Vinko Jarak
September 15, 1932 — April 28, 2018
Yugoslavia
Vinko Jarak was born in Čapljina, Bosnia in 9/13/32, a mere 12 km by road from the border of Croatia. He grew up in Hotanj, a small village near the Neretva River, just a short distance east of his birthplace.
It was a tumultuous time growing up in his country, especially during WWII. Even after the war he would continue to experience horrors, as he would witness the murders of both his father and uncle due to the political leanings of the authorities. Experiencing these events firsthand as a teenager would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Postwar and during the time of Tito's dictatorship (which began in 1945), he would find himself serving in various prisons and labor camps for being against the current regime. In 1948, he began his term in a Mostar prison for 3 months. He was then transferred to a Sarajevo labor camp/prison for about a year. Later, he was sent to another labor camp in Kupres, Bosnia, for 4-5 months. From there he was shifted to Foča, Bosnia, another labor camp, for about 6 months.
Subsequently, he was transferred to another camp in Vareš, Bosnia. His work consisted primarily of street and railroad construction, such as laying down rails, changing tracks from smaller gauge to larger gauge, and widening tunnels.
The following year, in May 1949, he was arrested for being part of an organization that was pro-Croatian and anti-Yugoslavian. He was later released, and returned to Čapljina. He stayed there for about a year, but was then forced to enlist in Tito's army; he remained in this capacity for 2.5 years. Afterwards, he returned to Čapljina for about 4 months. His mother, Iva Matić, insisted that he immigrate to America to find a better life. He was reluctant at first, but would finally come around to the idea.
Flight for Freedom
In 1954, Vinko plotted his escape. In July of that year, he boarded a train bound for Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was not alone, as he was accompanied by two other Croatian comrades, John and Petra.
Their train stopped first in Sarajevo, then headed northwest to Zagreb, Croatia, then westward to Ljubljana, Slovenia. Disembarking in Slovenia, he and his associates headed to the Austrian border by trekking their way on foot through the ridged limestone mountains in the Karawanks range, which are part of the Eastern Alps. They traveled in the cover of darkness to evade detection by the ever-watchful Yugoslav guards, since capture would have warranted arrest, even imprisonment. Thus, they avoided roads as much as they could to decrease their chances of being noticed, and used the forested terrain to conceal their movements. They may have even traveled near the Loibl Pass.
(In these same mountain passes only a few years prior, during the final phase of WWII, this area witnessed intense fighting. German forces were ordered to keep the Karawanken passes open between Yugoslavia and Austria. This task was crucial in allowing them to withdraw from Yugoslavia in order to surrender to British rather than Yugoslav forces.)
Though it was summertime, there was still considerable snow in these mountains. He, and likely his partners, exhausted themselves trudging through the snow-covered landscape with only meager footwear. At least for Vinko, his shoes would eventually give out, exposing his feet to the harsh elements.
Austria
When they crossed the border, they were spotted by Austrian authorities and welcomed in. They were then taken to an office, asked why they had escaped, what their plans were, etc. They were then sent to the Displaced Persons Camp in Klagenfurt.
Alongside fellow Croats, there were Bulgarians, Romanians, Albanians, and Slovakians who had also fled the Communist Bloc. Vinko did not notice much war damage, if any, in the area around Klagenfurt.
West Germany
After staying 2-3 months there, he took a train to West Germany. (Both of Vinko’s associates would follow him to West Germany; Petra would remain there, while John eventually made his way to Canada.) Vinko landed himself in a work camp in Essen (i.e., in a large 2-3 story building) and remained there for 1.5 yrs, working at the Zeche Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, until 1956. Unlike Klagenfurt, there was plenty of evidence that war had taken its toll in this region as it had been heavily bombed.
America
At age 24, he concluded his time in Essen and boarded a ship in Bremerhaven, departing for America. On October 19, 1956 he took passage on the Greek Line's T.S.S. New York (the vessel was previously named T.S.S. Nea Hellas. She was built after WWI by the British-flag Anchor Line by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Shipyards in Glasgow, Scotland. It was christened as the Turbine Steam Ship (T.S.S.) Tuscania, and went into service in 1921. The liner was scrapped in 1961).
The New York stopped at Le Havre, France; Southampton, UK; Cobh, Ireland, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It would arrive 11 days later. His fare would have cost about $170 (tourist class), and he may have shared a dormitory cabin full of bunk beds three-deep, in the forward part of the ship.
Connecticut
Upon arriving in New York City on October 30, he was processed as an immigrant (though not on Ellis Island, as that facility was shut in 1954). Once he had cleared immigration, he traveled with a friend to room at a house on 772 Washington Ave., in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and stayed there for about 4 days (this house was later demolished to make way for a freeway). He later relocated to another part of town, residing with a Polish man (Walter/Waldeck?) whom he rented a room from. He secured a job in the area, working in a tool-making machine shop. He stayed there for 3 months. He was never far from home, as other Croatians were known to have also lived in this area.
Montana
This is where details get murky: He either left for Montana in 1955, remaining there until 1959, or he had left the east coast in 1959 and stayed in Montana for only 3 months, until the miners’ strike.
What is certain is that at some point, he traveled to Butte, Montana, and worked in a copper mine. Perhaps he was aware that the Anaconda Copper Mine Company — Montana's single largest employer at this time — would create more employment opportunities (about 2,500 jobs) by creating their first open-pit mine, known as the Berkeley Pit (this was a change from hard-rock mining). Vinko signed on, and would attempt to settle in among the locals.
The Irish Connection
Vinko rubbed shoulders with many of Irish ancestry, as Butte was populated by a considerable number of descendants from Irish towns like Eyeries and Castletownbere on the Beara Peninsula, County Cork, as well as some originating from counties Donegal and Mayo. Beginning in the late 1800s, scores of Irishmen moved here seeking prosperity and stability, and helped to establish this area significantly, leaving an indelible cultural mark. In fact, the very company Vinko worked for was founded by an Irishman. One could say he had much in common with the Irish, by leaving his stricken homeland behind for a better life elsewhere.
He had been living in a motel nearby whilst employed by the mining company. On August 19, 1959, a strike occurred by the Butte Miner’s Union. Vinko chose not to stick around, and left for California (perhaps this was best, for when the strike had ended 181 days later, miners returned to work earning less pay).
California
Leaving Montana, he would wind his way via motor coach through Idaho, Wyoming, and Las Vegas, Nevada, before ending up in Los Angeles.
Perhaps through networking, he would find himself at St Anthony's Croatian Church, and seek the assistance of Father Bulum, a priest who was also a native of his home town. The priest directed him to a fellow Croatian lady who lived nearby, and had a vacancy for a lodger. She rented him a room for $25 monthly. Using his previous manual labor experience, he would be back in the ditches laboring in sewer construction.
The website of St. Anthony's Church explains the migration of Croatians to this area:
"At the turn into the 20th century, two major groups of Croatian immigrants began to settle in Southern California. Among the first to arrive were Croatians from Dalmatia. The Pacific Ocean was a perfect match for the Adriatic Sea they left behind. So, many of them chose to settle in San Pedro where they soon became an integral part of the local fishing and ship building industry. Ecclesially (sic), the majority of them have become affiliated with a local Catholic parish, Mary Star of the Sea.
"The other group arrived from Hercegovina and from the continental Croatia. They settled at the heart of Los Angeles. Having been involved in the heavy construction industry, they greatly contributed to the Los Angeles area's impressive growth.
"The Exodus continued throughout the 20th century. Three large waves of the Croatian immigrants kept inundating the greater Los Angeles area, where most of them settled down. These immigrants were motivated to leave both for economic and political reasons. They were arriving in between the two world wars, after World War II and just recently during the Croatian war for independence [during the 1990s]."
Serendipity
After some time, he would meet his future wife in Van Nuys. While in this area, Ms. Maria Miranda, a recent transplant from Costa Rica, was visiting a steepled church on Sylvan Street (near the current County Courthouse) to attend services. It had appeared to her that it was a Catholic church (though it was likely an Adventist or Methodist church). She was living nearby on Woodman Ave with a local family, hired as a nanny for their young girl. He was living in an apartment in Echo Park, Los Angeles.
It wasn't until after the church service that the two would meet. Maria (aka Susie) was searching for a place to eat; she would later see a restaurant ad on a bus bench, inviting her to keep walking. She subsequently wandered into a hotel (the type of place that people would stay long-term). Perhaps appearing a little misplaced, the property owner took notice of her, and asked Vinko (who was staying there temporarily for a nearby job) to direct her elsewhere for a meal. This turned out to be the Owl Drug Store at 6531 Van Nuys Blvd (now a bargain shop), located on a busy street where automobiles then parked diagonally, and the Pacific Electric trolleys roamed.
One thing led to another, and on June 1, 1963 they were married at St. Jane Francis de Chantal Catholic Church on Victory Blvd. in North Hollywood. They would live in and around Angelino Heights and Echo Park where they would start their lives together along with their three boys.
As an underground utilities contractor, he performed much work for the City of Los Angeles, but was also heavily involved in the construction and servicing of both residential and commercial properties in and around the Los Angeles and Ventura counties for many decades. The rest is his story.
Vinko leaves behind his loving family: Wife, Maria Jarak; sons Vince, Jerry, and Albert; as well as many other family members in Bosnia- Herzegovina and Canada, all who loved him and will miss him dearly.
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website.
Vinko Jarak was born in Čapljina, Bosnia in 9/13/32, a mere 12 km by road from the border of Croatia. He grew up in Hotanj, a small village near the Neretva River, just a short distance east of his birthplace.
It was a tumultuous time growing up in his country, especially during WWII. Even after the war he would continue to experience horrors, as he would witness the murders of both his father and uncle due to the political leanings of the authorities. Experiencing these events firsthand as a teenager would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Postwar and during the time of Tito's dictatorship (which began in 1945), he would find himself serving in various prisons and labor camps for being against the current regime. In 1948, he began his term in a Mostar prison for 3 months. He was then transferred to a Sarajevo labor camp/prison for about a year. Later, he was sent to another labor camp in Kupres, Bosnia, for 4-5 months. From there he was shifted to Foča, Bosnia, another labor camp, for about 6 months.
Subsequently, he was transferred to another camp in Vareš, Bosnia. His work consisted primarily of street and railroad construction, such as laying down rails, changing tracks from smaller gauge to larger gauge, and widening tunnels.
The following year, in May 1949, he was arrested for being part of an organization that was pro-Croatian and anti-Yugoslavian. He was later released, and returned to Čapljina. He stayed there for about a year, but was then forced to enlist in Tito's army; he remained in this capacity for 2.5 years. Afterwards, he returned to Čapljina for about 4 months. His mother, Iva Matić, insisted that he immigrate to America to find a better life. He was reluctant at first, but would finally come around to the idea.
Flight for Freedom
In 1954, Vinko plotted his escape. In July of that year, he boarded a train bound for Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was not alone, as he was accompanied by two other Croatian comrades, John and Petra.
Their train stopped first in Sarajevo, then headed northwest to Zagreb, Croatia, then westward to Ljubljana, Slovenia. Disembarking in Slovenia, he and his associates headed to the Austrian border by trekking their way on foot through the ridged limestone mountains in the Karawanks range, which are part of the Eastern Alps. They traveled in the cover of darkness to evade detection by the ever-watchful Yugoslav guards, since capture would have warranted arrest, even imprisonment. Thus, they avoided roads as much as they could to decrease their chances of being noticed, and used the forested terrain to conceal their movements. They may have even traveled near the Loibl Pass.
(In these same mountain passes only a few years prior, during the final phase of WWII, this area witnessed intense fighting. German forces were ordered to keep the Karawanken passes open between Yugoslavia and Austria. This task was crucial in allowing them to withdraw from Yugoslavia in order to surrender to British rather than Yugoslav forces.)
Though it was summertime, there was still considerable snow in these mountains. He, and likely his partners, exhausted themselves trudging through the snow-covered landscape with only meager footwear. At least for Vinko, his shoes would eventually give out, exposing his feet to the harsh elements.
Austria
When they crossed the border, they were spotted by Austrian authorities and welcomed in. They were then taken to an office, asked why they had escaped, what their plans were, etc. They were then sent to the Displaced Persons Camp in Klagenfurt.
Alongside fellow Croats, there were Bulgarians, Romanians, Albanians, and Slovakians who had also fled the Communist Bloc. Vinko did not notice much war damage, if any, in the area around Klagenfurt.
West Germany
After staying 2-3 months there, he took a train to West Germany. (Both of Vinko’s associates would follow him to West Germany; Petra would remain there, while John eventually made his way to Canada.) Vinko landed himself in a work camp in Essen (i.e., in a large 2-3 story building) and remained there for 1.5 yrs, working at the Zeche Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, until 1956. Unlike Klagenfurt, there was plenty of evidence that war had taken its toll in this region as it had been heavily bombed.
America
At age 24, he concluded his time in Essen and boarded a ship in Bremerhaven, departing for America. On October 19, 1956 he took passage on the Greek Line's T.S.S. New York (the vessel was previously named T.S.S. Nea Hellas. She was built after WWI by the British-flag Anchor Line by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Shipyards in Glasgow, Scotland. It was christened as the Turbine Steam Ship (T.S.S.) Tuscania, and went into service in 1921. The liner was scrapped in 1961).
The New York stopped at Le Havre, France; Southampton, UK; Cobh, Ireland, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It would arrive 11 days later. His fare would have cost about $170 (tourist class), and he may have shared a dormitory cabin full of bunk beds three-deep, in the forward part of the ship.
Connecticut
Upon arriving in New York City on October 30, he was processed as an immigrant (though not on Ellis Island, as that facility was shut in 1954). Once he had cleared immigration, he traveled with a friend to room at a house on 772 Washington Ave., in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and stayed there for about 4 days (this house was later demolished to make way for a freeway). He later relocated to another part of town, residing with a Polish man (Walter/Waldeck?) whom he rented a room from. He secured a job in the area, working in a tool-making machine shop. He stayed there for 3 months. He was never far from home, as other Croatians were known to have also lived in this area.
Montana
This is where details get murky: He either left for Montana in 1955, remaining there until 1959, or he had left the east coast in 1959 and stayed in Montana for only 3 months, until the miners’ strike.
What is certain is that at some point, he traveled to Butte, Montana, and worked in a copper mine. Perhaps he was aware that the Anaconda Copper Mine Company — Montana's single largest employer at this time — would create more employment opportunities (about 2,500 jobs) by creating their first open-pit mine, known as the Berkeley Pit (this was a change from hard-rock mining). Vinko signed on, and would attempt to settle in among the locals.
The Irish Connection
Vinko rubbed shoulders with many of Irish ancestry, as Butte was populated by a considerable number of descendants from Irish towns like Eyeries and Castletownbere on the Beara Peninsula, County Cork, as well as some originating from counties Donegal and Mayo. Beginning in the late 1800s, scores of Irishmen moved here seeking prosperity and stability, and helped to establish this area significantly, leaving an indelible cultural mark. In fact, the very company Vinko worked for was founded by an Irishman. One could say he had much in common with the Irish, by leaving his stricken homeland behind for a better life elsewhere.
He had been living in a motel nearby whilst employed by the mining company. On August 19, 1959, a strike occurred by the Butte Miner’s Union. Vinko chose not to stick around, and left for California (perhaps this was best, for when the strike had ended 181 days later, miners returned to work earning less pay).
California
Leaving Montana, he would wind his way via motor coach through Idaho, Wyoming, and Las Vegas, Nevada, before ending up in Los Angeles.
Perhaps through networking, he would find himself at St Anthony's Croatian Church, and seek the assistance of Father Bulum, a priest who was also a native of his home town. The priest directed him to a fellow Croatian lady who lived nearby, and had a vacancy for a lodger. She rented him a room for $25 monthly. Using his previous manual labor experience, he would be back in the ditches laboring in sewer construction.
The website of St. Anthony's Church explains the migration of Croatians to this area:
"At the turn into the 20th century, two major groups of Croatian immigrants began to settle in Southern California. Among the first to arrive were Croatians from Dalmatia. The Pacific Ocean was a perfect match for the Adriatic Sea they left behind. So, many of them chose to settle in San Pedro where they soon became an integral part of the local fishing and ship building industry. Ecclesially (sic), the majority of them have become affiliated with a local Catholic parish, Mary Star of the Sea.
"The other group arrived from Hercegovina and from the continental Croatia. They settled at the heart of Los Angeles. Having been involved in the heavy construction industry, they greatly contributed to the Los Angeles area's impressive growth.
"The Exodus continued throughout the 20th century. Three large waves of the Croatian immigrants kept inundating the greater Los Angeles area, where most of them settled down. These immigrants were motivated to leave both for economic and political reasons. They were arriving in between the two world wars, after World War II and just recently during the Croatian war for independence [during the 1990s]."
Serendipity
After some time, he would meet his future wife in Van Nuys. While in this area, Ms. Maria Miranda, a recent transplant from Costa Rica, was visiting a steepled church on Sylvan Street (near the current County Courthouse) to attend services. It had appeared to her that it was a Catholic church (though it was likely an Adventist or Methodist church). She was living nearby on Woodman Ave with a local family, hired as a nanny for their young girl. He was living in an apartment in Echo Park, Los Angeles.
It wasn't until after the church service that the two would meet. Maria (aka Susie) was searching for a place to eat; she would later see a restaurant ad on a bus bench, inviting her to keep walking. She subsequently wandered into a hotel (the type of place that people would stay long-term). Perhaps appearing a little misplaced, the property owner took notice of her, and asked Vinko (who was staying there temporarily for a nearby job) to direct her elsewhere for a meal. This turned out to be the Owl Drug Store at 6531 Van Nuys Blvd (now a bargain shop), located on a busy street where automobiles then parked diagonally, and the Pacific Electric trolleys roamed.
One thing led to another, and on June 1, 1963 they were married at St. Jane Francis de Chantal Catholic Church on Victory Blvd. in North Hollywood. They would live in and around Angelino Heights and Echo Park where they would start their lives together along with their three boys.
As an underground utilities contractor, he performed much work for the City of Los Angeles, but was also heavily involved in the construction and servicing of both residential and commercial properties in and around the Los Angeles and Ventura counties for many decades. The rest is his story.
Vinko leaves behind his loving family: Wife, Maria Jarak; sons Vince, Jerry, and Albert; as well as many other family members in Bosnia- Herzegovina and Canada, all who loved him and will miss him dearly.
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website.
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