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CROATIAN GALLERY
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| R. Boskovic |
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
William Feller
(Zagreb, 1906 - New York, 1970)
outstanding Croatian-American mathematician
Vilim Feller as a student at the University of Zagreb
William Feller (Zagreb, 1906 - New York, 1970), graduated in mathematics from the University of Zagreb (1925), earned his PhD in Göttingen (1926). Professor in Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Lund. Since 1939 lived in the USA, employed at Universities of Brown, Cornell, and Princeton. One of the founders of Probability Theory as a scientific discipline, best known for his two volume monograph An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, translated into Russian (with foreword to Volume 1 written by Kolmogorov), Chinese, Spanish, Polish, and Hungarian. Many mathematical notions bear his name. Member of several national academies, recipient of the National Medal of Science, USA.
Andrija Mohorovicic (1857-1936)
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 Mohorovicic (born in Volosko, 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. Together with the theory of forces due to Rudjer Boskovic, this is probably the greatest achievement in the history of Croatian science.
Let us cite a part of his biography from Willard Basom's monograph A hole in the Bottom of the Sea, The story of the MOHOLE project, 1959/61, Doubledays, USA (p. 143):
... As a boy of 15 he spoke Italian, French, and English as well as his native Croatian, later added German, Czech, Latin, and old Greek. He studied physics at the University of Prague under some famous professors including E. Mach and did his graduate work at the University of Zagreb, from which he obtained a Ph.D. In 1894 Dr. Mohorovicic became Director of the Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics and Professor at the University of Zagreb in 1897, where he remained until his retirement in 1921. His special interest was the precise measurement of time for both astronomical and seismical events, but his reputation mainly rests on his classic paper in the field of seismology, The Earthquake of October 8, 1909, which contains the news of his discovery of a major discontinuity at a depth of 55 kilometers. This discontinuity, now generally known as the Moho in his honor, defines the crust of the earth. ...
Milka Trnina (1863-1941),
a famous Croatian opera singer
According to Giacomo Puccini, author of the famous opera Tosca,
she was the best "Tosca" that he had opportunity to listen to (on the London
première in 1900).
had been given in honour to Milka Trnina, Croatian opera diva?
The founder of the company, who was a great admirer of the singer,
decided to name the company and his chocolate by the name of MILKA.
A CROATIAN COMPOSER
A CROATIAN COMPOSER
NOTES TOWARD THE STUDY
OF
JOSEPH HAYDN
First edition in 1897, London (Seely
and co. limited),
reprinted in 1972, New York (Books for Libraries Press, Freeport,
New York)
| ...if we accept the historical
statement as true, we do something to rescue a musical nation from
undeserved neglect. The race which has given to a master not only
birth but inspiration may surely claim from us someting better
than oblivion into which we have allowed its name to fall.
[from Hadow's PREFACE, Oxford, 1897] |
Compare a Croatian folk song ("V jutro rano se ja stanem)
with the German national anthem, composed by Joseph Haydn:
The
Lipik Orphanage
&
Colonel Mark Cook, UK
Mr. Mark Cook, UK, a great humanist:
I made a promise to the kids to get them back into their Orphanage...
You can't break promises to children.
Benedikt Kotruljevic
15th century, author of
the first manual about book-keeping,
the oldest manuscript on double-entry,
and of the first known manual on navigation
The first known manual about book-keeping was Della mercatura e
del mercante perfetto,
(On merchantry and the perfect merchant) written in 1458 by Benedikt
Kotruljevic
(Benedictus de Cotrullis, born in Dubrovnik, 1416-1469).
It is also the oldest known manuscript on double-entry.
As such it precedes Luca Pacioli's description of double-entry for no less
than 36 years,
so that Kotruljic's priority is indisputable.
Kotruljic's famous 1464 manuscript on
book-keeping,
was printed in 1573 in Venice; editor and publisher was
another oustanding Croatian scholar - Franjo
Petris
His another important manuscript is Benedictus de Cotrullis: "De
Navigatione", 1464.
It is the first known manual on navigation in the history of Europe.
Note that it appeared almost 30 years before the discovery of America.
Benedictus de Cotrullis: De Navigatione,
1464;
photo from Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
The original manuscript is kept at the University of Yale, USA,
in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
William Feller (1906-1970)
Croatian-American mathematician
The list of 145 mathematical notions
bearing the name of Feller:
|
Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
The first monument honouring Mother Teresa was
carved on the island of Brac (2002).
It was unveiled by Martin Sheen.
She visited the city of Zagreb and Croatia on several occasions, and
always spoke Croatian.
Moreover, once she even delivered a sermon in the Zagreb cathedral in Croatian.
After many years she met her brother in Italy, who forgot his native Albanian
and did not speak English. Surprisingly, they were able to communicate only
in Croatian!
Delicate stone lace on windows,
Pucisca on the island of Brac
The white marble from the island of Brac,
is highly appreciated among sculptors.
It was also used in the building of
the White House in Washington,
the Battary park in New York
the Austrian Parliament and the New Palace in
Vienna,
the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest,
etc.
Croatian Tamburitza Players
The Tamburica Croatian Orchestra, 1887, County of Buffalo, Nebraska, USA
Tamburitza orchestra "Zivila Hrvatska" (Long
Live Croatia), USA,
performed in White House for president F. Roosewelt in 1900.
Tamburaski zbor "Kluba uciteljica" (Tamburitza
orchestra of Women's Professor's Club, Vrbnik, island
of Krk),
photo around 1900?
Croats in Punta Arenas, Chile (Magallanes
region), with their tamburitzas
Croatian tamburitza band Tomislav in Punta Arenas, 1905
Hrvatsko tamburasko drustvo Tomislav, Punta Arenas, 1905
United choirs of the Kastav region near Rijeka, 1908
Croatian tamburitza orchestra Falcon
- Hrvatski tamburaski orkestar Sokol,
Argentina, 1919 (from an exhibition Los Croatas en Argentina, Carmen Verlichak,
Matica iseljenika, Zagreb 2007)
Croatian Christmas on Strawberry Hill, Kansas City, USA
The Lika Night in Bazenheid, Switzerland
two generations of female players of tamburica from Lika
Pokupsko tamburitza players celebrating Christmas in the ruined church in 1991 (Pokupsko is near Zagreb)
CroatiaFest 2005, Seattle, USA, Photo - Jal Schrof
REQUEST. I would deeply appreciate your help (darko_zubrinic@yahoo.com)
concerning photos and information about old Croatian tamburitza bands.
Rudolf Matz (1901-1988)
perhaps the greatest cello theoretician in the world
Rudolf Matz became professor of
cello at the University of Zagreb in 1950,
where he stayed until his retirement in 1972. He was also a top Croatian
sportsman.
Ethno Hairstyles of Croatia
very old and unique in Europe
Sources: Gatalinka, Vinkovci
(for the first four photos), and Pokupsko;
on this web with permission
LIKA, KRBAVA
Valley of Gatska river, Lika (photo by Mladen Zubrinic)
The chapel of Sv. Marko Grob, near Udbina, Lika (photo by D.Z.)
Sokolac fortress in Brinje, Lika (photo by Joseph Birkas, HU)
Croatian Mariners and Captains
Croatian coat of arms (on threecolor flag)
on the front mast of the Enrica brig built in 1868 in
Rijeka, 40 m long. Captian Paskval Stipanovic,
travelled to New York, Belfast, Queenstown, Cardiff, Montreal,
Gibraltar. Painted by a French painter Antoine Roux, junior, 1892.
|
Captain Mate Dulcic Hraste-Pucetov from
the island of Hvar obtained a silver jug from the British Governement
as a recognition for saving the boat "St. Croix". Gilted
inside, 14.5 cm high and with diameter of the opening of 8.5 cm,
the jug bears the the following inscription:
|
Presented by the British Government to captain Matteo Dulcich Hraste of the "Giovanni D" of Jelsa in acknowledgement of his humanity and kindness to the shipwrecked crew of the "St. Croix" of Jersey, 27 September 1877, abandoned at sea. |
Captain Marko Vekarich, Master of the
Austro-Hungarian Barque "Isaac", received the following letter
from the Government of Canada for saving the shipwrecked crew of
Canadian ship "Angle" in the Atlantic (the letter is kept in the
town of Orebic, Peljesac peninsula near Dubrovnik):
|
OFFICIAL SEAL Ottawa, 12th February 1879 SirHer Majesty's Government having brought under the notice of this Department the circumstances connected with the wrecke of the "Angle" of St. John, New Bruswick, and the services rendered by you, as Master of the "Isaac", to the shipwrecked crew, it affords me much satisfaction to convey to you the thanks of the Government of Canada and to request your acceptance of the accompaning gold watch, which has been awarded in recognition of you human and generous services. I am, Sir, |
In 1861 captain Jozo Sunj from Orebic
(Peljesac peninsula), Master of the Barque "Nicolo Despot", obtained
official recognition and gold chronometer with engraved dedication
from Abraham Lincoln, president of the
USA, for having saved the crew of the USA sailor "Homer" in the
Atlantic.
|
Pepe Medanovic, captain
of a steamer "Kostrena", saved a French steamer Gaulois
in Biskay bay in very difficult conditions. The French president
conferred a medal. Maritime press reported on this saving throughout
the world.
|
RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE MINISTÈRE DE LA MARINE DIRECTION DE LA NAVIGAITON ET DES PÊCHES MARITIMES Le Ministre de la Marine certifie que, par Décret
en date du 10 mai 1912, le Président de la République
Française a décerné la Médaille
de Sauvetage en or de 2ême classe à Monsieur
le capitaine Medanovich commandant le vapeur hongrois (!) "Kostrena",
qui a recueilli à son bord, le 25 janvier 1912, aprés
de maneuvres rendues trés difficiles Par Directeur de la Navitation et les Pêches Maritimes [signature] Paris, le 10 Mai 1912 [signature]
|
MAKYBE DIVA, THANK YOU !
Makybe Diva and Glen Boss with a Croatian
cap
Photo by Sebastian Costanzo
Mr Tony Santic (tuna farmer), Australian Croat born on the beautiful Croatian island of Lastovo, is the owner of a famous mare Makybe Diva. This strange name is an acronym, derived from the names of five ladies employed at Mr Santic: Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane and Vanessa. In 2005 Makybe Diva became the first horse in Australasian racing history to claim three Melbourne Cups and a Cox Plate. |
The Boss with Croatian
Coat of Arms and Makybe Diva
Photo by Wayne Taylor
Celebrating the victory
The winning jersey winning the hearts...
Mr. Tony Santic is in the middle, Glen
Boss on the right (Makybe Diva missing),
with Croatian Coat of Arms on his jersey
Goooooooogling with Makybe Diva and with a Croatian hat ...
Zdravko Ducmelic
el pintor preferido de Borges
Zdravko Ducmelic (1923-1989), outstanding Croatian - Argentinean painter,
masterfully illustrated a famous book "Laberintos", written by Jorge
Luis Borges,
with his surreal, quasi-metaphysical works.
Some other paintings by Zdravko Ducmelic:
"Cabeza femenina"
"La Biblioteca de Babel"
"Mujer Joven y Caballo" (photos from Arroyo)
Zdravko Ducmelic, autoportrait
Zvonimir Janko
outstanding Croatian mathematician
Zvonimir
Janko (born in 1932 in Croatia), studied mathematics and
earned his PhD at the University of Zagreb. He is professor
of mathematics at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and
his name is well known among experts in the theory of finite
groups. Professor Janko discovered sporadic groups named J1, J2, J3,
and J4 in his honour. They are called Janko
groups.
|
In 1997, during the celebration of 65th birthday of professor Janko in Maniz, Germany, Bertram Huppert, the author and coauthor (with Norman Blackburn) of the most extensive, encyclopaedic treatise and manual on finite groups, Endliche gruppen I, II, III, said roughly the following: "There were a very few things that surprised me in my life. I experienced the Second World War. It could have been predicted that there will be war. I believe it will surprise you, and some of you may be shocked by what I am going to say. There were only the following two events that really surprised me: the discovery of the first Janko group and the fall of the Berlin Wall." |
Blanka Vlasic
Blanka
Vlasic celebrating her victory with Croatian flag in her hands,
at the World Championship in Athletics, Osaka, Japan 2007
Anthony Maglica
holder of hundreds of patents and trademarks, founded Mag Instrument, Inc, in Los Angeles in 1955, and designed Mag-Lite flashlight, which is now an American product icon, among 100 top products that "America makes best". |
Konavle
Croatian region south of the City of Dubrovnik,
famous among others for beautiful national costumes
Mrs Ane Marnic from the village of Dubravka in Konavle,
south of Dubrovnik
photo from 2006, many thanks to Dr. Zdenko Zeravica,
Dubrovnik
Children of Konavle in national costumes
photo by Najka Mirkovic, Dubrovnik
| Nikola Tesla |
| Moho layer |
| Torpedo |
| Schwarz airship |
| Propeller |
| California |
| Dreams |
| Acknowledgements |
| King of Dolls |
| Kristian Krekovic |