People Australia

Ivan (John) Viskich (1908-1999?) miner and community activist

Birth: 19 May 1908 at Dalmacija, Croatia. Marriage: (1) 5 December 1936 at the Cathedral, Broken Hill, New South Wales to Veronica Rita Smith. Death: May have been the Ivan John Viskich, married to Stella (1920-2008), who died on 4 April 1999 in Sydney, late of Strathfield, NSW. 

• Arrived in Broken Hill, 2 March 1926, aged 17, seeking a better future than in Dalmacija.
• After ten months he found work as an underground miner at the South Mine. Worked as a miner, Broken Hill, for seventeen years.
• Disciple and supporter of Joe Alagich and was part of the Yugoslav socialist community, Broken Hill. At celebrations of International Workers Day, 1 May 1926,
• In 1928 he was a member of the Militant Minority Movement, Broken Hill, Secretary of Yugoslav support group in Broken Hill protesting against regime of King Alexander which imprisoned dissidents and caused others to disappear.
• Editor of Borba, journal protesting against regime, which moved to Sydney in 1932 and held first national conference in Sydney in 1933. In 1936 Borba ceased publication and was replaced by Napredak, focussing on Spanish Civil War.
• Member of Spanish Relief Committee in 1936. Elected secretary of Club Napredak. Left Broken Hill in 1943.
• Prominent from 1944 in Yugoslav Liberation Aid Committee, which raised £57,000 and £49,000 to build orphanage. In 1943 he was invited to join Federation of Yugoslav Immigrants Association Executive Committee.
• In 1946 was editor of Napredak. From 1948 to 1960 he was president of the Federation of Yugoslav Immigrants Association.
• Mainstay of progressive Yugolsav Club, ‘Zora’, located near Central Railway Association. From 1961 he played a major role with Yugal Club.

Sources
Original Publication: Biographical Register of the Australian Labour Movement 1788-1975