Shattered Ideals and Fractured Identities: Western Australia to Yugoslavia and back 1948–1955
On the 17 Nov 2018, at the Spearwood Dalmatinac Sport and Community Club, Dr Criena Fitzgerald, well known history author, launched her latest book, complete with a replica boat, dancing and shots!
She said ‘It’s beautiful to see people so passionate about their history”.
It tells the story about those Yugoslav West Australians, who left behind their country of choice to help rebuild war-torn Yugoslavia. Imbued with a sense of national pride they sought a new life for themselves and their children in Yugoslavia.
The story is told from the perspective of the migrants, the narrative follows their selfless fund-raising for the fight against fascism and their voyage on two ships – the liner SS Partizanka and the cargo ship SS Radnik.
This story documents their adaptation to a once familiar, yet strange country, their work, home life and the disillusionment with the system they encountered.
They returned to Australia along with other post war migrants, and resumed their lives economically poorer but culturally enriched by the experience. It is a unique story of migration and re-migration.
As returned migrants they focused on resettlement and they and their children have continued to contribute to the social, economic and cultural fabric of Australia.
