Vladimir Novak was born in 1928 in Varaždin, Croatia. At the age of 14 he joined the Military Academy "Zastavnička škola", which was the most elite military unit during the Independent State of Croatia. He graduated from Real Gymnasium in Varaždin and in 1948 he studied the History of Arts at the University of Zagreb and later at the Motion Picture Academy in Belgrade.

He left Yugoslavia in 1959 as a political refugee and lived three years in Belgium. He arrived in the U.S.A. in 1962 and received his citizenship five years later. While living in Los Angeles he organized the Croatian Radio Program in 1963 (it is still on air), produced the very first Croatian flag with the printed chekered emblem, and organized the first and only rasing of the Croatian flag at the Los Angeles City Hall.

During the Entire 36 years of his life in the exile, he had been very active in Croatian and American politics and received many special commendation awards and honours.

He has been self-employed in commercial photography and advertising and he won several top awards for his work. His credits include photographs of some noted personalities, such as the United States President Ronald Reagan, general Omar Bradley, admiral dr. Uslyssess Sharp Grant IV., hotel-magnate Conrad Hilton, famous singer John Elton, and many others including motion picture stars. However, he was mostly involved in promoting the Croatian cause.

Since 1970 Vladimir Novak also collected and restored over 4000 valuable photographs dealing with Croatian immigration in America. Fortunately, he was able to bring them to Croatia in early 1994, when he retired and returned to his homeland.

Above Josip Turkalj's studio on the campus of Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He taught here fine arts and sculpture for many years after moving here from Notre Dame University where he was assitant to famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović.

Above Turkalj's 18 feet bronze statue of Moses in front of the Notre Dame Library in South Bend, Indiana (1963).

Josip Turkalj was born in Rakovica, Croatia in 1924. He finished his studies in Yagreb and Academz delle Belle Arte in Rome. He came to America in 1957 and had impressive exhibitions throughout United States, and many of works of art are in public and private collections also in Canada, Italy, Croatia and Argentina.

Josip Turkalj died in 2007 at his home in Cleveland Heights at the  age of 82.

Above The Croatian Liberty Home Inc., in the Collinwood (Cleveland). It was built and managed by the C.F.U. Lodge 235 and it was a center for Croatian activities from 1950 to early 1980's when work on the new Home began in Eastlake.

Above Scene from Graničari (The Frontiersmen) performed in 1931 by members of the drama group Abrašević.

The drama society was founded in 1921 and was active until 1961. Its director was Joe Kovačević.

Above Anton Cetin, artist from Toronto, and Vladimir Novak in Idaho.

Above Vladimir Novak with Josip Crnobori (1907-2005, on the left), Croatian painter in New York, and his wife. Photo taken in Zagreb.

October 15th, 1950: Grand opening of the Croatian Home at 4033 main Street in East Chicago, Ind., built by a group of Croatians of Harbor area, where there are the still mills. In the center (in white suit) is Frank Migas, mayor of East Chicago, on his left is John Vukovic and on his right is John Ceperich, the officers of the Croatian Home organization.

This organization was very active for the first 25 years, then slowly declined as the younger Croatians moved to other areas. Finally, in 1981 the building was sold.

Above Paul Draženović, pioneer and gold miner born in 1891 in Croatia, the region of Lika. He came to Alaska in 1911. During many rough and arduous years he accumulated several smaller gold mines. From 1967 he was spending his remaining years in a Pioneer's Home.

FREEDOM FROM DESPAIR is a feature length documentary that through first hand interviews, stock footage, narrative recreations and news reels shot by Brenda Brkušić, remarkable American Croatian film maker. It is a shocking truth that has been silenced within a generation of survivors for the past 50 years. The film is also depicting the struggle for independence in the early 90's.

Brenda was born in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles where she received her Bachelor Fine Arts degree. At the age of 22 she produced and directed her multi-award winning beautifully done movie Freedom from Despair.

In 2005 her hard work was recognized also by the US Congress and she was honored in the United States House of Representatives.

The island of Goli Otok, one of concentration camps where thousands of  Croatians as well as others were persecuted and killed during the Yugoslav communist regime.