THE CROATIAN IMMIGRANT PRESS IN AMERICA AND CROATIA

By Adam S. Eterovich

I have a list of all Croatian newspapers in America from the first one in 1870 to the present time. All have disappeared for one reason or another. The Zajednicar Weekly of the Croatian Fraternal Union and the Nasa Nada of the Croatian Catholic Union are the only fraternal newspapers left in America. Thru their articles and news they are a history of the Croatian people and their accomplishments in America. These newspapers were and are the only bridge between the foreign born immigrants, their American born children and their old homeland. Both are published in English and Croatian. They are published for and by the members of the CCU and CFU. I would encourage all American and Canadian Croatians to join these societies and enjoy their newspapers.

All Croatian newspapers and other media that were written only in Croatian died; all Croatian newspapers and other media that were based on Croatian politics or religion died. Out of 100’s in the past, only one independent newspaper exists..the Croatian American and it is bilingual. The Zajednicar of the Croatian Fraternal Union and the Nasa Nada of the Croatian Catholic Union are fraternal in nature and supported by them. Some religious publications come out of Chicago. Sutra Magazine is for the Croatian born reader and does not suit the needs of the American born Croatian although a good magazine. Matica Immigrant Magazine from Croatia is in Croatian for the most part and has dabbled in Croatian politics for 50 years, of which, Croatian Americans could care less. The saving grace is that most Croatian Americans cannot read Croatian..saving them from another headache.

Croatians are a small people as are Danes, Swedes, Norwegians in America. Language cannot be retained. Croatian is not taught in public high schools or in no more that seven universities in America. The Croatian Catholic Churches do not reach 10% of all Croatians living in America, even if they wanted to teach Croatian. The best and only place is in the home; this lasts one generation. American born Croatians in the 2nd-3rd-4th generation will not learn Croatian.

Assimilation is rapid, immediate and final in America. America is so large, it consumes the small Croatian community with a passion. In order to deal with this, join them. Croatian ethnic retention can be maintained thru song, dance, food, sport, history, culture and strong institutions such as Churches, Cultural Centers, or the successful Croatian Fraternal Union and the Croatian Catholic Union. All others, will fade away into the American mainstream; Croatians do not live in “colonies” and assimilate readily and willingly.

Matica Iseljenika Organization does not serve the Interests of Croatians

John Badovinac, President Croatian Fraternal Union in the 1960’s, wrote an editorial about the Croatian immigrant press: “Among newspapers and the periodicals which regularly reach the desk of the Editor of the Society's official organ and to lesser degree, the desks of other CFU officers and officials, are a number which are purportedly devoted to the interests of the Croatians. We are referring specifically to the periodical which is published monthly by the Matica Iseljenika Organization. This Matica organization is supposed to serve as a bridge between the old Croatian immigrants and the homeland.

Since there are no official figures available on the circulation of this periodical we could say that the Croatian “Matica" published in Zagreb would have the largest circulation although even these figures, if available, would not be too impressive because they do not reach the bulk of our population in The United States.

The Croatian “Matica" does on occasion feature an English article. The "Nas Svijet" from Bosnia-Herzegovina has never, to our knowledge included an article written in English language. On one of our visits to Zagreb (1960’s) we were interviewed by the editor of the Zagreb Matica Magazine and on that occasion we brought up the subject of the need for publishing articles in the English language in the Matica magazine if they wanted to reach a wider circle of readers. All of these Matica organizations seem to be laboring under the mistaken idea that the bulk of the immigrant population here consists of old world immigrants which is simply not true. We can state without fear of contradiction that the majority of the Society's membership now are native of Croatian descent which includes those of the second, third, and fourth generation. And very few, if any, can speak or understand the Croatian language.

During our interview with the Matica editor we told him of several instances where a lodge secretary asked us for help in getting the Zagreb organization to discontinue mailing of the Matica magazine, because no one in the lodge could read Croatian. This is very familiar story to us and the situation is not improving at all . The truth of the matter is that the situation is deteriorating and every year there are less and less of us who can read or write Croatian, handicapped though we may be in not knowing Croatian grammar.

We have read some very interesting articles on Croatian history and about Croatians generally in the Matica magazine and these stories, if published in English, would find favor with many of our native born Americans of Croatian descent. There have been interesting articles too, on some old incidents in the life of CFU, but again only those who are familiar with Croatian can enjoy these articles

Success of Yugoslav Review Magazine

We need point only to the success of the magazine titled "Review" which is published in Belgrade and whose English edition is circulated throughout the U.S. and Canada. It is perhaps more widely read here than any other magazine published in Yugoslavia today. Each of these magazines devotes a lot of space to articles which we consider as being propagandistic and there has been a lot more of such material in recent monthly issues. The average American couldn't care less about progress of their self-management style of government. The magazines are all published on slick book paper and carry some beautiful pictures in color. In fact some of the covers have been worthy of framing.

The periodicals will all be forced to fade from scene unless a change is made in their policies and they start including English material in such issue. We do not know what the problem or obstacle to more English could be because there is no lack of people who understand languages. Perhaps it is cost of translator, but it would be far better to go to this expense now rather than face extinction.

One of our Croatian publicists predicted the demise of all foreign language newspapers some 60 or 70 years ago, and while it has taken longer than that writer expected, his predictions has become a fact not only with our own Croatian press but with all other ethnic newspapers as well.“

CROATIAN AMERICAN TIMES NEWSPAPER

Weekly Croatian-English Newspaper

Croatian American Times (Cro-AT) is the only WEEKLY INDEPENDENT newspaper in North America that serves Croatian Americans. There are over two million Americans in North America of Croatian origin. This huge and growing community lives in various parts of the United States and Canada from New York to Los Angeles and Toronto to Vancouver.

An independent Croatian weekly will supplement rather than duplicate the accomplishments of the Zajednicar and Nasa Nada as it will provide economic and sociopolitical information and commentary; serve the growing Croatian American business community; report and inform on the many independent Croatian business and social organizations in North America.

The starting circulation of Croatian American Times (Cro-AT) is 10000 per week and is published in tabloid format with 16 pages per issue. The Times is bilingual, being published in Croatian and English, and international in scope. Daily contact is maintained with journalist and reporters in Croatia and America. Circulation to Croatia is 5000 weekly.

Cro-AT is published with the intention to provide business, cultural and social information and news to the American and Croatian community. It provides business and trade opportunities for Americans, Croatian Americans and Croatians in Croatia.

Cro-AT reports on all historic, social, benevolent, church and other activities within the Croatian American community and promotes, thru advertising and articles, Croatian American and Croatian enterprises. Their advertising rates are reasonable and affordable.

A free and independent press is essential for democracy in America and Croatia and is good for business. Cro-AT supports no particular political party in Croatia or America.

Subcription is $95.00 per year or $2.50 weekly. Write or call Croatian American Times at 44-37 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, NY 11363; Phone 718-819-0401; Fax 718-819-0407; E-Mail CroatianAmerican@aol.com.

Call or write for a free sample copy.

Adam S. Eterovich