Every postcard carries a story, and this one tells a touching tale of family, friendship, and the enduring bonds between Croatia and Argentina.
The postcard was sent by Aunt Nide from Split, Croatia, to her granddaughter Ludmila in Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
The family’s story began in Split, where Tonka Tverdić and Marko Laura were married. Together they raised five children: Leonida (Nide), Duje, Vesna, Želo, and Silvio.
When Vesna was thirteen years old, she moved to Buenos Aires (Autonomous City of Buenos Aires – CABA), Argentina, to live with one of her aunts. There she met and married a Spaniard, Julio Rodríguez, and together they had a daughter, María, affectionately known as Hermi.
At the age of twenty-six, Vesna returned to Split for the first time since emigrating, accompanied by her daughter, Hermi, to reunite with her family. Over the years, she made several more visits to her hometown, where she cherished the opportunity to spend time with her older sister, Nide.
Years later, when Hermi was twenty-eight, she and her husband settled in Puerto Madryn, where their daughter Ludmila was born.
Hermi and I, Adriana Curin Resich, eventually became close friends. Our friendship grew from a shared Croatian heritage. My paternal grandfather was a Croatian from the island of Hvar, while my maternal great-grandfather came from the Dubrovnik region. Our mothers, Alicia and Vesna, were also dear friends and remained so until Vesna’s passing.
In 2024, I had the privilege of traveling to the homeland of my ancestors and visiting Vesna’s and Hermi’s family in Split. The accompanying photographs show the family home during Hermi’s visit and later during my own journey.
Our friendship continues to this day. Hermi and Ludmila have since returned to live in Buenos Aires (CABA). I am the mother of three children, and all four of us are Croatian citizens. Two of my children now live in Croatia.
Today, Nide still lives in Split and has reached the remarkable age of ninety.
This postcard is more than a family keepsake—it is a testament to the enduring ties between generations of Croatian emigrants and their homeland. I believe it is a beautiful story of the Croatian diaspora in Argentina, one that deserves to be preserved and shared.
Adriana Curin
