BALKANS: Tito’s Widow Finally Finds a Roof

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic Reprint | | Print |

Vesna Peric Zimonjic

BELGRADE, Feb 22 2006 (IPS) - More than a quarter of century after the death of former Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito, his widow Jovanka (81) has finally got a roof over her head.

“The fate of Jovanka Broz was a shame for this country,” human rights minister for Serbia and Montenegro Rasim Ljajic told reporters after reconstruction at her home began last week. “She lived under catastrophic conditions, and something really had to be done to finally set things right for Mrs Broz.”

Parts of the roof of the state-owned house where Jovanka lived were missing, other parts of it leaked, and the central heating had not worked for years. The government has now undertaken to reconstruct the house.

Many government officials in their 30s or 40s say they thought Jovanka Broz died long ago. They were children in 1980, when Tito died.

It was only when they read recent stories about Jovanka’s difficult life in a dilapidated house off a small pension that they decided to do something.

Josip Broz Tito was the communist ruler of former Yugoslavia, and leader of the anti-fascist partisan movement that liberated the country from German occupation in World War II. Under his rule since 1945, the country saw peace and prosperity that did not have the traditional character of communism.

Free travel and small private enterprise were normal, as former Yugoslavia took the road of ‘neither East nor West’. Together with Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt and Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Tito founded the non-alignment movement of Third World countries in the late 50s.

He died at the age of 88. His successors put his widow Jovanka under virtual house arrest and confiscated all her belongings. She was pushed into a government-owned house, and allowed to carry only a few photographs and personal belongings with her.

Three years before Tito’s death, his aides had separated the couple, claiming Jovanka planned a conspiracy to take over leadership of the country. But she was allowed to attend his funeral in May 1980 in order to avoid embarrassment before more than 100 heads of governments and states.

Tito’s personality cult crumbled in the 80s and his once glorified role in the country’s history came under scrutiny. Former Yugoslavia fell apart in the early 90s.

In all those years, Jovanka led a secluded life. The couple had no children and the only visitors to Mrs Broz’s home for years were her sister and nieces. She never spoke in public about the tragic events of her life.

“Partially, one can say that Jovanka Broz shared the fate of Tito’s era that was pushed aside in the new independence propaganda among former Yugoslav nations in the late 80s and early 90s, and that is why she was forgotten” Jovanka Broz’s lawyer Toma Fila told IPS.

“On the other hand, she has all the right, as his widow, to her belongings, letters, jewellery, gifts and memorabilia of her 28 years long marriage,” he said.

Toma Fila is fighting for Jovanka Broz to get her share of Tito’s legacy. The former communist ruler, in keeping with his beliefs, did not own much and did not leave a will. A law was hastily adopted after Tito’s death, claiming that all he had “belonged to the state.”

Much of it still remains in vaults of former residences, but a lot was taken away by his aides, many of them long dead now. One collection of items is kept at the small museum close to Tito’s grave in Belgrade.

Among those who would like at least something from Tito’s legacy is his grandson Josip Broz, who lives in Belgrade.

“Apart from preventing Jovanka from collecting her clothes, jewellery and photo albums, Tito’s aides prevented all the others from taking anything from his residence back then,” Broz told IPS. “I don’t want much – just some trophy rifle or one of his personal belongings to remind me of him.”

Born as Jovanka Budisavljevic, the young partisan fighter married Tito in 1952 at the age of 28. He was 32 years her senior.

Many say she was chosen by his aides to become his bride for a reason.. The beautiful, dark haired and dark eyed Jovanka was a Serb from Croatia, with an impeccable anti-fascist background.

Tito was a Croat, and a victorious anti-fascist leader. Jovanka was expected to be obedient and not to make any trouble.

The new Mrs Broz was said to be on good terms with Tito’s two sons from two previous marriages. In the 50s, 60s and 70s she witnessed all the international and home successes of her husband.

Jovanka Broz hopes, her lawyer says, to have photographs, letters or some personal belongings to remember her glorious life by.