Home > Zlatko Balokovic

He was born in Zagreb, Croatia (at the time part of Austria-Hungary), and began violin lessons at age ten. He made such progress that, after three years, he was sent to Prague to continue his studies at the " Meisterschule " under the guidance of Otkar Ševcik . In 1913, already excellent and renowned, the invitation came to him to play with the Moscow Philharmonic . That year he won the annual Austrian "Staatspreis" and soon made artistic tours to Berlin, Vienna ( Wien or Bec ), and Genoa. He stayed in Trieste ( Trst) during World War IWorld War I (also known as the First World War , the Great War the War of the Nations and the "War to End All Wars") was a world conflict occurring from 1914 to 1918. No previous conflict had mobilized so many soldiers, or involved so many in the field of. After living in Great BritainGreat Britain (often abbreviated as Britain is an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom. Great Britain is also used as a political term describing the combination of England, Scotland, and Wales, from 19201920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. January 9 Britain announces it will build 100,000 homes for war veterans. January 10 Leagu to 1923Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 Events January 1 Grouping of all UK railway companies into four larg, he accepted an offer for an American tour, so on January 1, 1924Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 See also 1924 in aviation 1924 in film 1924 in literature 1924 in mu, he left for New YorkNew York is a state in the northeastern United States whose U. postal abbreviation is NY . It is sometimes called New York State when there is need to distinguish it from New York City. History See: History of New York New York was one of the thirteen col. In 1926Centuries: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s Years: 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 See also 1926 in aviation 1926 in film 1926 in literature 1926 in mu, he married Joyce Borden , heiress to the Borden family fortune. In the 1920s and 1930s, the couple toured the European continent, performing predominantly for the continent's royalty.

Upon the outbreak of World War II, he settled with their adopted children at Hillside Farm in Camden, Maine, where he became involved in many wartime political efforts and chaired six organizations: the Yugoslav Division of the U.S. Treasury War Bond Drives; the Russian War Relief's Nationalities Division, the United Committee of South Slavic Americans; the American Slav Congress of Greater New York; the American Croatian Congress , and the American Committee for Yugoslav Relief (with Eleanor Roosevelt as the president). He advocated for Tito's Yugoslav cause. In November 1944, aided by Adlai Stevenson (his nephew by marriage), he went to Washington, DC to demand the shipment of medical supplies to the resistance forces. After seeing President Roosevelt, Vice President Wallace, Secretary of State Stettinius, Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy and Admiral Land , the deal was done and the requested supplies soon reached their destination.

In 1946 the couple returned to Yugoslavia as officials of the American Committee for Yugoslav Relief and were showered with that nation's gratitude. He gave 36 concerts and hundreds of speeches, while travelling the entire country in a private railroad car. He personally came to know many high-ranking figures in the Yugoslav government, including Marshall Tito, Georgi Dimitrov of Bulgaria, and Enver Hoxha of Albania.

Upon his return to the U.S. in 1947, he made a coast-to-coast tour to advocate for the people he had met. As a result of the ties to Yugoslav government and membership in wartime organizations, he had come to be considered "subversive". The couple was labelled as "fellow travellers" by the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1949 but after an ordeal both were cleared. In 1954, he made a second "jubilee" tour. Tito presented him with the Grand Cross of the Yugoslav Flag in recognition of his artistic and humanitarian achievements benefitting nations.