1st Edition

The Croatian Diaspora in Argentina From Martyrs to Memory Guardians

By Nikolina Židek Copyright 2026
290 Pages
by Central European University Press

Following the collapse of the fascist Independent State of Croatia (1941–1945), around ten thousand political émigrés fled to Perón’s Argentina. This study traces the Croatian diaspora’s evolution from its founding to the present. Initially marked by trauma—military defeat, exile, and reprisals—the community redefined its identity within Cold War geopolitics, first as victims of... Read more

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Year Zero: the Defeat, the Exile, and Bleiburg

Chapter 2 – “Il Piccolo Stato Croato”: the Allied Displaced Persons Camp Fermo in Italy

Chapter 3 – Destination Argentina

Chapter 4 – Political and Publishing Activities

Chapter 5 – Homeland Celebrations Far Away from Home

Chapter 6 – The 1990s: Between a Dream Come True and Déjà Vu

Chapter 7 – New Configurations in the 2000s

Epilogue and Conclusions

List of Archival Collections Consulted

Bibliography

Biography

Nikolina Židek is a Professor at IE University Madrid, School of Politics, Economics, and Global Affairs. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). Prior to her academic career, Dr. Židek served for twelve years as a Croatian professional diplomat.