Eduard Miloslavic
Encyclopedia
Eduard Miloslavić was a professor of pathology
, a descendant of Croatian
emigrants to the United States
, born in Oakland, California
. His father Luko moved from Župa Dubrovačka
(10 km from Dubrovnik) to Dubrovnik in 1878. In same year he married Vica Milković. A few years later the couple emigrated to the United States. The entire family—Luko, Vica, Eduard and his brothers and sisters—returned to Dubrovnik in 1889.
Miloslavić studied medicine in Vienna
, where he became a professor of pathology. In 1920, an invitation came from Marquette University
in Wisconsin, to take the chair of pathology, bacteriology
and forensic medicine.
In subsequent years "Doc Milo", as colleagues called him, inaugurated criminal pathology in the United States. As an outstanding specialist he was involved in investigations of crimes perpetrated by the Al Capone
gang. He was one of the founders of the International Academy for Forensic Medicine, member of many American and European scientific societies and academies, and vice president of the Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU) in the United States.
In 1932, he moved to Zagreb, where he was a full professor in the faculty of medicine. He also lectured in pastoral medicine in the faculty of theology in Zagreb and was known as an ardent adversary of abortion and euthanasia. In 1940, he was elected a member of the prestigious "Medico-Legal Society" in London. In 1941, he was made a full member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Germany, and was awarded doctor "honoris causa" by the University of Vienna
, where he had started his scientific career. He again moved to the United States in 1944.
After his initiative in 1941 the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo was founded in 1944 during the NDH
regime.
During his time in Zagreb, in 1943, Miloslavić was among those invited by the Government of Nazi Germany
to take part in an investigation into the massacre of 12,000 Polish officers at Katyn
Forest in 1940. This investigation concluded that the Soviet Union had been responsible for the massacre. According to an article published in Vjesnik, December 27, 1992, Miloslavic was sentenced to death
in absentia by the Yugoslavian government for his testimony in this investigation.
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, a descendant of Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
emigrants to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, born in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. His father Luko moved from Župa Dubrovačka
Župa Dubrovacka
Župa Dubrovačka is a valley,a group of towns and a municipality of Dubrovnik-Neretva County in western Croatia. It has 6,663 inhabitants, 93% which are Croats....
(10 km from Dubrovnik) to Dubrovnik in 1878. In same year he married Vica Milković. A few years later the couple emigrated to the United States. The entire family—Luko, Vica, Eduard and his brothers and sisters—returned to Dubrovnik in 1889.
Miloslavić studied medicine in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he became a professor of pathology. In 1920, an invitation came from Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
in Wisconsin, to take the chair of pathology, bacteriology
Bacteriology
Bacteriology is the study of bacteria. This subdivision of microbiology involves the identification, classification, and characterization of bacterial species...
and forensic medicine.
In subsequent years "Doc Milo", as colleagues called him, inaugurated criminal pathology in the United States. As an outstanding specialist he was involved in investigations of crimes perpetrated by the Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
gang. He was one of the founders of the International Academy for Forensic Medicine, member of many American and European scientific societies and academies, and vice president of the Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU) in the United States.
In 1932, he moved to Zagreb, where he was a full professor in the faculty of medicine. He also lectured in pastoral medicine in the faculty of theology in Zagreb and was known as an ardent adversary of abortion and euthanasia. In 1940, he was elected a member of the prestigious "Medico-Legal Society" in London. In 1941, he was made a full member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in Germany, and was awarded doctor "honoris causa" by the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, where he had started his scientific career. He again moved to the United States in 1944.
After his initiative in 1941 the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo was founded in 1944 during the NDH
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
regime.
During his time in Zagreb, in 1943, Miloslavić was among those invited by the Government of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
to take part in an investigation into the massacre of 12,000 Polish officers at Katyn
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
Forest in 1940. This investigation concluded that the Soviet Union had been responsible for the massacre. According to an article published in Vjesnik, December 27, 1992, Miloslavic was sentenced to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in absentia by the Yugoslavian government for his testimony in this investigation.