Photos: Hrvatski vjesnik, archives
Tucked away in the archives of Hrvatski vjesnik are not just old newspapers or official documents, but something far more personal and poignant – handwritten letters, holiday greeting cards, postcards, invitations, brochures, and ticket stubs.
These keepsakes, received over many years of the newspaper’s existence, might seem like simple fragments of everyday life. But taken together, they form a rich and meaningful historical tapestry – a collective memory of a community spread across the globe, yet deeply rooted in its heritage.
Everyday Artefacts, Extraordinary Stories
Throughout decades of publication, Hrvatski vjesnik received countless letters from its readers. Some sent heartfelt words of support, others shared stories, thoughts, or simple greetings from
‘Lijepa naša’. Each letter was a piece of someone’s world, sent with care, written by hand, chosen with thought. Greeting cards arrived during holidays and special occasions – each one a warm reminder of connection, culture, and community.
There are also saved brochures, invitations, and postcards from events in Croatian Community here in Australia, often overlooked as mundane. But these seemingly minor mementos are windows into significant cultural moments: a concert invitation, a commemorative brochure, or a simple entry ticket to a community event. They reflect the life and pulse of a people – the gatherings, the celebrations, the shared experiences that gave shape to identity far from home.
Postcards, in particular, hold a special kind of nostalgia. They capture places as they once were – towns and cities, landscapes and monuments – sometimes now transformed beyond recognition. They remind us not only of how the world has changed, but also of how we have changed with it. Each postcard carries with it the story of someone who paused to think of another, who wanted to share a piece of beauty or memory.
These keepsakes are not just remnants of the past – they are the soul of a community preserved in tangible form. They are reminders of how people stayed connected before digital messages replaced pen and paper. They offer a sense of continuity in a world that often feels disconnected and fast-moving.
Keeping these items is more than an act of nostalgia – it’s an act of preservation. These documents, no matter how small or ordinary they may seem, are historical artifacts. They tell the story of migration, of cultural resilience, of identity maintained across borders and generations.
They reflect how a newspaper like Hrvatski vjesnik was more than just a publication; it was a living link between individuals, between the homeland and the diaspora, between the past and the present.
To safeguard these letters, postcards, and other ephemera is to honour the people who sent them, the moments they represent, and the history they carry. They deserve to be remembered, displayed, and passed on – not just as paper, but as the enduring heartbeat of a community that has never forgotten where it came from.
Postcard from 1975
The Monument to Ante Starčević in Šestine is one of 238 works by Ivan Rendić, a prominent figure in Croatian sculpture. The subject is a meaningful one – Ante Starčević was rightfully called the Father of the Homeland even during his lifetime.
The base of the monument is composed of marble blocks on which fragments of Croatian historical monuments are reproduced, dating back to ancient times (beneath the depiction of the woman – Croatia – there is a fragment from the arch inscription Pro duce Trepimero).
On these blocks rests a lion, tearing apart iron bars with its claws and teeth. Beside it stands the beautiful figure of Croatiae, her fists still clenched, weary from breaking chains. From this powerful group rises the oak tree – Ante Starčević himself.
