manner and their history. Look at their history. . . ," they would go and pull out the history books and they'd say, "Look at these years of battle and fighting. . . ." I always used to say to people, "Look at the rest of Europe. Look at Germany. Look at France. Look at Russia. Look all over the world. And there is no difference really between there and anywhere else. Once people thought they could explain it that way, it robbed the need to do anything about it. Or find a peaceful solution to it. That's just how they are. They are like that there."RB: There seems to be a myth of peace about the post war (WWII). Supposedly up until September 11, 2001, we were living in a world that was relatively peaceful. Perhaps because I wasn't born in this countryÀ”CAB: Where were you born?RB: I was born in Germany. For some reason, I was always attuned to the À”CAB: À” right, the larger picture.RB: When people claim that the world was peaceful, I ask, "When was that? Which years?"CAB: There is this feeling ofÀ”I don't knowÀ”vast optimism when people think of the '50s, and if you really look at it and pull it out and consider the South and consider a lot of thingsÀ”not quite. I teach at Kenyan College [in Ohio] and one of the books I was teaching to my students is Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, and it's now the third time I've taught itÀ”it's always amazing to me because they know about slavery. They know historically and understand the Civil War, but still there is this Gone with The Wind-esque picture a lot of people have in their minds and "slavery was, of course very, very bad," but to know to what extent things were as bad as they wereÀ”I actually had students who were very upset at me for teaching that book. But I had a lot of students for whom it had never occurred to them. We do that with the [twentieth] century and we look back and everything was roses.RB: I was talking to Elizabeth Gaffney about her novel Metropolis, which takes place in late nineteenth-century New York City, and we came to talking about how badly history is taught in this country. It would seem that most people aren't interested in it À” mostly because it's so badly taught. As a consequence that ends up allowing much mythology to take root, which is even more troubling.CAB: It's true. We have such a rosy view of what our history is.RB: For example, lynching continued to take place up until the 1950s.CAB: Most people have no idea even on the small scales, in towns all over the country, maybe even not anything to the extent of lynchings, it's so unbelievable and that's what scares me the most right now. That we have this view of America that is so far from the reality of it. When I drove home for the winter holiday, I drove from Ohio back to DC and one of the radio stations that I caught just before I passed into Pennsylvania, in southeastern Ohio, was this call-in show where the woman was screaming about the Mexicans. In Ohio there are a lot of migrant farm workers and probably illegal aliens among them and certainly tensions between populations. For example, last year in Columbus [Ohio] there was a horrible house fire, an arson, in which something like ten people died, many of them children, and this woman on the radio was screaming about how . . . À”always just one step away from outright hate speech, inciting viewers. She had one older lady caller and she said, "I have this lawn boy who comes and you have opened my eyes because I have never looked at this like that before. My gosh, you are probably right." This hate-mongering, unbelievable stuff. But even at a place like Columbus they are not looking at this fire in terms of what it means, what it indicates about the tensions that are at work. I find it very hard to believe.RB: Even if you started teaching history in a personal narrative way, it wouldn't overcome the faith-based mythologies that are regnant. Tell people what the facts are they seem inclined to bath in the warm comfort of their beliefs.CAB: When you have a straight lane to Jesus you don't need to hear any other opinions.RB: I guess we wandered far afield here [which is okay]. Getting back to your books, are wolves a big part of Croatian culture?CAB: Not so much. They are in the Balkans. All over EuropeÀ”sort of a motif and a theme.RB: More so than any other animal?CAB: Not more than any other animal.RB: But in your booksÀ”CAB: In me, they are very strong. The thing that has always struck me about them, particularly in Croatia and probably the reason I was most drawn to writing about them even tangentially was that they did a study in the time I was living in Croatia about trying to change people's points of view about wolves. Trying to let go of this almost medieval "Wolves are evil. Wolves are going to attack us and kill our children. Steal our chickens. Let's get them before they get us." Particularly in the region of Wecam where there were a lot of wolves that they are doing this, did this. What they found was slowly, slowly, slowly people are coming around. And they are realizing that wolves only attack when they are very hungry, frightened, or hurt in some way. They had to create an entire shift of paradigm in these regions and I found that very interesting.RB: You do use a striking image when some one mentions a place Àœwhere wolves fuck.À?CAB: The word is "Vukojebina," and it means, out in the countryside, really the boondocksÀ”Deliverance country, basically the Croatian version of DeliveranceÀ”and if you if you break it down it basically means "where Wolves fuck." RB: The only other fiction that I am aware from that part of the world is Sarajevo Marlboro [by Miljenko Jergovic].CAB: They are very good, those short stories.RB: There hasn't been a groundswell of interest.CAB: It's surprising because he is very well known in Bosnia Hertzogovinia. He is actually from Sarajevo. But lives today in Croatia and he is a very good writer and he is also a very good social critic. He used to write, and he may still, for one of the weekly magazines called Globus, and his articles were always . . . he had such a finger on the pulse of where politics were going, where current opinion was going, and he has many, many books. Actually, Sarajevo Marlboro is the only one published in the United States.RB: By a wonderful publisher, Archipelago Books. CAB: That book was available in the UK for years before it ever made it here. And it's a sad fact that interest among publishers here is just not there.RB: How did you come to get published? Through NYU?CAB: Not really. Completely À” I like to think by hard work À” but by dumb luck as well. And that was that while I was at NYU and in the period just after it. I tried to find an agent. Through every way possible. Friends, friends of friends.RB: Friends of friends of friends?CAB: [both laugh] Exactly. One of my professors sent me to his publishing house and it never worked out. The minute that someone feels that they are doing a favor for someone else it gets awkward. After a while I said, "I am not going to do this anymore. I'm sick of this. Forget it." Because too many times I was coming across people who wanted to give me advice. They didn't want to take me on but they wanted to advise me. And the advice they wanted to give me was "Don't write about this subject matter. Nobody will be interested in this subject matter."RB: MeaningÀ”CAB: "Don't write about Bosnia. Don't write about Croatia. This war. Refugees. None of it." And short stories are a really tough sell, and these were two thingsÀ”and what I was actually told in one place. You have a double kiss of death. Not only are you writing short stories, but also on a theme we just don't think we can sell. And that's what I heard over and over. Finally I decided, no more friends, no more friends of friends. And I went to the Writer's Market and I made a list of writers whose work I admired, found out who their agents were and just sent to them cold. And it just so happens that one of those agents read my workÀ”a very early version of Stone Fields and said, "It's good and we'd be interested in the future but it's not ready yet." Which I knew. To which I said, "Funny you should say that because I also have these short stories." And I remember her saying, "Most probably we are not going to be interested." But I sent them along and she really liked them. And that's how it went.RB: Even the people who you know have published great stuff will still dish out the conventional wisdom when they are talking to you. Success has such a serendipitous feel.CAB: It could be on a Tuesday, they'd love something and on a Thursday they are in a bad mood, their coffee was cold and it's raining and things are just not going their way. I worked for an agent, Larry Schartzheim, for about ten months in Midtown, NY, and that is what I realized there. Some times you can have the best material in the world, but it will just miss. There was one manuscript for a West African womanÀ”I don't remember her, name or the name of the manuscript. But I remember that the first line started off something like, "On the day I was born in my village one hundred miles away, my grandmother danced with a bowl of water balanced on her head." It was [with emphasis] the most arresting, amazing image. And I was so excited about this because, of course I wanted to undo the bad karma I was doing by writing rejection letters. I wanted to rescue someone from transom. I wanted to make the agents happy and it was very good writing. I remember I took it home and actually read it at home and I called my agent and I said, "Wow, have I got the manuscript for you. I am just blown away it's the best thing I have read since I have been here." And I put it in her office, put it right on top, marked with a stickie, and said this is the one to look at. And about five days later I say to her, "What did you think." And she says. "Ah, not so much."RB: [laughs]CAB: It was the point at which I realized that first of all, readers are very different.RB: It's variable and subjective within our own experience. You can read something the first time and love it and the second time, not. Currently Sam Lypsite's buzz is about his being rejected twenty-seven times. People forget that Tibor Fischer was rejected fifty-six times. That seems to say thatÀ”CAB: It is variable. Something else that is interesting, when I look at my own work depending on the day I look at it, I can love it and I can think it's the worst thing I have ever written. Hopefully somewhere between the two extremes is the truth.RB: Well, certainly everyone needs an editor. So, I am not clear on the route you have taken. You studied as an archaeologistÀ”CAB: I studied anthropology and archaeologyÀ”RB: À”because?CAB: It interested me. When went to school it was between studying English and studying anthropology. I went to the College of William and Mary in Virginia. My parents were very good about saying to me, "Study what you want to study. What you think you would enjoy and love."RB: Unusual for immigrant parents.CAB: It is very unusual. It took a lot of doing on their part. Particularly for my father who was battling this hope for stability for his children. But he said, "It would be lousy to study something that you are not interested in." So it came down to English and archaeology, and I decided, "I read anyway, voraciously. I read. I read. I read." But archeology, unless I study it I am not likely to go out and do it and learn about it. So that's how decided, and I minored in Spanish literature and language.RB: I gather you spend a fair amount of time in Spain?CAB: I spent a year.RB: And the distance between undergraduate studies and NYU?CAB: Quite a few years. Five to six years. And that was the period I was in Bosnia and living in Croatia and went to Holland to work at The Hague. Actually I knew that when I finished archaeology I was not so interested in immediately pursuing something but I thought in the future I might go back and do something with it. I worked for a while in America as a field archaeologist.RB: I hadn't known that certain tools [in archaeology] were so important. I understand that in many pursuits one's tools are very importantÀ”CAB: And you take a lot of pride in them. RB: A certain brand of trowel?CAB: Yeah. They are very important and you never want to be without a Marshalltown trowel, and it had better be sharpened perfectly and [chuckles] or else they will laugh you out of the field.RB: You had training as field archaeologist but you went to Croatia as a forensic archaeologist.CAB: I had a Fulbright to go to Croatia. And switched tracks completely at that point and had a sociology project to collect data on the war-affected population in Zagreb, specifically women. Women who had been displaced from Croatia or were refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina and had a year to do that. I had already been getting off track before that point hence why I applied for that scholarship. And that changed my focus completely. That year led to the summer, the July and August I spent in Bosnia. And it just sort of piggybackedÀ”one thing led to another, led to another, and while it doesn't seem like the straightest road, in a way it was utterly logical for me, at the time. RB: Well, personal logic isÀ”CAB: Sometimes it is not so clear to other people, exactly. And at the end of that year with the refugees, I thought, "Here is a chance to bring my training and do something very concrete," which is why I went to Bosnia. They hired me as an archaeologist but they hired me for language reasons. They were very happy to have someone who spoke the language.RB: And yet at the same time you had to hide your background from the locals.CAB: Yeah.RB: You worked with a couple of Latin Americans who had vast experience in forensic archaeologyÀ”which is a really morbid pursuit.CAB: It is morbid and awful. When I was going out there I thought, "Maybe I will end up so interested by this that I will go and study this." The first day I knew that I was just not cut out for it.RB: It could be that here is a real case of American exceptionÀ”in the treatment of the dead. What I get from reading you is that the dead are ever present. They are there. Whereas Americans seem to have no problem burying them and that's that.CAB: Not only that but with older people in America we do the same thing. We bury them before they are even dead. So by the time people dieÀ”the line in America between living and dead is so starkly drawn. It's not like that in the vast majority of the world. In quite a few of the places it's not like thatÀ”Latin America for sure, as in the Balkans. In that war, clearly one of the reasons it became so hard to draw the line was because people didn't know who was dead and who wasn't. The whole issue of missing persons, people were probably dead. But not definitely.RB: Of course, in Latin AmericaÀ”actually GuatemalaÀ”was where ÀœdisappearingÀ? became a government-sponsored human rights abuse.In that war, clearly one of the reasons it became so hard to draw the line was because people didn't know who was dead and who wasn't. CAB: And the dirty war in Argentina.RB: You observed that refugee women always think their missing will return.CAB: The vast majority. Until they are shown evidence, it is a rare person in those circumstances who without evidence can say, "I really have to face the fact that most likely [they are dead]." Eventually they have to accept that fact. But it happens because so much time has gone by that it just would defy logic that the person would still be alive. Or some type of proof is given or the body is found or someone is tracked down who saw the person shot and buried or that sort of thing. But the women that I interviewed and the vast majority of them had missing people in either their immediate family or in the extended family.RB: Is there a word for ÀœclosureÀ? in Croatian?CAB: That does bear on this question, and I don't think so, to the best of my knowledge.RB: There is an odd way in which we characterize a culture by the words they don't have.CAB: Right. Actually women never explained it to me in that way. They always say it is better to know and interestingly that is a less absolute way of putting it than "closure." Because "closure" implies "that's it, I can move on," Àœshut the door,À? draw that line starkly. I can move forward. For these women, it was more: "This situation is shitty. It would be slightly less shitty if I could know." But they did not fool themselves as to think that it would be good.RB: "Closure" is one of those psychobabble words that is a pseudo-word, except we do believe, or have been impressed, that in this country we can do things that stand in opposition to human nature and experience.CAB: Right.RB: Getting back to the way your stories were accepted for publication, your storiesÀ”if someone asked me, "Do you want to read a story collection on Bosnia, about the war?" I would probably hem and haw. But your stories do validate the notion that in the hands of a skillful writer that any subject can be made interesting readable and compelling.CAB: That was my hope. And the reason why I didn't listen. The thing I kept telling myself was that if I make it good enough, write this well enough, they will have no choice but to be interested in publishing this. I just refused to give up on that point. Any material, if it's treated in such a way that it's good, then it makes all the difference in the world.RB: I was fascinated by the story "Surveillance." A story about a sniper/ photographer. He is kind of a spook and works for the State.CAB: The state apparatus. Exactly.RB: You turned it into such a personal tale even as you show how terrible it would be to live a society like that. CAB: And he clearly feels he has a connection. I wrote thatÀ”one of the reasons was because and it's probably true of other immigrant communities, while there was still communism or socialism or however you want to call itÀ”in the Croatian population in America, Italy and England, Germany there was this very deep-seated fear of Udbah [Unutras?nja Drz?avna Bezbednost], the state secret police. And Udbah infiltrated immigrant communities abroad. There were several high profile murders/assassinations that took place outside of Yugoslavia. And my dad and every person who immigrated during those years, whether it was logical or not, they had this fear of being observed. This fear that there were dossiers on them and their movements were being charted. During the war in Croatia and Bosnia there were re-awakened fears about this because many people will tell you that in many of these countries, not just in Yugoslavia, those state systems were never fully disassembled. The people who were these interrogators, the people who followed people and who roughed up the opposition, were underground anyway and it became very difficult to tease them out even after the fall of Communism.RB: They gravitated toward the seats of power.CAB: Exactly. It's hard to know whether that's a paranoid view of things or there is a grain of truthÀ”probably both. What really fascinated me was what would that look like for that person, not some high level functionary but for some guy. This guy thinks he is an artist but he is not good enough, so he views his surveillance work in some sick way as his art. And I because I am very much against the black and white depiction of people and particularly when we talk about human evil and if it were only that simple then maybe we could do something about it. But it's not. To me it is very clear that you can have people who are going into Bosnia raping and murdering and putting in detention and they could go back to their homes and villages and farms and hug their wives.RB: That does fall under the rubric of Àœthe banality of evil.À? CAB: What is interesting is the American sense that war is something that happens elsewhere because we draw such black and white in personalities and view things in such stark terms. In the war in Bosnia and Croatia, I worked with many Americans and Western Europeans, and the general prevailing attitude was that this was a defect of a region. That evil could be so widespread and the same personality could be harbored À” again, this idea of the banality of evil. And we are not very good at looking at ourselves in that light. In America, that's where we fall short.RB: You make the point that most outsiders want to say that both sides were equally bad. Massacring seven thousand people was a response to someone else's evil deeds.CAB: Right. Or this was an answer to an earlier crime. And that's wrong. It's not right to paint in black and white to look at these shining examples of humanity versus these evil people. That's clearly facile, and it would be facile in the Balkans, howeverÀ”to my mindÀ”and nobody has ever convinced me any different; and I base this very much on what I saw and experienced. There were vastly different degrees of war crimes that were going on by different sides. What I look at most is the degree to which the governments themselves were complicit in the crimes that were committed. So it becomes right to sayÀ”it is correct to sayÀ”that there were war crimes committed by all sides. Anybody who would say that there was not one soldier in our ranks who did something wrong, that's again clearly facile. But it greatly varies as far as the degree to which this was approved of or even ordered by higher levels And that's something when I was working at The Hague that was something that bothered me, because if we can agree that everyone is guilty and everyone bears more or less an equal guilt, thenÀ”RB: Than no one is culpable. No judgment is necessary.CAB: No one is really guilty and we can all move on and we can have closure. RB: The Hutus and the Tutsis, they are allÀ”CAB: And it's that idea, they are Africans, they are in the jungleÀ”these awful racist beliefs that people have.RB: And so the African genocides were [and are] way under the radar.CAB: Completely.RB: The stories in Stillness, are they a collection or did you write them over a period of time and select a few for the book? CAB: I have quite a few other stories. It happened in that period all of the stories that I wrote one way or another had to do with that region or the war. That was very much my focus. And therefore it made it easier later when I thought, "Hey, I should make a collection." I never wrote the stories with the idea of a published collection. It just happened that I couldn't write about other subjects. Those were the things I wanted to write about.RB: Maybe it's obvious but you could have put Stillness at the beginning, the title story at the beginningÀ”is it the conclusion for you.CAB: For me it's the beginning and the ending. If I could have gotten away with putting it two places I would have. For me in many ways Vukovar was the beginning. It was not in chronological senseÀ”there were situations that happened before that. It was the first time in that war, in 1991 that things became clear in terms of what the Yugoslav army and paramilitary groups were willing to doÀ” that they were willing to massacre. They were willing to manipulate the media in the way that they didÀ”and they did grotesquely. I talk about it as the test. That rump Yugoslavia À” Serbia was able to effectively gauge the response they got about Vukowar [ was a thriving home to 50,000 Serbs and Croats before the war. Now, fewer than 3000 survivors remain] and Osijek was, "Oh, that's really awful but what can we do?" If there had been a different response, at the very beginning there would never have been war in Bosnia. RB: I must confess that I was capable of being as stupid and oblivious as anyone else. I was aggravated about any attention being paid to Yugoslavia because I was upset about Central AmericaÀ”I saw it as racist that there seemed to be more concern about white Europeans thanÀ”CAB: There was not much care about the Europeans, as it turns out. And generally I agree with you about Latin America; Bosnians and Croatians thought that their European qualities would save them. It's similar to what happened with the tsunami. Had the stories been only about the local populations, I am not sure that there would have been the response that there was. But so-and-so was on vacation and we can all imagine that and sympathize with that. In Croatia and Bosnia they thought, "People will see we are hard working people and we send our kids to school, we drive our cars the way they drive their cars in Italy just across the water." And they were in for a very nasty surprise. And in Bosnia, IslamÀ”the fact of IslamÀ”was used to a very large degree, which is amazing because Islam in Bosnia is unlike Islam anywhere else in the world, and there seemed top be very little understanding of that.RB: It was a variation on À?the only good Indian is a dead IndianÀ? theme. What is going on with the [Slobodan] Milosevic trial? He seemes to be successful in dragging it out.CAB: He's making a fool out of everybody there. He wanted to call Bill Clinton and he refused to have his lawyer represent him. Then he was going to represent himself. The last I heard, because I haven't followed it much latelyÀ”I washed my hands of it. I think he has a heart condition and for a while they were checking him out and seeing if he was fit to be on trial.RB: Well, that's a problem because the U.S. refuses to become a signatory to the International Court, and when the spectacle of that trial is shown, it diminishes the ICC [International Criminal Court]. On the other handÀ”CAB: À”it's disgusting that we aren't willing to participate. In Kosovo, after the war, there was the case of a guy, an American soldier named Ronghi, and he raped and murdered an eleven-year-old Albanian girl, threw her body in a field. And I never heard anything after that. He may have been court marshaled but whatever he got was a slap on the wrist. And that's really wrong.Editor's note: Reader Michael Moore corrects us, "In fact, Staff Sergeant Ronghi was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole."RB: So you are teaching now?It's similar to what happened with the tsunami. Had the stories been only about the local populations, I am not sure that there would have been the response that there was. But so-and-so was on vacation and we can all imagine that and sympathize with that. CAB: No more human rights/translating/archaeology, none of that. Right now I teach and I write and it's a good balance.RB: What city is Kenyon College in?CAB: It's in a very tiny town called Gambeer. It's smack in the middle [of Ohio], an hour and a half northeast of Columbus. Cincinnati is three and a half hours, Cleveland is two in the other direction.RB: Are you surprised that I know or care anything about Ohio?CAB: [laughs] Most people do notÀ”RB: I grew up in Chicago, so the Midwest in not a foreign land to me.CAB: There's an article in [March 2005] Vanity Fair about Kenyon [because] of the election, because it boasted the longest lines in the countryÀ”eleven hours my students waited to vote.RB: Did you see the troops of writers that came through Ohio? Steven Elliott and Nick Flynn?CAB: I didn't see any of them, but a group did come to Kenyon College and had a rally. I saw John Kerry when he came and we all showed up and waved our signs. There were a lot of people who came to the state. The Vanity Fair article raises a lot of questions. There are many outstanding questions about Ohio and how things went.RB: I recently saw the documentary Unprecedented, which was about the Florida electoral debacle. And I was beyond amazed that the issue was dealt with in this way and that whole country did not demand a better process for resolution. I can't say what the truth was but the way the issue went away so quicklyÀ”it wasn't dealt with.CAB: Just like in Ohio, just like this. What the article talks about and at the time a lot was not made of this factÀ”in Cleveland, in districts that were working class or had greater numbers of non-whites registered to vote, the lines were impossibly long. People could not afford to take off work and many people ended up having to leave the lines. At Kenyan there were all sorts of games being played through the Secretary of State's office, telling the students they were not allowed to vote there, all sorts of things because they knew they would vote Democrat. What amazes me is how quietly everybody, afterwards, has gone back to business as usual. To a certain extent we need toÀ”what 's the alternative? But I can't believe that they didn't figure out the voting machines between the last time and this time. Four years they had to figure things out. According to the article there are some very specific things that should be investigated.RB: So you have left you troubled youth behindÀ”you're teaching?CAB: I did, I did. Happily, I'm not so sure. I miss New York.RB: Now the tortuous life of being a writer. What else do you see in your future?CAB: Writing some more. To tell you the truth and I am writing a series of articles about it now; the thing that interests me right now is this American moment that we are living in. It's as significant as anything else I have written about. And the fact that one of the stories I wrote a few weeks ago is about a translator in Iraq. I don't know if you saw the news story about the woman who was in the interrogation room and was translating for these American soldiersÀ”and they can't figure it out, but it seems that soldiers were joking around and one pulled out his pistol and shot her in the head. Then tried to cover it up [this story has recently been accepted in the forthcoming second volume of Stephen ElliottÀ™s Politically Inspired anthology.] RB: Yow. No, I hadn't heard that one.CAB: There was almost not a blip about this. You can find it if you go to Reuters. The Washington Post had something about it because she did some translating for them. But it went so far under the radarÀ”to me that's unbelievable.RB: Writing a story?CAB: A fiction, but inspired by this. Having to do with something like this that could happen. So that's what I am working on right now, and being in Ohio is not a bad thing. I'm there on a limited contract. I'll go away in May and come back for one more year. It's not right to construe the state [Ohio] as everyone thinks this way. It's far more complicated than thatÀ”there are variations of people that are there. But I still think there are a lot of things happening there that are very disturbing, that are trends demonstrating, at least to me, the direction in which we are headed. I'd like to write about those things.RB: What about a novel?CAB: I am also working on a novel. I have the ideas for a novel and I would like to write a novel. I am done with the war. Between the Stone Fields and Stillness I did what I wanted to do with that and said what I wanted to say. I have alsoÀ”not come to terms with things, but time has passed and it's always going to be important to me, and probably in some way I will always write about it, but I am also ready to talk about other things. I would also like to write a book about immigration, write a novel about immigration from a woman's point of view who comes to America in the post-9/11 world, and who comes as an illegal immigrant.RB: I look forward to it, and I hope we meet again.CAB: I hope so.Robert Birnbaum, a bookish journalist, was born in Germany, grew up in Chicago, lived for too many years in Boston. He is editor-at-large at Identitytheory.com and something or other at The Morning News. He lives in New Hampshire with blonde Labrador, Rosie. Thanks for asking. Note: Featured author in November 2000E-mail: reddiaz@aol.comhttp://www.identitytheory.com/interviews/birnbaum159.php   letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 24 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4913/1/E-A-slice-of-Croatia-in-the-heart-of-Kuala-Lumpur.html A slice of Croatia in the heart of Kuala Lumpur By NG WEI LOON THE Uptown Place, or ÀœLittle CroatiaÀ? as it is affectionately known, is intended to display the Croatian culture, tradition and hospitality to locals as well as foreign visitors. The Croatian ambassador Zeljko Cimbur, who launched the club, said the Croatian embassy endorsed and supported the idea of having a Croatian club as a meeting place for all. ÀœWe have left our bitter war memories behind us to move forward. We want to build a good relationship with Malaysia as we see the potential of developing bilateral ties,À? Cimbur added. Although the outlet's co-owner Erwin A. Jullius has assimilated well into Malaysian society, he wanted to introduce the traditional and cultural identity of his roots. Jullius (left) and Cimbur at the launch. The 33 year-old, who originated from Croatia has been residing here since 1994 working in the food and beverage industry. He has married a Malaysian Chinese from Malacca and even obtained Malaysian citizenship two years ago. He spent his first six months in the country staying in rural villages to adapt to the Malaysian way of life. ÀœIt helps a lot to understand the local culture. Given the opportunity, I am dedicated to learn. ÀœI would also like to share my experiences with others,À? said Jullius, who converses in Bahasa Malaysia and Hokkien. ÀœGreat ideas come naturally to me. But, my biggest obstacle is to find the funds to realise these dreams,À? the father of a five year-old girl and two year-old boy added. The simple establishment at Changkat Bukit Bintang started its operation in October last year. It was a result of JulliusÀ™ business partnership with an English lady Erika Maitland. The warmth and friendliness at the drinking joint makes it a melting pot for patrons from different backgrounds and cultures. It offers Croatian liqueurs like Travariea and Pelinkovac along with the soothing tunes of Croatian romantic and folk songs sung by the legendary Oliver Dragojevic 'u Areni. Niell Hogg, who is a regular, said the place has the ability to draw people together. ÀœJust look around, itÀ™s easy to start a conversation and share experience with others,À? said Hogg, who works as an IT consultant. English tourists Michael Parkinson and Paddy Lawler, who arrived in the city as a stopover before Australia, were also seen having a good time there. Some of the 50 members of the CroatiaÀ™s folk dance ensemble Lado led by general manager Ivana Lusic who were in the city to perform as part of its Asia Pacific tour were also present at the launch. The group established in 1949 presents traditional Croatian regional dances. Mireal Coko, 29 from Singapore took the opportunity to mingle around with the members of the group. ÀœI grew up abroad. But, I am a Croatian at heart. The Lado represents Croatian heritage because of its originality in dance choreography, musical instruments and costumes,À? she said. http://metro.thestar.com.my/news/2005/5/10895295.html  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 20 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4912/1/E-Captivated-by-the-plant.html letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 20 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4915/1/E-Nancy-Lucey---My-parents-were-immigrants-from-Croatia.html ÂMy parents were immigrants from CroatiaÂMoms' closets hold life's lessonsBy CHRISTINE COXTribune Staff Writer ÂNancy Lucey of South Bend was amazed to discover her mother's wedding veil and shoes, as well as wedding photographs of her parents, while cleaning out their house after their deaths. Her mother, Nancy, whose maiden name was Stipulin, married Lucey's father, Joseph Brozovich, in 1925. Tribune Photo/BARBARA ALLISONÂDarlene Johnson and Shannon Stuart with Levi, 3 months. Shannon hired a private investigator to find her mother's birth mother. Tribune Photo/SANTIAGO FLORESA frosting flower from a decades-old wedding cake. Strappy high heels stacked in their boxes. A life lesson in giving even when you have next to nothing.Mothers' closets held them all.In honor of Mother's Day, The Tribune invited readers to share stories of their mothers' closets, jewelry boxes and other places moms claim as their own. The 11 women who responded had childhoods wealthy enough for nannies and poor enough for only one family closet. One story revolves around a dance band; another is tied to an oval window.In every piece, the writers cherish the discoveries they made about their mothers, themselves and life through a closet door. Here is the first:Romance and love were two words not frequently mentioned in my childhood home. My parents were immigrants from Croatia who worked diligently to provide for my two older brothers and me. Tasks were completed because it was expected of us.It wasn't until my parents had died, Mom in 1978 and Dad in 1987, and I was cleaning out their home, that I thought about them as young people in love. In a box in an upstairs closet, I was startled to find my mother's wedding veil, her shoes, and a remarkably preserved wedding cake flowerette made of frosting.In another box, I found their wedding pictures. Here they were young, beautiful people celebrating their marriage with friends and relations. My mother was wearing the wedding gown she had sewn herself. My father was dapper in a black suit with white bib and tie, a small boutonniere tucked in his jacket.I sat back, when I found the box, to think about my parents as young people in the blush of love. My mother was 35 when I was born, my father 40. I had only known them when they were middle-aged and older, working constantly.-- Nancy Lucey of South Bend on her late mother, Nancy Brozovich http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2005/05/08/local.20050508-sbt-FULL-A1-Moms__closets_hold_l.sto letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4914/1/E-They-sing-it-in-Croatian-but-they-dont-understand-a-single-word.html ÂThey sing it in Croatian, but they don't understand a single wordObserver-ReporterSaturday, April 30, 2005Visit reveals traditions of Cokeburg to Croatian reporter By Lada Kalmeta COKEBURG – "I'm crying, my dear mother ... I'm crying because he first kissed me, but then he left me ..." Tens of voices sing this song loudly and emotionally in this little Washington County town. The song is written in the Croatian language and they sing it in Croatian, but they don't understand a single word. People from Cokeburg sing hundreds of Croatian songs, and during every performance they seem to understand perfectly every word they sing, but it is not so. "They wrote down words of every song and they learned it by heart. But they never ask for the meaning of those words. They just sing. They love it," says Marlene Luketich-Kochis, who leads this Cokeburg group of singers. Members of the group don't only sing, they perform their ethnic dance and play instruments called "tamburitza." The word tamburitza is Croatian; there is no English translation for it, as tamburitza was invented in Croatia and brought to the United States almost two centuries ago. Immigrants left the coal towns in this area after all the coal was mined. By 1950, all coal mines in Cokeburg were already closed, but this town, inhabitated by Croatian immigrants and their descendants, still exists. People didn't leave Cokeburg. Now, 705 inhabitants live there, and the average age of residents is 42, which proves that many young people with children have made the decision to stay here. Why is it not the case in any other coal towns? If we say that people in Cokeburg carry on old Croatian traditions by playing tamburitza and singing old national songs, we still haven't reached the only real reason why they still populate Cokeburg. The fact is that they maintain customs which in Croatia are already forgotten. They are the only group of Croatians in the whole world who keep certain rituals, particularly with respect to St. George. Moreover, because only Cokeburg people keep these traditions, Croatian people from all over the United States – and even from other parts of the world – come to Cokeburg to participate in special ceremonies. Cokeburg resident Marlene Luketich-Kochis, in back, recently shows her collection of Croatian costumes and dresses to Lada Kalmeta, a Croatian reporter interning with the Observer-Reporter. (STAN DIAMOND/O-R) "This is the reason why Cokeburg is full of life," explains Bernard Luketich, the mayor of Cokeburg. "Croatian people came here before World War I only from one region in Croatia, around the town named Ogulin. There is a village near Ogulin, called Zagorje Ogulinsko, and particularly from that village came the most people in Cokeburg in those early years. Today in Zagorje Ogulinsko in Croatia, everything changed, and they didn't keep old traditional habits. We did, so Cokeburg became the host town for people from all over the U.S. who originally came from Ogulin and from Zagorje, and they are coming to Cokeburg to participate in our common celebration." The celebration of St. George takes place in Cokeburg every year on April 23 and 24, when Americans and Canadians who trace their ancestry to Ogulin, Zagorje Ogulinsko and other Croatian villages come to Cokeburg. The celebration, with old Croatian costumes and old rituals, the procession and the blessing of a special cake in the church cannot be seen anywhere else in the world, not even in Croatia anymore. "In our club in Cokeburg, where we dance, sing and play tamburitza, we have people from 5 to 85. Everybody must learn to play tamburitza and to sing Croatian songs, although they don't know the language. That keeps us together, and that marks us as the only Croatian descendants who take care about tradition, forgotten everywhere. There are other Croatian unions in the U.S., but they don't practice this 'old way,'" Luketich said. American and Croatian flags fly above the house of Bernard Luketich in Cokeburg. (STAN DIAMOND/O-R) The church in Cokeburg is closed. People from Cokeburg, who are all religious, have to go to the church in Bentleyville, even for the most important celebration when they host hundreds of people in Cokeburg. The church in Cokeburg closed more than 10 years ago, by the order of the bishop in Pittsburgh. There is no school in Cokeburg, either. Children from the borough go to school six miles away. But their tradition is kept so strong in their hearts, and they practice it so diligently in everyday life, that this little "miracle" of a town will continue to exist in spite of those troubles. Cokeburg will continue to host not only hundreds of Croatian descendants from the United States and Canada who love to be a part of Cokeburg's celebrations, but also many other Americans who like their folklore and who also sing Croatian songs perfectly, without understanding one single word. Lada Kalmeta is a reporter for the newspaper Slobodna Dalmacija in Zadar, Croatia. She just wrapped up three weeks at the Observer-Reporter as part of a training program for journalists from southeastern Europe, funded by the U.S. Department of State.  2005 Observer Publishing Co.Washington, PAhttp://www.observer-reporter.com/286767025108036.bsp  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 05 May 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4916/1/E-Croatian-Wrestler-Played-Hated-Russian.html ÂCroatian Wrestler Played Hated RussianÂJosip PeruzovicÂ"It might be little known that Peruzovic, once a menacing giant, does fund-raisers for children's hospitals and volunteers for charities that help sick children."Ex-wrestler finds code of conduct03/30/05Bryan P. SearsÂFormer professional wrestler and now Baltimore County employee Josip Peruzovic (aka Nikolai Volkoff) is flanked by his manager, Nikita Breznikov, right. Photo by Hans Ericsson. Don't let Josip Nikolai Peruzovic's bad guy past fool you.ÂThis big bear of a man, once one of the most hated men in professional wrestling, is a softy at heart.Peruzovic's alter ego, Nikolai Volkoff, was one of the most disliked professional wrestlers ever to step into the ring. He was so hated, in fact, that a main event bout at Madison Square Garden had to be moved from the end of the card to the fourth match because of safety concerns."We had such a hard time getting out of the Garden," said Peruzovic, 55, now a Baltimore County code enforcement officer. "People wanted to kill you."Known for teaming up with the Iron Sheik, Volkoff angered fans by insulting America and singing a mock "Russian National Anthem" before each match.But few things in wrestling resemble real life.While Peruzovic's mother is Russian, he is Croatian by birth and grew up in the former Yugoslavia.He was on the Yugoslavian weightlifting team until age 18, when he defected after a tournament in Austria.Peruzovic moved to the United States from Canada a year later.He knew he wanted to be a professional wrestler. His grandfather had been a champion in Europe before becoming a bodyguard for Austrian Emperor Franz Josef.But Peruzovic wanted to be a "good guy." It was his manager, "Classy" Freddie Blassy - later known as "The Ayatollah Blassy" - who encouraged Peruzovic to cultivate his bad side."I didn't want to be a mean Russian; I wanted to be a clean guy," Peruzovic, who speaks fluent Russian, said. "But Freddie said, 'People will start to hate you, and you'll make money.'"As the Cold War ended, Peruzovic's character softened his image and he began wrestling with fan favorites like Hacksaw Jim Dugan and Sgt. Slaughter."I told them, communism is over. I did my job. No more bad guy,'" he said.Peruzovic, who retired from the World Wrestling Federation - now World Wrestling Entertainment - in 1995, will add one more line to his pro wrestling career Saturday, when he is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in Hollywood.He was also honored March 29 by County Executive James Smith and the County Council for his career achievements."Josip is an outstanding Baltimore County employee," Smith said in a news release. "It is a true honor to recognize him upon his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame."But any similarity between professional wrestling and real life is purely coincidental.Peruzovic, with his close-cropped hair and bifocals, looks more like a genial grandfather than a pro wrestling antagonist. He has been married for 35 years and is the father of two grown daughters - a teacher and a nurse.He ended up in Baltimore County after meeting his wife in a Baltimore restaurant following a match in Washington."I was hungry and I was waiting for the food and I think she felt sorry for me," Peruzovic said.When he stands and presents his 6-foot-5-inch barrel-chested frame for inspection, it becomes clear that being in a headlock or bear hold is the last place one would want to be.To those who know him, Peruzovic in real life is the guy he wanted to be in wrestling.Since retiring from wrestling, Peruzovic has been a county code enforcement officer, citing residents for not cutting their lawns or keeping their yards and homes up as required by county law.Not exactly a job that wins friends.But Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder, a longtime friend, said Peruzovic has made his mark by "treating people the right way."Once, according to Bartenfelder, Peruzovic was sent to a home in Overlea to write a citation for a homeowner who was not cutting the grass.The homeowner turned out to be an 87-year-old woman with no family and no way to care for her lawn. Rather than write her a citation, Peruzovic came back after work and cut the lawn himself.Bartenfelder met Peruzovic nearly 30 years ago, when Bartenfelder was a boy and saw Peruzovic wrestle."When I first met him (on the Glen Arm farm of Peruzovic's wife's family), I only knew him as a villain, not as a nice guy," said Bartenfelder, mustering up his best pro wrestler bravado. "I didn't know whether to shake his hand or kick his ass."Asked if he could have taken Peruzovic, Bartenfelder said, "I made the right choice."Since their meeting, Peruzovic has volunteered to help on several charitable ventures organized by Bartenfelder - signing autographs and sometimes even more - to raise money from Johns Hopkins Children's Center."He'd take a chair across the head if we needed him to," Bartenfelder said.Peruzovic said that people sometimes recognize him from his wrestling days. Judging form the smile on his face as he recounts stories or Bruno Sammartino and other wrestlers, he doesn't mind reminiscing.Peruzovic isn't done yet. The Glen Arm resident said he plans on running for a seat in the House of Delegates as a Republican in 2006.While he is inspired by other professional wrestlers and weightlifters who have made the jump to politics - Jesse "The Body" Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger in particular - the desire to be in politics has always been there, Peruzovic said."I want to help people," Peruzovic said. "I believe if you do something good it will make you feel good."E-mail Bryan P. Sears at bsears@patuxent.com .http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=659&NewsID=621341&CategoryID=1840&show=localnews&om=1Former Wrestler Honored in Baltimore County Mar 29, 2005 10:00 am US/EasternTowson, MD (WJZ) A Baltimore County code enforcement officer is being honored this week for what he did in his former career. Josip Peruzovic was known for years as professional wrestler Nikolai Volkoff, one of the "bad guys" hated by millions of World Wrestling Federation fans. He's being inducted Saturday into the World Wrestling Hall of Fame in California. And the county will present Peruzovic with a proclamation today designating Saturday as Nikolai Volkoff Day in Baltimore County. Peruzovic defected from Yugoslavia in 1968 while at a weightlifting tournament in Vienna, Austria. He wrestled until the mid-1990s, and began working for the county in 1996. County Council Chairman Joseph Bartenfelder says Peruzovic is the opposite of his wrestling persona. He does fund-raisers for children's hospitals and volunteers for charities that help sick children. ( 2005 CBS Worldwide IncHero's welcome for a wrestling villainRecognition: The man who played bad guy 'Nikolai Volkoff' will be honored this weekend by a hall of fame and Baltimore County. By Anica ButlerSun StaffOriginally published March 29, 2005For nearly 20 years, he played a "bad guy" - a communist sympathizer who'd sing the Soviet national anthem before each of his televised wrestling matches.As "Nikolai Volkoff," Josip Nikolai Peruzovic was the partner of the "Iron Sheik" in the former World Wrestling Federation, becoming possibly the most hated wrestling duo during TV wrestling's rise in the 1980s.But this week, Peruzovic is being inducted into the World Wrestling Hall of Fame and also is being honored by Baltimore County."People used to hate me. Now they love me," he said yesterday.These days, when the 6-foot-4 1/2 -inch immigrant is out on the job as a Baltimore County code enforcement officer and people recognize him, he said, they're always friendly.Still, Peruzovic said he was surprised to learn that this weekend in California, he'll be inducted into World Wrestling Entertainment's Hall of Fame, along with his old partner, the Iron Sheik, and other '80s wrestling favorites such as Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper.Even more surprising to Peruzovic, though, is the recognition he's receiving from the county. Today, in a ceremony at the county executive's office, Peruzovic will receive a proclamation and a council resolution, naming Saturday - the day of the Hall of Fame induction - as Nikolai Volkoff Day in Baltimore County, according to a county spokeswoman.Local honors "It's nice," Peruzovic said, to be recognized for "something that makes people happy."County Council Chairman Joseph Bartenfelder, who will present the resolution, said Peruzovic deserves the recognition."He's a super human being," Bartenfelder said.Peruzovic defected in 1968 while at a weightlifting tournament in Vienna, Austria. He came to the United States in 1970, wrestled with WWE until the mid-1990s, and began working for the county in 1996. He said he never wanted to be a "bad guy" in wrestling. Although he portrayed a Russian as a wrestler, he defected from the former Yugoslavia."In real life, I escaped from communism," he said. But he took the advice of promoters who told him he could make fun of communism by becoming a sort of evil caricature."You have to really believe what you're doing," he said.Good deeds But if others believe that image of Peruzovic as "Nikolai Volkoff," they'd be misled, said Bartenfelder, who has known Peruzovic for 30 years, since the wrestler moved to Glen Arm.It might be little known that Peruzovic, once a menacing giant, does fund-raisers for children's hospitals and volunteers for charities that help sick children."He's always there to step in and do what he could," Bartenfelder said. "And that's the different persona that you don't see if you knew him when he was in the ring. He's a guy who believes in charity. ... He deserves a little pat on the back."http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.wrestler29mar29,1,7311472.story?coll=bal-local-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 30 Mar 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4917/1/E-He-touches-my-heart-and-makes-me-think-of-my-parents-of-their-homeland.html ÂFrom Croatia with love: Jazz win one for the sisters By Phil MillerThe Salt Lake Tribune Sisters Anne Kearns, 85, left, and Mag Curry, 88, devoted Jazz fans, got a special treat on Tuesday night, meeting Croatian Jazz player Gordan Giricek before the start of the game against the Lakers. The sisters are daughters of a Croatian immigrant. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune) The dialects don't quite match up anymore, not between early-20th-century Croatian and the language spoken in the modern Eastern European country today. So it took a few moments Tuesday, a couple of back-and-forths, before Gordan Giricek could communicate with Anna Kearns and Mag Curry. But the octogenarians were finally able to explain to the professional athlete, in the tongue of their childhood, two heartfelt sentiments: Other than family and faith, Jazz basketball forms the fabric of their lives. And they're never prouder than when their fellow Croatian helps the Jazz win. "He makes me think of my parents, of their homeland," said the 88-year-old Curry. "He touches my heart." It's an odd juxtaposition, the worlds of millionaire athletes and retirement-home widows, but sports has always offered fans the opportunity to emotionally adopt players from afar, whether as part of the home team - or just home. Kearns and Curry, who share an apartment at Cottonwood Creek Retirement Home, took the Jazz as their own practically from the moment the team arrived in 1979. "We never miss a game," said Kearns, 85. "We don't do anything else when they're playing. ("Well, maybe bingo if there's a TV," corrected Curry.) We watch on TV, or listen on the radio, without fail. People know not to disturb us." That includes doctors. When Curry was in the hospital last year, her family smuggled in a radio headset so she could follow their team. "My heart aches for them when they lose," Curry said, so it's been a difficult season - though she's pretty sure of the culprit. "I blame the referees," she said. But the children of Croatian immigrants discovered that their connection with Utah's team could become even deeper 13 months ago, when Giricek joined the Jazz in a trade with Orlando. A member of the Croatian national team, wearing a Jazz uniform? "I never imagined such a thing," Curry said. "He's like family." Such are the ties of home. Michael Dosen emigrated from Zagreb to Tooele in 1913, and his eventual bride, Katie, escaped a land embroiled in World War I to join him four years later. Like many Croatians, they found work in the smelters around the community. Eventually, the Dosens had a family, and spoke nothing but their ancestral language in the home. "My mother came alone to Ellis Island, and she didn't speak one word of English," Kearns said proudly. "Not even hello." The daughters lived in adjoining houses in Tooele for 75 years, raising three children apiece before moving together to their new assisted-living domicile in Salt Lake four months ago. Their apartment, decorated in Jazz memorabilia, casts them as the biggest basketball fans in the complex - "We've been big sports fans since we took part in posture parades in Provo in 1932," Curry said - so it must have seemed odd Tuesday when the home's community room included a large throng of Jazz fans, but not the ring-leaders. That's because they were at the Delta Center for the first time together, with fifth-row VIP seats arranged by a friend of Kearns' son Michael. Highlight of the outing: a chance to speak with Giricek before the game. Once the dialects were sorted out, and photos were taken - Andrei Kirilenko and Jarron Collins stopped by as well, adding to the thrill - the sisters asked a favor of their countryman: End the Jazz's nine-game losing streak, please. ''He said in Croatian, 'I will try to do it for you,' '' Kearns said. "I guess he meant it." Guess so. Giricek, in the Jazz's starting lineup for the first time since Feb. 1, came out hot, nailing a couple of three-pointers and scoring 22 points - his best game of the season - to help Utah beat the Lakers, 115-107. "He's doing it for us," Curry said with a laugh. "We should come back." pmiller@sltrib.com http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2618093 letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4918/1/E-Smoldering---Angela-Brkics-Story-in-Washington-Post.html ÂSmoldering Understanding her father -- and his war-ravaged Sarajevo childhood -- meant following his trail of secretsBy Courtney Angela BrkicSunday, January 16, 2005; Page W21The article can be read at:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1882-2005Jan11.html FOUR DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2003, when my family was together for the holidays, a fire started on the first floor of my parents' Arlington home. It moved rapidly across several oil-painted walls, including the one on which our mother had recorded our heights throughout our childhood. This happened in the middle of the night, and we converged on the first floor from different parts of the house, squinting and trying to make sense of the rooms filling with thick, black smoke. My brother, Andrew, pushed his wife, my mother and me out the front door. My father, however, would not be budged. He moved like a sleepwalker, repeatedly filling a kitchen pot with water and throwing it at the flames.My mother had the presence of mind to grab the cordless phone on her way out the front door and dial 911. "Get everyone out of the house now," the dispatcher told her with unfathomable calm. "The fire department is on its way." My father refused to leave, even as Andrew returned to pull him to the front door. I screamed at such a hysterical pitch that the dispatcher asked my mother, "Why is that woman screaming like that?" Later my brother said it was as if our father was in a trance. He did not make eye contact, nor did he give any indication that he heard my screams or Andrew's altogether calmer entreaties. He seemed to exist somewhere beyond our reach, but the intent look on his face made one thing clear: He would not abandon the house willingly. Finally, my brother picked him up and dragged him outside.I SPENT MUCH OF LAST YEAR TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THAT NIGHT. How could my father, an otherwise sane man, have placed his life in such jeopardy? Where was his instinct for survival? Where was the common sense that had helped him survive a world war, communism and the loss of those he loved?My father was born Berislav Brkic in 1929. He escaped Yugoslavia in 1959, unwilling to join the Communist Party and unable to live the silent life that would ensure survival there. He spent two years in Germany as a political refugee before coming to the United States, where he landed in New York with a planeload of other refugees at what was then Idlewild Airport. He had approximately $50 to his name. Immigrants to the United States have tended to remain in communities that speak their language and share their customs. My father, though, did not settle near the Croatian population in New York, nor the ones in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago or any other urban center where specialty stores stocked pickled cabbage or Kras chocolate. New York was too busy for him; he found the height and density of its city blocks suffocating, and the constant throngs of people unnerved him. Almost immediately, he moved to Washington, where his brother later joined him. The way he tells it, they liked the wide boulevards, the low buildings and the cherry blossoms.His was the typical immigrant fantasy of America, and the first few months of his immigrant's life here were typically disillusioning. He arrived before the civil rights movement, when schools and drinking fountains were still segregated. While he was on a trip to Texas, a restaurant refused to serve him because they thought he was Mexican. And although his English was proficient, his early professional life in America was frustrating. A respected radio playwright in Zagreb and a sound engineer for Armed Forces Radio in Germany, he worked as a waiter, car salesman and Peoples Drug Store cashier in Washington.Five years after arriving here, he had changed his first name to Barry, saved enough money to open a film production company in Georgetown and, not long after having made the transition from newcomer to successful U.S. citizen, met my mother, Brigitte, at a District swimming pool. I have often marveled at how my father retained the core of his immigrant's vision of America, even as its edges eroded. When my brother and I were growing up, my father's mantra was: "I left so my children could be free." We invariably met this statement with grins and eye-rolling. Lacking a basis for comparison, we could not fully grasp its meaning. As we got older and began to muse over our future professions, my father pointed to the fact that Americans could choose their own educational paths. A person could work hard and succeed here. It was a cause-and-effect relationship that never failed to astound him.I have heard that Americans move an average of 12 times in their lives, but my parents, neither of them born in the United States (my mother was born in Germany but raised in England), have lived in that same house in Arlington for 30 years. It is not of the best construction and tends to shudder when trucks pass; the ceilings have cracked from those reverberations. Its floors and walls display scars that do not lend themselves to superficial repair; for years children have hung from its banisters and chipped its plaster with airborne projectiles. The family dog (dead two years, his ashes buried in the garden) grooved the wooden floors with his paws during dizzying revolutions around the house. The centerpiece of a hard-won and commonly held American dream, the house is where their children laughed, fought and shouted with thoroughly American accents. It is also a house in which hunger and fear were alien concepts, a feat for a man who had himself been acquainted with both.MY FATHER WAS OBSESSED WITH PROVIDING HAPPY CHILDHOODS FOR MY BROTHER AND ME. The middle-class neighborhood where I grew up was safe, and we had a host of forgiving dogwood trees to climb in our garden. In addition to providing us with the usual consumer trappings of an American childhood, our artistically leaning parents would often make our gifts: wooden dollhouses, a sandbox with benches at each end, a clubhouse complete with skylight, Easter eggs painted intricately with scenes from our favorite children's books.Our father told us that he sometimes dreamed about the happy periods in his own Sarajevo childhood, vastly different from our own. He cannot remember the village in Herzegovina where he was born or the father who died while he was still a toddler, but he remembers the city he moved to as a child. Our photograph albums show him as a slender, dark-eyed boy with a wide smile, sledding with his younger brother in Sarajevo's Veliki Park. Even in the black-and-white pictures you can see the fogged breath and flushed cheeks of the exuberant 9- and 7-year-olds. There are photographs of picnics, of hikes where they gathered wild strawberries and of summer trips to Gradac on the Adriatic Coast. In one of the last, the photographer has followed my then-27-year-old grandmother into the sea, where she floats like a grinning mermaid.Certain events have a way of bisecting time, of splitting recollection between "the years before" and "the years after." The Second World War splits my father's photographs in this way, though we recognized that bookmark only vaguely as we were growing up. There are almost no photographs from the war years, and then, suddenly, my father appears at 16, proudly displaying dark fuzz on his upper lip. In the postwar photographs, his mother smiles only slightly. The man who photographed my grandmother splashing in the Adriatic, her longtime companion and a Sephardic Jew, has been killed in Jasenovac concentration camp.Starting at age 8, I used to pore over the pictures, asking my father a battery of questions. "Who's that?" I would ask, pointing at a pretty, smiling woman with a fur hand muff. "That's your Great-Aunt Katja," he would say. Or, looking at a picture of their summer holidays, "Was that your donkey?" He would laugh. "No," he would say. "They were giving children rides at the seaside."I understood the metamorphic nature of the war from an early age, even if its nuances were beyond my grasp. The equation, though my father never overtly explained it like this, was simple enough: prewar = happiness; war = misery. When telling stories about his childhood, my father vastly preferred to paint the landscape of the former. On the rare occasions that he spoke about the war, he did so in a controlled staccato. Only very rarely would he elaborate, revealing his family's methods of survival. My favorite story details my grandmother's clairvoyance or, perhaps more exactly, superstition. One morning before a round of air raids in 1941, before the Germans entered Sarajevo, a glass suddenly cracked on the sideboard while my grandmother fed her sons breakfast. When she examined the still-intact glass, she interpreted the jagged fault line as an omen. She bundled them out of the apartment, and a few minutes later a bomb fell in the yard, severely damaging their building."That is why one should always listen to a gut feeling," my father would counsel, after telling this story. "We could have been killed." But I always wanted more. There is no surer way to spark a child's interest in something than by avoiding it in conversation. As I grew up, learning about those years became my obsession, despite my father's reluctance to fill in the story. "Your father will tell you when he's ready," my mother said once, when I tried to extract the information from her instead. It was my mother who grounded him through the years of my childhood, reviving him from depressions, which struck randomly and which frequently manifested themselves as rage. When she married him, it is fair to say, she married his history as well. But she respected his right to privacy about it.There is only one story from the war years that I knew as a very small child, and it is one I overheard him tell other adults at a dinner. I had been playing underneath the table, and I don't think he knew I was in the room. On a foggy winter morning when he was no more than 12 or 13, he was walking down a tree-lined promenade in Sarajevo when a boot suddenly loomed out of the mist, at eye level. He looked upward to see that the boot belonged to a man who had been hanged from a tree. When he looked around in panic, for the first time paying attention to his surroundings, he realized that other men and women were hanging from the trees. Although I knew that the story had not been intended for my ears, I pestered him for the details in the days to come. Who were the people? I wanted to know. And what had they done? It is doubtful that I would have understood the idea of wartime reprisals against civilians, but I had an acute sense of my father's uneasiness when he brushed the questions away.LIKE MANY OTHER ADULTS WHO SURVIVED LEAN WAR CHILDHOODS, my father cannot bear to throw anything away. On a visit home several years ago, I caught him going through the wastepaper basket in my room. He was extracting a pair of headphones I'd accidentally put through the wash. They were waterlogged and completely ruined."What on Earth do you think can be done with those?" I asked him in annoyance. "Besides, they were only a few dollars!" He shook his head, grumbling about a generation that knew only waste. Modern American life was soft, he would tell us, and if we were forced to make do with nothing, even for a little while, we would understand his logic.The headphones joined the magazines, junk mail and old clothes intended for Goodwill but intercepted at the last moment. Together with broken-off pieces of old typewriters, metal fans, cables and eyeglasses that, to my eyes, looked hopelessly beyond repair, they filled boxes in the basement, attic and garage. My mother, a firm believer in organization, would insist on a "spring cleaning" every few years but with little success. She had picked a husband with no love of minimalism or having yard sales.And, although our parents never subscribed to the "force-feeding" school of child rearing, wasting food was considered shameful in our household. Our father would tell us at the dinner table, "Take only what you know you can eat." It was an utterly reasonable request, and when I did not comply, ambitiously helping myself to something I couldn't eat, he would look at my plate unhappily. He would look at my plate unhappily and then proceed to finish my food, whether he was hungry or not.Once, he found a piece of bread I had spread thickly with peanut butter but then thrown away, half-eaten. He dug it out of the garbage can and waved it at me."I know, I know," I told him with the jadedness only a 13-year-old can muster, and then parroted his favorite, enigmatic admonition. "I should 'respect the bread.'"He froze as if I had slapped him. "Try going hungry!" he shouted at me, brandishing the piece of bread as if he had every intention of feeding it to me, and I ran from the room in tears. Several hours later, he told me in an oddly strangled voice, "You'll never go hungry for as long as I'm alive."My father is a powerfully built man, but his legs are as delicate as a bird's, and he has knock-knees. We used to tease him when he bravely revealed them to the world in bathing trunks. Today, I know that his deformities were caused by rickets -- in the war there had been no milk, or fruits or vegetables, either. Once, he had ended up in Dubrovnik without ration cards for several weeks while his family helped to smuggle others from Sarajevo. His family had survived on bread the children begged from the Italian soldiers and mussels the size of thumbnails that they scraped from the city's piers.On a vacation to the Adriatic Coast several years ago, my father and I waded through the shallows, and I pointed out the tiny, conical mussels, which clung to the rocks."Those are the ones," my father told me. "Can you imagine how much work goes into gathering even a handful?"The author in her father's lap at Ocean City in 1973.I remember trying to pry one away with my fingernail. A friend's mother had told me that they can be prepared in a tasty sauce of wine, garlic and parsley. I mentioned this to my father, who shook his head with a grimace."Never again," he told me. "I couldn't eat them ever again."MY FATHER WANTED, AT ALL COSTS, TO PREVENT US FROM BEING SAD, and he tried to intercept any situation that would grieve us, no matter how mundane. When the Washington Redskins were not winning championships in the late 1970s, he switched allegiances without batting an eye, steering my then-very young brother toward rooting for the Dallas Cowboys, who were building their own football dynasty in those years. In his enthusiasm for backing a winning team, he didn't even consider the ramifications of sending his son to a D.C.-area school in a Cowboys sweat shirt.When I had a nightmare at a slumber party (which I'd been allowed to attend only after a lot of pleading), I roused my friend in the middle of the night. She tried to persuade me to go back to sleep, but I only thought wistfully of home. I knew that my father would pick me up, and I tiptoed into the kitchen, where I dialed our number.My father's voice on the other end was groggy, but it also had a worried edge to it. He hated when my brother and I spent the night at friends' houses, citing such hazards as faulty smoke alarms. "It's ridiculous," he would finally say in his last-ditch attempt at protest, "to sleep on a stranger's floor in a sleeping bag when you have a perfectly comfortable bed at home."When I whimpered into the phone that night that I wanted to come home, his only response was to tell me he'd be there in 15 minutes. He didn't even scold me in the car.My brother did not pay much attention to the ribbing he received in school for his Cowboys paraphernalia, and I limited my slumber party requests to one or two friends whose families my parents knew well. But there was one issue over which my brother and I were locked in continuous battle against our father: our desire for a dog. It was the one thing we most wanted, and it figured prominently in our "Dear Santa" letters year after year. By the time we wore him down, we were both teenagers."No dog," he would shout for years to put an end to our whining. "Not in this house!"His reasoning was curiously specific: "Dogs die, and that would make you very sad.""People die, too," I pointed out once."Yes," he said reasonably. "But dogs die seven times as fast."Later, my mother told me the truth, "Your Dad had a dog once." And so, at 10, I learned one more detail about the war: My father had found the bloody body of his dog, a German shepherd named Lux, after an air raid.The clues were scattered through my childhood like bread crumbs.IN 1988, WHEN I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL, my father covered the anniversary of Kristallnacht at a Maryland synagogue for the Voice of America. The ceremony included a performance by Flory Jagoda, a Washington-based Ladino singer from Sarajevo. Many of her songs recalled the city my father had also known in his childhood, and, while he could not understand the Ladino words (Ladino is a Sephardic Jewish form of Spanish), he followed along with the translations in the program and sat through a recitation of the kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead. He understood even less of the Hebrew prayer than he did the Ladino songs, but something shifted inside him as he listened to it.When my father returned home that night, it was clear to all of us that something had changed. In the days that followed he told us about the German occupation of Sarajevo and the Independent State of Croatia, about the abrupt end of prewar happiness. The telling of this history is a process that has lasted years.Josef Finci, my grandmother's companion, had evaded 1941 deportations of the city's Jewish population by hiding out in the apartment where my father lived with his mother and brother. Months went by before someone informed on Josef, most likely the man hired to forge documents for his escape. On a day when my father was playing soccer on the street with other neighborhood boys, a Black Maria patrol car pulled up in front of his building on Brankova Street. "And that," my father told us, "was that."This was, of course, only the barest of outlines. Each year my father has filled in the details a little more. When the Black Maria pulled up, "that" was obviously "not that." My father turned around to see the hulking vehicle, and he knew that it likely meant Josef's discovery. He also knew that the penalty for hiding a Jew meant death. In the months before the police raid, he and my Uncle Frank had mapped out an entire escape route for Josef, complete with a rope with which to swing to the neighbor's balcony a floor below. My father and Frank loved films with swashbucklers who always made daring escapes, and the plan was the stuff of young boys' dreams -- a cross between Tarzan and an escaping Pimpernel. On the day of his arrest, however, when the police began beating on the door, Josef froze. After months of near-incarceration in the apartment, it is doubtful that he would have been strong enough to lower himself down the rope. Or, perhaps, he simply knew there was no hope of escape. When the police entered the apartment, my uncle, then only 10, was trying frantically to push Josef toward the balcony.Josef was sent to Jasenovac, and my grandmother, a Catholic woman accused of harboring a Jew, spent several long weeks in Beledija prison, narrowly escaping execution and clinging to the story that she and Josef had concocted in case of discovery: My grandmother had entered into a tenant-landlord agreement in which Josef had rented a room from her, not revealing that he was Jewish. Evidently, Josef clung to the story just as fiercely as my grandmother did, though it could save only her and her children at that point. He was killed in Jasenovac, machine-gunned against a barbed-wire fence in a camp uprising at the very end of the war. My family learned this detail from his surviving sister, Nela Pinto, years later. My grandmother never knew it. At the end of the war, as survivors trickled back into Sarajevo, Josef simply failed to materialize. According to my father, that is how she eventually knew he was dead.In 1963, after a lifetime of hardship, my grandmother attempted to hang herself. My father found her before she succeeded completely, but the incident left her an invalid, and she died five years later as a result of that botched attempt.WITH THE FIRE BLAZING IN OUR HOUSE, my father and Andrew did manage to douse most of the flames. "There's nothing we can do now until the fire department gets here," my brother finally told him, but still Dad would not be moved. When my brother picked him up and half-carried, half-dragged him from the house, he pulled our father's elbow slightly out of joint. I was watching from the house's front steps, and I registered the sudden expression on my father's face: a combination of shock, annoyance and pain. It was as if our sleepwalking father had finally regained consciousness.By the time the Arlington County fire engines roared up, we were all shivering on the street in pajamas and bare feet. We made lists in our heads: the things that were expendable vs. the things that we could not bear to lose."The photographs," my mother said. "Just the photographs."The firefighters knocked through the walls to make sure the flames were not hiding and preparing to re-ignite. They wrapped us in blankets and gave us their gloves to keep warm. They were gentle with us, and respectful toward my father, who even managed to joke with them, offering soot-covered Christmas cookies, baked that afternoon and left cooling on racks on the kitchen counter.The house was, for the present, uninhabitable, and although my father insisted that we could manage, the firefighters were equally adamant that we spend at least that night somewhere else. "The fumes are toxic," they pointed out. "Tomorrow, you can come back and start cleaning up."My father and I filled out reports with the fire marshal. I don't remember what I wrote, but I do know that my hand was shaking as I signed it. I could not erase the sight of my father dumbly refusing to leave the house, or of my frantic brother's 6-foot-4 frame nearly obliterated by smoke. I was less frightened than I was angry, and as we drove away from the house, I exploded. "Who cares about the house if you'd died?" I shouted at my father's profile, which seemed to have aged rapidly in the space of a few hours. "A house can be replaced. It's a thing."He looked at me unrepentantly, as he has more or less continued to do in the year since then whenever the subject arises. "Don't be melodramatic," he told me. "I've been through worse."Courtney Angela Brkic, the author of The Stone Fields: An Epitaph for the Living, teaches at Kenyon College in Ohio.  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Wed, 19 Jan 2005 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4919/1/E-Boris-Miksic-a-North-Oaks-residents-dream-for-Croatia.html ÂA North Oaks resident's dream for CroatiaBoris Miksic fled his homeland 30 years ago to start a new life in Minnesota. Now he is a long-shot candidate for president of that country.BY MARY BAUERPioneer PressPersonal wealth has distinct advantages for political underdogs. One, you can fund the campaign. Two, you can claim the high road against special interests and bribes.North Oaks resident Boris Miksic is counting on both benefits, spending millions of his own money in his quest for the presidency of Croatia."A guy told me the other day that he'd vote for me because I have enough money that I won't have to steal," Miksic said.Kickbacks are common in Croatia, he said, and some candidates see national public office as the road to self-enrichment or to lucrative government contracts for their own companies.As he ticks off Croatia's strengths - vast stretches of Adriatic Sea shoreline, natural resources and an established manufacturing sector - it's clear he never really left home."If I can fight off corruption, Croatia is on its way to becoming the most successful nation in Europe."Building Croatia's economy is the chief platform for Miksic, 56, who has spent most of the past two months in the country he fled 30 years ago. His returns to Minnesota to see his family and to touch base with his business in White Bear Township are brief.With the Jan. 2 runoff election bearing down on him, Miksic has no time to spare. In a field of six candidates, the most recent official polls give him just 5 percent of the vote. The top two candidates will advance to the final vote.The leading contender is President Stjepan Mesic. If Mesic wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the runoff - a possibility, according to polls - he returns to office without a runoff.Miksic bristles at comparisons to Ralph Nader, who, like Miksic, ran as an independent.He discounts the official polls as biased, and said his own poll gives him 14 percent of the vote. Informal polls by radio and TV talk shows rate him even higher, he said. And, he points out that Mesic won the 2000 presidential election after a similar start in the polls.Miksic takes a recent break-in at his Zagreb offices as further proof that his star is rising. Thieves stole computers that held campaign materials."It's a sign we're becoming dangerous," he said.But his larger opponent remains recognition. His standing is shaky even among Croatian expatriates living in Minnesota, who are allowed to vote in Croatian elections.Biba Stefnovski, 33, a recent emigrant from Croatia living in Forest Lake, said Miksic is an enigma.Her Croatian friends in the Twin Cities and relatives back home know his name, but not much else."I talked with my mom and dad," she said. "They say he has no chance in Croatia. People don't know much about him."Miksic is trying to counter that with 17-hour days of speeches and appearances. He's also handing out a half million copies of his book "American Dream: A Guy from Croatia," which details his rags-to-riches story. "I think the fact that I succeeded in the largest economy in the world works for me," he said.Miksic came to the United States in 1974, fleeing what he said was a sure death because of his activism against communism while he was a student at the University of Zagreb in Croatia."I had to disappear or they'd make me disappear," Miksic said.After brief stints working as an engineer for others, in 1977 he founded Cortec, a solvents and chemical company that emphasizes water-based paints and cleaners."I figured I came here anyway, so let's try the American way," he said.The company employs 150 people at five plants in Minnesota and Wisconsin. But Miksic remained active in Croatian politics, acting as an unofficial ambassador. In 1995, he opened the first honorary Croatian consulate in North America, and vehicles with honorary consulate license plates dot the parking lot at Cortec in St. Paul, where the consulate is housed.Miksic said his dual loyalties mirror those of another Minnesota-Croatian ex-patriot, the late Rudy Perpich. After losing his last run at the governorship in 1990, Perpich returned to Croatia, where he worked at getting the fledgling country on its feet.He refused the post of Croatia's first minister of foreign affairs for fear he would have to renounce his U.S. citizenship, a decision that broke Perpich's heart, Miksic said."Before his death in 1995, he told me, 'Boris, someday you should run for public office there.' "Miksic made an unsuccessful run at the Croatian parliament in 2003, but said if he loses this race, he's retiring his political aspirations in his homeland.If elected, he'd turn Cortec operations over to his wife, Anna, the company's vice president of sales and marketing. And after one term, he'd be back in North Oaks."I love this place," he said. "Five years is not too long."Mary Bauer can be reached at mbauer@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5311.  letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Tue, 30 Nov 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4920/1/E-Maj-Andrew-Zdunich---his-mission-a-success-but-his-heart-heavy.html ÂHis mission a success, but his heart heavyMaj. Andrew ZDUNICHThe 36-year-old grandson of Croatian immigrants returns home to Ottawa later this weekMon, August 9, 2004 Soldier leaves with heavy heartUnable to save Afghan girlBy CPKABUL -- Maj. Andrew Zdunich and his armoured reconnaissance troops will never know if they saved a lot of lives during their six-month tour in Afghanistan, but there's one life he didn't save that he'll always remember. On April 5, the commander of the Canadian contingent's reconnaissance squadron spent two frantic hours up to his neck and over his bald head in black sewer water trying to save the life of a three-year-old girl who'd fallen in. He failed. "The only thing I could think about was holding my little girl," Zdunich said yesterday after returning for the last time to the spot, a six-metre-wide ditch and 15-metre-long culvert filled with oily black sewage and garbage. "When I left Canada and came overseas, my daughter was the last little girl that I hugged. Then all of a sudden there was this little girl that I had my arms around and she was dead. "I wanted to have a live girl in my arms again that I could hold that close."The 36-year-old grandson of Croatian immigrants returns home to Ottawa later this week, his mission a success, but his heart heavy. Of all the lives lost in this war-torn country, and of all the ones he'll never know he saved, there was one he knows he couldn't save. "I don't want to think about how long she was in that water before I got there," he said. Zdunich's 150-member unit from 12 Regiment Blinde du Canada in Quebec are trickling home. A larger reconnaissance squadron from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) in Alberta has begun the transition process, after which they'll take over operations across Kabul and beyond. Yesterday, Zdunich took some of his replacements on a foot patrol through one of his areas of responsibility, walking 8 km in sweltering heat and overwhelming stench along alleys, past cemeteries and through village markets. When it was over, Zdunich took his Coyote armoured vehicle on a detour, returning to the sewage ditch where witnesses summoned him to save the little girl. At least Zdunich returns to Canada knowing his squadron went where they wanted to go, when they wanted to go without enemy resistance, and his troops got through their tour without casualties. Copyright © 2004, Sun Media Corporation / Netgraphe inc. All rights reserved. letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Fri, 06 Aug 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4922/1/E-ANICA-A-MAIL-ORDER-BRIDE-FROM-CROATIA.html ÂAttached is a true story of my aunt from the collection of Croatian Life Stories.ANICA, A MAIL ORDER BRIDE FROM CROATIABy Katarina TepeshAnica was born on December 11, 1919 in the village of Rusnice, Croatia. An unpaved, rough, and narrow road, often chopped and muddied by cattle hoofs, emerges from Rusnice. Local people take a shortcut over the mountains to the nearest town, a mere 15-kilometer hike in one direction. In Rusnice, villagers would great each other with "Bog dej!…God bless!" Their church, "Saint John" was 300 year old. The church bell rung every day at noon. The peasants would stop working for a minute, looked towards the church and crossed themselves. Once a year, a religious festival was celebrated during the most beautiful time of the year in the village. The meadows, not yet cut, were covered with wild flowers and tall grass. The hills of hardwood forests were green and lush. Anica was the oldest in a family of seven children. Her twin sisters died in infancy due to tuberculosis. She spent her childhood working on their homestead, going to church and attending five years of school, taught by Catholic nuns. "In school I especially enjoyed reading poems. That's easy. What was difficult was getting up before dawn to help milk the cows." If the times were good, they had a cow or two. The soft mooing of a cow woke the family up every morning because the cow lived right below the room where they slept. Throughout the year, the women in the family, as it was considered a woman's job, began and ended their day by milking their cow. After milking, Anica took her wooden pail to the kitchen to strain the milk. Some milk they would drink fresh, while some they would let stand to sour in a pot. When they collected enough sour milk, they would heat the pot, strain out the curds, and then salted and kneaded the new cheese into a ball, which they left to dry. Children walk to school, four kilometers one-way. When she had a hole in one of the soles, Anica traced her soles on a cardboard box and put cardboard insoles in her shoes. On holidays and Sundays, her mother would teach her the best way to slaughter a chicken. "You can either wring its neck or chop off its head with a hatchet." Anica rolled her eyes towards heaven and silently proceeded to do what had to be done. She had to learn to cook at an early age on a wood-burning stove and help figure out how to feed the large family. Making bread was especially strenuous on her back. The flour sack and the salt were on the kitchen table. She mixed the ingredients in the large wooden trough and stirred with a wooden spoon carved by her father. Her hands kneaded the dough, beating it hard until it was smooth and shiny. Now and then, she stretched her back exclaiming "Joj meni, joj! ….woe is me!" and wiped her forehead with her sleeve. She divided the dough and placed into the baskets to rise, rinsing her hands in the bucket and dried them on her apron. A nearby creek was cold enough to freeze butter. In the winter, Anica would try to melt snow for washing clothes or dishes. Washing pots and pans was her job.The worst thing in the winter was to use the outhouse. The women had to fetch water every day and wash clothes all year round. These tasks were more strenuous during the winter months. Carrying a bucket of water on one's head from the spring in the valley below, while treading the deep footprints in the snow-packed paths was a balancing act that women had to repeat several times a day. The stove was the heart of the kitchen, drawing family to its warmth. In the spring when baby chicks were born, they lived in a box kept close to the heat.They had dirt floors. Progress in her house meant chopping trees to make the kitchen floor. Then it was her job to scrub it. Her father and brothers had to do heavy work, like plow a field and chop trees to build a cabin for pigs. The family owned a couple of parcels of forested land for supplying wood for heating and raw materials to make tools. They would make wooden rakes or poles for vineyards.Children at an early age would gather mushrooms, berries, and herbs in season to barter for winter shoes or at best, sell to a well-to-do family in town. The easiest job was to sort vegetable seeds. Preparing seeds for planting was done around kitchen table. With kitchen door open, a hen would stroll in with her chicks to peck the crumbs under the kitchen table.Among Croatian peasants, it was always the oldest son who inherited the homestead. The daughters were expected to leave and get married. One Sunday evening, one of the young men from the next village, a little older than Anica, showed up at her house uninvited. He was a little drunk and wanted to talk to Anica's father in private. They stepped outside, under a tree, to talk. "I had a couple of drinks, for courage. I will speak to you directly without beating around the bush. To survive on a homestead, you had to be robust, like Anica. I always see her wearing a well-worn checkered apron which is a good sign." Next thing she knew, her father called her and asked her, "Anica, you are almost 17 years old. Here is an opportunity for you to get married. Do you want to marry this young man?" Surprised and confused, Anica blurted out, "This man barely speaks to me. I only know him from a distance." The young man walked away drunkenly.A life of dreary existence on the homestead was not for her. Anica told her father, "I know I have to leave home because I'm a girl and find work. My goal in life is to work in Zagreb. For me, Zagreb is the center of the universe! I want to earn some money to buy myself a new dress and stockings." She talked about her goal so much, that finally someone arranged for her a job as a family house cleaner and cook in Zagreb. The family she served was well off. They owned a publishing company and had many visitors. Anica learned about shopping at the market, cleaning, cooking, and the etiquette of proper serving. Very slowly, she also learned a little German. For the first time in her life, Anica had her own room. It was tiny, more like a closet, and not much light, but she made it spotless. With her first salary, Anica bought a small wooden crucifix, which she hung on the wall, above her bed. Feeling homesick, she cried herself to sleep every night. Seeing her puffed up face every morning, the mistress of the house said, "It's no use crying. You have to toughen up! I spent the time teaching you how to cook, but the rest you have to do yourself. You have to be more mature and stronger. There are rumors of a war coming. God help us!"Anica was 22 when the Second World War broke out. It immediately affected her as she lost her job in Zagreb. Back home in her village of Rusnice the situation was bleak. When crossing the river Sutla, which she did so often, Anica heard "Halt! Oder ich werde schiessen…Stop or I will shoot!" With a gun pointed at her head by the screaming German soldiers, Anica panicked, screamed and quickly raised her hands. Trembling and crying, she mumbled "Aber, gleich … ganz dringend brauchen das speisesalz..... Ja, ich bedarf das salz….. I'm just going to get some salt for cooking….. I need some salt." Speaking in broken German, the soldiers barely heard her and she was arrested. Thrown in jail for ten days she met a whole group of local Croatians. They all had been punished for breaking the curfew imposed by the German soldiers. Bewildered, Anica kept repeating that she had been on her way to barter or borrow salt for cooking. It wasn't safe to go anywhere. During the war, Anica's family had horrible fights. Everyone was pulling in different directions. They had a terrible time deciding what political groups, if any, they should join. With no jobs and nothing to eat, Anica was desperate for some kind of employment.Outside of the church, after mass, a young girl, Stefica, approached her to offer her a job. Stefica was working as a waitress. With her pleasant smile and shapely, voluptuous looks, she was quite popular with customers. As the German army was moving south a group of German soldiers stopped in the restaurant for lunch. One of them, an elderly German SS officer, Herr Rudolf Wilshofen could not take his eyes off Stefica. "Ich liebe dich…..I love you" he whispered to her. On the spot, he offered her a marriage if she would follow him to Berlin. He promised her a beautiful villa with a garden. He said she could take two maids with her to Berlin to make her life easier. Stefica accepted the proposal and Anica became one of her servants and was employed as a cook. A couple of weeks later, an entourage with the SS officer Herr Rudolf Wilshofen, Stefica, Anica and another cleaning maid left Croatia for Berlin. The girls only had time to take birth certificates but every time they approached a checkpoint, Herr Rudolf kept saying "Ich werde das erledigen….I will deal with this." When they arrived, everything the German said turned out to be true. The villa was huge, with a balcony, a terrace and a nice garden. It was fully furnished. Anica was in heaven with a huge kitchen full of pots and pans as well as fine silverware and crystal glassware. She worked hard but it was relatively easy. The food was plentiful enough to serve elegant seven course meals. The pantry was loaded with smoked meats, sausages, ham, eggs, milk and kilos of flour and coffee. They even had fresh fruit and plenty of bread. Herr Rudolf entertained his colleague SS officers lavishly. Menus were prepared with great care to serve substantial and typical German meals, including appetizers, soup, meat, potatoes, rice dumplings or noodles, vegetables and fresh green salad. Fine German wine, Riesling, was served at every occasion. Anica delighted at making the apple strudel or a mocha torte dessert. She would often say to the other maid, "Well, at least we have plenty to eat and we wear nice gray uniforms and now I have a nice white apron."Her knowledge of broken German came in handy. Learning proper German was hard for Anica. Grammar especially, gave her a migraine headache. Who could remember the proper usage of the past tense, present and future? She felt frustrated. Herr Rudolf was very strict and meticulous about every detail. When Anica erred, he told her in no uncertain terms "Ich hoffe, das wird in der Zukunft unterbleiben…..I hope this will not happen again in the future." Anica meekly lowered her eyes and mumbled "Nein…. Es tut mir leid…. I'm sorry." One day there was a buzz in the house. Someone said to Anica, "You know, Herr Adolf Hitler will be speaking at a rally nearby. You should go." Anica did not go. Instead, she stayed in the kitchen to make sure that it was spotless, and prepared certain dishes to test. After six months, Anica and the cleaning maid asked Herr Rudolf for vacation time. "Ich brauche Urlaub." Before they boarded the train for Zagreb, they said goodbye to Stefica, who with tears in her eyes said, "My husband sleeps with a gun! I wonder what my future is."The two women traveling on the train got as far as Vienna, when they heard that the Allies had bombed Berlin. The train was halted and they had to wait. Scared, they asked each other "Do you think that Stefica and Herr Rudolf survived?" Tired of waiting at the station, they walked around town. Along the way, Anica and the other peasant girl took a rare opportunity and went to see a movie for the first time in their lives. When they finally reached their village of Rusnice, Anica visited Stefica's family. They told her that Stefica had died during the bombing of Berlin. They lit a candle and got down on their knees to pray in front of a small picture of the Virgin Mary. Crying and consoling each other, they whispered "This is our faith….Takva je nasa sudbina." They could hear the church bell in a sign that yet another villager had died. As a sign of respect, the whole village gathered in the church to pray for the dead. "Majka Bozja spasi nas….God save us."The price her family paid during the war was high. Anica lost her brother Milek who joined the Croatian Home Guards or "Domobranci." A German soldier shot her brother, while the "Domobranci" were trying to liberate their hometown of Rusnice. Medic removed the bullet, but the wound become infected. With high fever and no medication of any kind available, Milek died 21 years old. Stemming from false rumors that the enemies, the Serbs, were coming to attack Rusnice, her father died from a heart attack.Her younger brother Joza stepped on a mine left by Germans and barely survived. He was an invalid for the rest of his life hobbling around with one leg, one eye and his body full of shrapnel. Anica's sister gave birth to a baby during the war, before she got married. The family was devastated and torn apart. After the war, in 1946, Anica was employed as the chef at a hotel in Zagorje. "I have to lift heavy pots in the kitchen, which is really hard work and the hours are very long. My legs ache, but I'm satisfied to have enough to eat and a free room at the hotel."She met two men Albin and Miro, who were always together. Naïve peasant girl that she was, she would brag to her family about how nice these two men were to her. "Such gentlemen! They never touched me!" While her sisters and school friends were dating sexually aggressive men and getting pregnant prematurely, Anica was left alone and treated nicely. Then one day unexpectedly, Albin cut his wrists. Bleeding profusely, he exclaimed, "I love Miro. I can no longer live without Miro!" Finally, it clicked to Anica that these two men were lovers, just using her as cover. Bitterly disappointed, Anica complained to a friend, who offered to set her up as a mail order bride with a man from America of Croatian descent. His name was Louis. She was told that Louis was born in Zagreb, where his mother was madly in love with her Croatian boyfriend. When she got pregnant, he refused to marry her. Louis was born out of wedlock. Eventually, the mother met a foreign man, who offered her marriage if she would go with him to America, promising to take care of her and her son Louis. She married him, but never loved him. With each year of marriage, she became increasingly bitter. Louis tried to comfort her and became something of a mama's boy. He never married, since his mother did not approve of his choices. Finally, the mother died, when Louis was fifty years old. Now he was free and decided to look for a nice Croatian girl. From the Bronx, he wrote a letter to a distant relative in Zagreb, asking if he knew of any Croatian woman who would have him. Louis attached two photos. A close-up showed a chubby face with a nice smile, brown eyes and a baldhead. The second photo showed a modestly dressed man, with a suit and tie, pleasantly smiling. Short and overweight, he looked non-threatening. Soon Anica wrote him a short letter, explaining that she was a cook, 36 years old and free to marry. She attached a photo showing a plain looking, slightly overweight woman, with a round face, piercing blue eyes and long, brown hair. They corresponded for a while, Louis reassuring Anica that he was fully employed as a mechanic, with an apartment in the Bronx. Shortly thereafter, he mailed her one-way ticket to America. Anica said goodbye to her family explaining, "I just want to have a better life. I am tired of struggling for a piece of bread. We are Catholics believing in God and the Communists, who are without religious faith, run this country. Life is so difficult here and not getting any better for us who are not Communists. Maybe life is better in America." Anica had a lump in her throat when she hugged her mother goodbye. They both cried.She boarded an express train in Zagreb in the early evening. Other passengers on the train slept, but Anica could not. Fidgeting in her seat, she touched her ticket in her pocket every few minutes, just to make sure it was still there. It was drizzling when she arrived in Paris and Le Havre next morning. Carrying a very small suitcase, containing the small wooden crucifix she bought in Zagreb with her very first salary. Besides a couple of blouses, an extra sweater and her underwear, Anica had few possessions. Looking lost, she eventually found her way and embarked aboard a Cunard White Star liner sailing second-class directly to New York. Feeling seasick and throwing up the entire trip, she was counting the days and hours, like a prisoner, anxious to land. Finally, they sailed into New York harbor. As she saw the Statue of Liberty, tears were rolling down her cheeks. She thought, 'Finally I'm here and now Majka Bozja pomogni mi…...God help me." She combed her disheveled hair and tried to straighten her crumpled skirt. It was so windy in the harbor, she had to tie her peasant handkerchief around her head. She was relieved when she spotted Louis's bald head among the waiting crowd. Nervous, Anica's hands were shaking and she trembled when she approached Louis. They shook hands formally and he kissed her on the cheek. The year was 1955. Soon Louis was explaining to Anica how a loaf of bread cost 17 cents and the minimum wage was 75 cents. Dwight Eisenhower was president and Richard Nixon was vice president of the United States. In the south, black people were still segregated. The involvement in the Vietnam War began.Anica and Louis got married at the small Croatian church on West 50th Street in Manhattan the first Sunday she arrived. They hoped their love would grow. It was a blind leap of faith. They settled down in Louis's small apartment, going about their everyday life. Louis was going to work six days per week and Anica stayed at home to prepare meals, do their laundry and keep the apartment spotless. They were only married three months, when suddenly Louis collapsed in the bathroom and tragically died from hepatitis in the Bronx hospital. Anica wrote a long letter to her elderly mother in Croatia notifying her of Louis's shocking death. "I am scared….. I do not speak English and knew no one else in America. Louis left me a little money, enough to pay for the funeral, rent and a little extra to survive…." Her mother wrote back immediately, "You survived so much already during the war…you will have to toughen up to survive in strange land in America…… About the little extra money Louis left you…Well, in the next village and elderly couple died and their children moved to the big city. Why don't you came back and buy their old house and land?"Anica wrote back, "It is difficult for me to be alone in America. I have a dream of getting a job somewhere. I look around and see some people live in nice houses with a car. Most of the people here are nicely dressed….. I pray and try to be strong…. Maybe life will be better for me if I stay here in America."Anica tried to befriend a Croatian family living in the same building, but the husband misunderstood her intentions and harassed her for sex. Overnight, she had to pack up and move to Queens for safety. There she met an elderly couple of German descent, in need of domestic help. She talked to them in broken German. They had an old car, but were too old and too sick to drive. Anica was healthy and strong, but did not know how to drive. Eventually, she found out about a driving school and two months later learned how to drive. Three times per week, she attended night classes, learning how to talk, write and read in English. Anica served the bedridden couple until their last day. In gratitude, they left her an old house, in need of repair. The roof was leaking and the basement was flooded every time it rained. In time, she paid for the repairs and renovation of the house. She even got a tenant, Graciella, a woman doctor from Argentina who worked the night shift at the nearby St. Joseph hospital and slept during the day. Graciella made a perfect tenant to Anica. Working very long hours and sometimes even on weekends, she hardly used the utilities and yet, Graciella paid her rent like a Swiss clock, always on time, never late. Feeling lonely, Anica got herself a dog for companionship and security, to keep away potential thieves. She would walk the dog, Dina, a German Shepard, to the nearby park twice a day. In the winter and during the hot summer days, it was a chore, but during the spring and fall, she enjoyed the walk and changing scenery. Always a hard worker, Anica was employed at the A&P supermarket, in the meat department section, working mostly in the huge, walk-in storage freezer. Her job entailed cutting the meat into small pieces and getting them ready to sell to the customers. The work was exhausting and harmful to her health, but the pay was good, especially when she worked overtime. Her boss had difficulty keeping employees in this particular section due to poor working conditions. One day her boss said to her, "Annie, I like you! You are a good woman and you work hard. I am already married, but my friends from the army, Walter, recently become a widower. Would you like to meet him?" Anica shot back "Why not?" Walter called her and took her to a diner. He looked about average height, with quite a bit of gray hair and thin mustache. "Well, at least he has hair, unlike my late Louis" she told her tenant Graciella later and they laughed. While Walter ate a large meal, Anica only had coffee, insisting "I like to cook for myself at home. As far as I'm concerned, nobody cooks better than me." Walter, seeing how stubborn she was, tried to explain to her the American way, the tradition of dating. After a few more big dinners for Walter, and only coffee for Anica, Walter touched her breasts and tried to lift her long skirt while sitting in his car. Anica would have none of that. "Look Walter! Let me tell you something. I am a good Catholic woman. Sure, on television, I see other people fooling around, but that is not for me. Not until we are married." Three weeks later, they were married at the Croatian church in Manhattan. Anica was 42 years old and Walter was ten years older. The bride wore a beautiful off-white satin dress, accentuating her now slim figure with a conservative below the knee length. She wore a matching hat and a big pink corset. Earlier in the morning, she had her hair cut to shoulder-length in the beauty salon. Early aging signs were visible on her face, with fine lines bracketing her mouth and radiating from the corners of her eyes when she smiled, talked or squinted. In the photo studio, after the church ceremony, Anica put on red lipstick, rouge and a touch of perfume. Walter smiled and winked at her "Yeah, this I like." He grabbed her and kissed her on the lips in front of the photographer. "Oh Walter! Now you smudged my lipstick." Walter took her on a honeymoon to Florida. Sitting on the beach, chain smoking and drinking a big bottle of cold beer, Walter said, "This is the life I want. When the time comes to retire, I want to move to Florida." Anica did not feel like talking. It was too hot and she could not swim. Back in New York, she assisted Walter in running his small business, a fishing station at Rockaway Bay. Anica tried her best to get along with Walter, whose first wife had drowned because she could not swim. Walter gave Anica contradictory orders. "Make yourself useful around the fishing station, but since you can't swim, don't go anywhere near the water." After a couple of years of marriage, Walter and Anica's relationship became tumultuous. One day, a terrible fight broke out. Walter screamed at her, "You are so uptight! I'm your husband, but you never let me see you naked." This was during the wild sixties, when Walter read in the newspaper and saw on television, all kinds of promiscuity. Anica shouted back at Walter, "You are not uptight? That is why you fooled around in the army and had an illegitimate child. I know all about it. Your army buddy told me." "Oh, now you are hitting below the belt" answered Walter disappointingly. "I told you things in confidence, but now you are throwing them back into my face. You are a back stabber." They had many other fights. Working together at the fishing station with irregular hours and most weekends during the summer, coming home achy and grumpy. To get away from Anica, Walter would sometimes take his small boat and take off fishing for cod, blackfish, pollock or sea bass. Meanwhile, Anica was selling fish bait and tackle, while preparing fast food lunches for customers. Mad at Walter for leaving her alone to do all the work, Anica grabbed a $20 dollar bill out of the cash register and stuffed it in an envelope to mail it to her family in Croatia. About a month later, she would get a letter, thanking her and explaining how money was desperately needed for basic survival like food and medicine. At other times, Anica would make a package to be mailed to Croatia. Inside she put a large can of coffee that she bought, several boxes of aspirins, razors, toothpaste, sanitary napkins, and lots of underwear of different sizes for the brutal wintertime. Back came the letter, "May God bless you! Thank you so much for everything, especially for sanitary napkins and coffee. There were times when Anica would receive a letter from Croatia notifying her of some natural disaster on the homestead, like way too much rain, which ruined the crop, or not enough rain, which also ruined the crop. Sometimes they wrote, "We hate to tell you this, but the $20.00 bill you attached in the envelope did not reach us. The mailman or the Communists stole it." During the winter, the fishing station business had to close temporarily and they both complained when no money was coming in and they missed the structure of work. More time they had on their hands, more bickering and fighting followed. Walter would shout at Anica, "You are so complex.""Well, how can anyone live my life without any scars? You never walked in my shoes, you don't know," she would scream back at Walter. Anica was a staunch Democrat, while Walter was a Republican. They argued, each claiming to be right. "Since I'm a Republican and you contradict me by being a Democrat, there is no point for the two of us to vote, because we will cancel each other out," declared Walter. On Election Day, Anica had a plan of her own. As soon as Walter entered the kitchen, Anica announced, "I'm going to make a nice meal for you today, your favorite Croatian dish of marinated pork chops cooked on high heat first and then cooked slowly in beef broth with some garlic and parsley. I started last night with marinating the chops with a little salt, pepper and plenty of garlic. I have all the ingredients at home ready. I will also make a nice green salad and potatoes. I just need to buy sour cream, which I will go to the supermarket later.""Ok. Sounds good. I have to stop by the auto mechanic for him to check the muffler. I will go to the liquor store and pick up a bottle of Grgich Croatian wine." Anica rushed to the supermarket and then drove to the local school where the elections were held. She parked her blue Volvo and entered the crowded room to sign the register and vote Democratic. The curtain in the voting booth opened and out stepped Walter. They stared at each other angrily. Raising his eyebrows, Walter shouted at Anica, "I don't like it, but I suppose I cannot stop you." Anica puffed, waving her hands and hissed, "Well, I should have said this to you at home. Walter, do not bully me! I got my rights! This is not communist Yugoslavia." Next day Walter won when Republican Nixon was elected President of the United States. Anica wanted so much to go on vacation to Croatia, but Walter insisted on going to Florida. She hated Florida. She could not stand the heat. Having hot flashes was bad enough, but heat in Florida was worse, she thought. Things were so bad between them, they separated. Walter retired to Florida, ordering her to follow him. Anica hesitated and agonized, but after a couple of years followed him to Florida. They built a modest house with an air conditioner and fans in every room. Anica decorated the house with country style furniture, lots of houseplants and a crucifix in every room. Just as Anica got used to Florida, Walter got sick and had basal skin cancer surgery. During recovery, in the middle of the night, the doctor called Anica, "Your husband has lung cancer as well. Too late for him, but you should go to the doctor to get a thorough examination. I hate to tell you this, but you need to prepare for the funeral." Anica notified her family and friends, her voice breaking over the telephone. "Well, we had both, good and difficult time during our marriage, but now Walter is gone…. I do not think I will ever marry again. Men boss you around too much and Walter used to tell me that I was bossy. Can you imagine? I just like to have my say every once in a while, that is all." After Walter's death, Anica led a quiet life, attending Catholic Church at Saint Theresa's. She was at peace, except for one thing. She was always afraid that one day Walters's illegitimate child, by now a grown up would show up and try to take her money and house away. She bought herself a brand new car, a blue Chevrolet, and drove around the neighborhood, showing off like a peacock. She took such pride in owning her home. Her hobbies included taking long walks to keep in shape, knitting, crocheting and sewing. Her herb garden was her pride and joy, growing chives, cilantro, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary and marjoram, as well as salads, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onions and garlic. She never got tired of trying to figure out how to grow different kinds of medicinal, culinary, fragrant and ornamental herbs. She delighted in playing cards, UNO, pinochle and gin, and strove to win, going even as far as changing the rules in the middle of a game, anything to help her win. She would get into a shouting match with her friends about the card game, or her political views. She enjoyed watching news and, fiercely independent, reserved her right to vote Republican, as soon as her husband Walter died. "I guess I'm complex and maybe a little rebellious, where Walter was concerned. He tried to tell me what to do all the time. Now that he is dead, I have to admit that I miss him sometimes. Especially, if something has to be repaired around the house." She entertained her friends with delicious cooking and desserts. Chocolate fudge cake and Meringue pie was her specialty. She collected Croatian cookbooks, but never used them, satisfied that her cooking was the best. Anica remembered well how they were starving during the war. She tended to cook little extra, bigger portions then necessary. Her visitors hated when she served them leftovers. Her favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. First thing in the morning, Anica would go to church and pray, "Thank you, God that I no longer have to live in Communist Yugoslavia." She gave a generous donation of $50.00 cash to the priest. Then she hurried home to prepare a feast of roast turkey. She stuffed the bird with a mixture of liver and bread crumbs and roasted slowly. She carefully prepared Croatian style 'mlinci' by combining eggs, water, salt and flour and kneaded it into medium dough. In the oven, the 'mlinces' turned golden brown and later she served them with the turkey. She also prepared cranberry sauce from scratch. When her American friends arrived, they teased her, "Oh, Anica, nobody in America makes 'mlinces' from scratch." "Don't upset me now with talk like that! Let us all sit down, hold hands for a minute and thank God that we have food on the table!" They enjoyed the tender turkey with dressing and salad, asking Anica "Mmmmm, this is really good. How did you make the salad?" "Well, I'm used to people asking me for the recipes. It happens all the time. First, let us raise our glasses of fine Grgich wine to say 'Zivili! To your health'". One of the guests complimented Anica, "We love coming to your home, because we know that Croatians are a warm, hospitable people who enjoy entertaining." Anica was beaming with pleasure, her blue eyes twinkling. In the spirit of peace and friendship, everyone clinked their crystal glasses, imported from Samobor. Life was at its best for Anica."Now let me tell you how I made this vegetarian salad we used to make in Zagorje. It's very simple. I took three cooked potatoes, a medium jar of pickles, another jar of beets, four hard-boiled eggs, a cup of celery and another cup or two of raw carrots. All of this I cut into small cubes, adding 3 large spoons of honey mustard, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 spoons of low calorie mayonnaise. You need to mix really well and here it is for us to enjoy." The guests again gave Anica many compliments, which was music to her ears. A little tipsy, Anica announced "I will make you palachinke with walnuts. Palachinke is easy to do. You need three eggs, a cup of milk, another cup of flour, two tablespoons of sugar, six tablespoons of melted butter, half a cup of sour cream, three tablespoons of powdered sugar and half a cup of sparkling water. In a bowl, mix everything until it is nice and smooth. Heat a skillet on medium heat and grease the skillet lightly. Pour approximately three tablespoons of batter into the tilted skillet so that it is evenly coated. The thinner the coating, the better the palachinka. The trick is to flip the palachinka onto the other side, without flipping it to the ceiling or on the floor." Everyone laughed. As a take-home present, Anica followed the old Croatian tradition that no guest of hers goes home empty handed. Three days before, Anica had prepared in advance her favorite dessert: cream slices or "Kremsnite" which she knew by heart. It reminded her of the time when she was young and used to make them when she was working in Zagreb. She carefully placed "kremsnite" into Tupperware for each guest to take home and return the Tupperware later. As guests would be sitting in her living room lingering with an after dinner aperitif, inevitable questions would come. Pointing towards the wall, where Anica kept her Hummel figurines collection. They would ask "Tell us about the Hummel figurines?" "Well, these china figurines, that celebrate the joys of childhood, don't really represent my childhood. I was raised on a farm where we had to work hard without any luxuries. Actually, there were plenty of days where we did not have enough to eat. I don't like to talk about it, but during War World II, I spent six months in Germany. That was when I saw German Hummel dolls for the first time. They were created in 1935. The old German couple in New York left behind one Hummel, the 'Christmas Angel Figure'. Later when I was all by myself, I bought the little girl figure called 'All by Myself'. When I got married to Walter, may he rest in peace, a friend gave us as a wedding present, the 'Dearly Beloved', 'Good Luck Charm' and 'Love' figurines. Later, after several years of marriage, Walter bought me the 'Monkey Business' figurine. Well, that tells you something about Walter, right? After Walter died, I saw in a store this little Hummel, called 'Secret Admirer,' and it reminded me of my first husband Louis. The little boy 'Secret Admirer' looks lost and that is how I remember Louis, May he rest in peace. Now, looking back, I think Louis knew that he was very sick, but we were married anyway for a short time. Our destiny is all God's will." In 1991 when communist Yugoslavia broke up and Serbs, who are Orthodox Christians, attacked Catholic Croatia, Anica was beside herself watching the nightly news. The war killed 260,000 people and forced 1.8 million to flee their homes. Anica remembered poems from Croatia and recited them easily, even after she reached her 80th birthday. The lines on her face that once reflected joy and sorrow, were now part of her skin's permanent landscape. She noticed some age spots and a couple of discolored blotches, caused by excessive sun from many years ago. Anica would often tell stories about her childhood, spent working on their homestead. Flying by plane from Florida, she visited her old village of Rusnice in Croatia. What she saw upset her greatly. The tools used on the homestead were still primitive. Alcohol abuse was rampant, as was domestic violence. In comparison to her life in America, not enough progress has been made in her village. Some of her distant relatives joined the Communist party and they had a much better life. Rusnice received electricity in 1965, but the village had no sewage system, no telephone service, and no running water. Over the years, Anica contributed more then her share of money to the Croatian Catholic church. She also gave money to her invalid brother who took over the homestead, so that he could build a new house. His family moved into the house, half finished, and never completed it, because he ran out of money. Back home in Florida, Anica continued her daily ritual to pray at least twice per day, at the little altar set up in the corner of her bedroom. She prayed to the Virgin Mary or "Majka Bozja," to thank her for her good life in America. Anica followed her daily routine. The pleasant noise of the automatic water sprinkler system, installed in her garden, awoke her every morning. It was a comforting hissing sound. Getting up in the morning, saying her prayers, eating a bowl of cereal with prunes, raisins and fresh fruit, while watching the birds, usually cardinals, outside her huge living room window. While eating, Anica would make mental notes of chores to do for the day. On a little piece of paper, she would scribble things to buy from the supermarket. Then, while still early in the morning, Anica put on beige pants, fashionable Capri style three quarters long and an open blouse without sleeves to keep her cool in the hot Florida sun. Applying lots of moisturizer and sunscreen to protect her skin and putting on a medium size straw hat, she stepped outside and, holding a large pot of water, she reached into corners where the sprinklers could not reach, to water the plants and her garden. She had lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and fennel growing all the year round.After a quick shower, she would change into a swimming suit and walk through her garden to the neighbor's house. They were visiting their children up north, and had asked Anica to keep an eye on the house in exchange for using their swimming pool. Not knowing how to swim, Anica put on a life belt, stepped into the lightly chlorinated pool and waved her hands and legs until she got tired. After washing her hair, she rested with a cup of coffee and a sweet roll. Driving her car to the shopping area, she stopped at every "Stop" sign, even if she did not see anybody around. There was one time when she did not bother to stop and got caught. Suddenly a cop showed up from nowhere and she had to pay a fine of $45.00. She tried to argue with him, but it was no use. She drove to her doctor for her annual checkup. The nurse took urine, blood and stool samples. A week later the doctor called, "Anica you have to go to the hospital for more checkups. I don't have sufficient equipment in my office." "Look doctor, I forget things here and there. Sure, some people annoy me to the point that I have to tell them off. Last week I did have a big fight with my neighbor, but that was her fault. Ok, so I'm a little irritable and my right shoulder hurts from arthritis, but overall, life is not too bad." Sounding worried and irritated at the same time, she asked "Why are you sending me for additional tests?" "Anica, don't fight with people. My nurse will call you back with instructions to go to the hospital and then we will see."After additional tests in the hospital, x-rays and an MRI, they told her, "We are sorry to tell you that you have lung cancer. This is a slow-growing cancer, but you also have a lesion on your brain which needs to be operated, the sooner the better." "I'm 81 years old. My mother lived until the age of 94. My lips never touched a cigarette, but my second husband Walter was a chain smoker. Do you think I got lung cancer from second hand smoke?" The doctor nodded, "Hmm, probably. Now, we are more concerned with the brain lesion."During the brain operation surgeon found a tumor, the size of a golf ball. The surgeon notified the family. "With this type of brain cancer, tumors grow back rapidly and we don't operate again due to the patient's age. Even if we did operate again, the tumor would just grow back." As soon as she could, Anica made two phone calls. First to her priest, whom she reminded that she spent her entire life praying every day for good health, but that now she was diagnosed with a terminal cancer. The priest made a house visit, gently saying to Anica, "I support the terminally ill, not with the hope of a cure, but with the promise that we are not alone." She made a phone call to her nephew, notifying him, word by word, about her medical condition, "I need to be very direct with you. Let's face it, you are my favorite nephew, always were. Now I need someone to take care of me. Even though you have three sisters and two brothers, I say, let the girls get married and their husbands will take care of them financially. Your two brothers are doing OK, so everything I have will be yours. That means my house, which includes one acre of land, my car, my furniture and my money in the bank."Stunned, the nephew blurted out "I will have to pay inheritance taxes?""What?" Anica screamed at him. "I expected a little gratitude, but all you have to say 'Oh, auntie. I have to pay taxes' she imitated his Croatian accent. "Look, tell me I'm not making a mistake! I'm cutting everybody else out of the will for you. Besides, what is wrong with paying taxes? In America, we pay taxes, but look what we have. Nice hospitals, highways, fire departments, police departments, a court system that works, and a democratic political system that has worked pretty well for two hundred years.""Ok, ok. I hear you. Just don't shout.""You talk stupid, so I have to shout. You make me so mad. What do you want to do? Go back to Croatia? Look where they are, climbing out of the Communist system and compare that to our life here in America? We live well here, no?""Auntie, after all this years in America, you still have Croatian temper." The nephew took a vacation and leave of absence from work, to go to Florida and moved into Anica's house. He tried to take charge, by trying to bring her financial records into some order. Once it was determined that the brain cancer was terminal, he arranged for a visiting nurse. Losing appetite and short term memory, Anica was becoming increasingly agitated, even paranoid. When the nephew tried to pay her bills, he asked for her signature. "NO, this is my money. It's mine and nobody else's!" Anica reached for the telephone and dialed the emergency police number. She shouted into the telephone, "Help. Come right -away. It's my money."A police officer came within 20 minutes, "What seems to be the problem, Madam?""Look officer, they are trying to take my money away. I'm not giving it. It's all mine. Only mine and nobody else's."The nephew took the officer aside and showed him Anica's medical papers indicating terminal brain cancer. "Officer, the doctors explained to me that the medication has terrible side effects, without any guarantee that it will help."As Anica's condition worsened, the nephew approached the subject of a hospice, a place where people with terminal cancers spend their last days. "Maybe it's time to go to a place where you will be more comfortable. The nurses will be monitoring you 24 hours a day."Anica raved and ranted, shaking her head "No, I am not going. I don't want to go to a hospital or anywhere else. You can't make me go."More shouting and hostility followed. Bills were piling up, while the cash was sitting in the bank. "Auntie, we need to arrange for me to get legal papers in order. I need the power of attorney."Angry and screaming with rage, Anica grabbed the telephone and called the emergency number again. "Quick, come right-a-way. I need help. They are trying to take my money."The nephew, feeling frustrated, stalked out of the house. He kept walking in the direction where he knew the police car would arrive any minute. Within several minutes, he saw the police car coming. He waved to them and the police car stopped. "It's my aunt again. She is suffering from brain cancer and is behaving increasingly irrational, even paranoid. She thinks I'm here not to take care of her in her final days, but rather to steal her money." The cop winced, "You know, I'm a police officer during the day and on weekends I'm studying psychology and law. I'm fascinated by the power of money to heal and to hurt, to give and to take away, to charm and to deceive." The police went into the house, looked around, checked the medical papers again, made a report and tried to reassure Anica that she was in good hands. As the police walked out, Anica shouted and called them names. "Lopovi, lopovi….Thiefs, rascals.." Several days later, Anica developed blood-cloth in her legs. "I can't get up from the bed anymore. I can't eat. Maybe it's better for me to be in the hospice."Three weeks later Anica died. Her will was opened and read in front of the entire family. In it, Anica repeated what had been done to her: Because she was a girl, regardless of how capable she may have been, she had to leave home and find a job, or better yet, find a husband, who would support her. The oldest son inherited the farm. Now, at the end, instead of dividing her assets equally among her nieces and nephews, Anica decided to play the final game of division and left everything she had to only one nephew. ****Copyright @ 2004 Katarina Tepesh tepeshk@aol.com Katarina Tepesh is part of the Gotham Writers group in New York City. Before moving to New York, Katarina lived in Croatia. Her writing has appeared in "Zajednicar", "The Croatian American", "CROWN - CroatianWorld.Net", "CanCroAm.TV", "Glasnik", "American Home", "Matica" and "NOW New York City." letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 29 Jul 2004 07:00:00 +0000 http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/4921/1/E-In-Her-Footsteps-Courtney-Angela-Brkic-in-NY-Times.html ÂIn Her Footsteps by COURTNEY ANGELA BRKICAmerican-born daughter of a Croatian immigrantÂThe link below is to a short piece by Courtney Angela Brkic which appeared today July 11th 2004 in the New York Times.Best regards,Katherine Rosichkrosich@erols.com ÂOp-edVery touching, searching for truth and deeper emotions in all of us. Amazingly honest.Bravo Angela. We are all better because of you and your footsteps.NenadLIVES In Her FootstepsBy COURTNEY ANGELA BRKICPublished: July 11, 2004he first thing I noticed about Judy was her flaming red hair. It must have made her a tempting target for snipers as a front-line nurse in Croatia and Bosnia. Her New Jersey accent drew attention, too, in Zagreb, where our paths crossed two months after the war ended in 1995. I was the American-born daughter of a Croatian immigrant, in Zagreb researching its war-affected population. Judy was a veteran of that war. ''For real?'' I asked, completely thrown by this information. ''For real,'' she responded in her indomitable accent. I told my family and friends in Zagreb about her. ''An American nurse?'' they asked skeptically. ''Are you sure?'' They looked at me as if I had announced seeing a yeti in the city center. Finally, one of my aunts decided: ''She must have roots here. Her parents are from Croatia -- that must be it.'' Ancestry, however, had nothing to do with it. ''Nope,'' she told me over dinner, lighting a cigarette and exhaling with an amused expression. ''My mother's family was Lithuanian.'' Judy had followed the beginning of the war in 1991 from America, including the attacks on Osijek and Vukovar, towns laid to waste by the Yugoslav National Army and paramilitary groups. Later, she watched footage of Vukovar falling after a vicious three-month siege. Exhausted civilians emerged from their cellars to detainments, expulsions and summary executions. When she saw the bewildered faces of people forced to leave the city in columns, something snapped in her. She had wanted to volunteer in Afghanistan during the 1980's. Then a recent graduate of nursing school, she was dissuaded by her lack of professional experience and the reactions of horrified family. But she was adamant about Croatia: ''I allowed myself to be talked out of Afghanistan, but not this time.'' A few weeks after the fall of Vukovar, she was attending to the wounded and dying and roaring around in a shrapnel-peppered ambulance. Off-duty, she lived with a family in Slavonski Brod, a city where mortars fell more regularly than rain and civilian casualties remained disturbingly high. To say that I was in awe of her would be an understatement. She was 36. I was 23, but I felt like a child beside her. She was the heroine of books I had read, movies I had seen. I had a secret wish to be her. Judy has a photo album of her days at war, which she showed me soon after we met. She identified the faces the following way: ''He died in February'' or ''A shell fell on him.'' There were two pictures of the same man. ''That's him?'' I asked, looking from the handsome face to the headless torso. ''Yup,'' she said. She would come off the front line after two-week rotations so covered in blood and dirt that gallons of hot water couldn't wash it all away. ''A filth you cannot imagine,'' she said. Judy had been part of a small but fierce contingent rushing to the country's aid, even as others rushed to get out. Some Croatian parents sent their draft-age sons to live with relatives abroad or to study at foreign universities. My father worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the war in America, but he couldn't deny a certain relief that my brother and I were safe.While Judy was on the front line in the early 90's, I was at William and Mary. I worried about relatives in Croatia and on most weekends returned home to Arlington, Va., where my father listened to nightly radio reports, tracking towns as they fell. But like other college sophomores, I lived in a separate reality. It did not occur to me to join the war. Had I been older and a nurse, it still wouldn't have. The war was happening over there, and though outraged, I was removed from it. Meeting a nurse who had left her own comfortable American life shamed me. People say there is an intensity to front-line life that cannot be matched. I wouldn't know. My only experience with war was during a 1993 visit to Croatia, when mortars were fired at a train I was traveling in. Passengers were evacuated to a filthy basement; the only emotion I can remember feeling was terror. And yet Judy's stories obsessed me. I was tired of listening and longed for action. A year after the war, I joined an international forensic team excavating mass graves in the ethnically cleansed territory of Republika Srpska. I spent much of 1996 interviewing refugee women with missing family members, and their stories had convinced me of the importance of this work. But if I'm honest with myself, I can pinpoint another of my motivations for going: I wanted desperately to be Judy's equal. So I exhumed bodies and assisted in autopsies in Bosnia. I went through the pockets of countless dead men, hoping their scant possessions -- half-destroyed Polaroid pictures, heels of bread, waterlogged letters -- would help identify them. But I lacked the detachment of a scientist or the fearlessness of a combat nurse. I lasted roughly a month. Courtney Angela Brkic is the author of ''Stillness,'' a collection of short stories, and ''The Stone Fields: An Epitaph for the Living,'' a memoir to be published next month.http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/11/magazine/11LIVES.html?ex=1091246400&en=2080dc8227a6e7ab&ei=5070http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/11/magazine/11LIVES.html letters@croatia.org (Nenad N. Bach) Thu, 29 Jul 2004 07:00:00 +0000