Biography

k-Jurdana, Giovanni (Ivan Jurdana; John Jordan; Ivo); b. December 16, 1896, Opatija/Abbazia, present-day Croatia; Emigrated to Yugoslavia and Germany before moving to the US, to the US in 1922; Croatian American; Father Matteo Jurdana; Family was very poor, peasants; Prior military service in the Austro-Hungarian Army in WWI; Single; Plasterer and Mason; CP 1934 and prior to 1922 CP of Italy because his hometown became part of Italy between the World Wars; Communist; Politically active in the period following the First World War: Sailed December 26, 1936 aboard the Normandie; Arrived in Spain on January 6, 1937; Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln BN; Killed in action February 27, 1937, Jarama.

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Source: Cadre; Americans; South Slav; La Spagna Nel Nostro Cuore; Nasi Spanjolki, 162; Peter Shimrack to Brooks; Biographical Data on South Slav Volunteers From the United States and Canada From Appendix A in John Peter Kraljic’s The Croatian Community In North America and the Spanish Civil War.