Dejak was born in Lipovec, Slovenia, that has been experienced part of Yugoslavia at the time
Immigrants
Iris Bailin, a factor to the New york Minutes, produces one “[Cleveland]is the reason metropolitan city comes with the premier urban society from Slovenians – in the 75,000 [at the time of 1987], relying second- and you will third-generation People in the us – external Ljubljana, Slovenia’s big area.”
With regards to the “Slovene” area of the Encyclopedia from Cleveland History within Instance Western Set-aside School, Slovenians you to definitely immigrated in order to Cleveland immediately after World war ii “were mostly political refugees.” The fresh new Slovenian community within the Cleveland has also been “augmented by the second age group,” for example second-age group Slovenians particularly my personal Teta Lenka (“teta” is actually Slovenian to possess “aunt”) who stayed in Cleveland and you will went on so you’re able to accept the culture, possess ensured that a Slovenian social exposure stays in your community now.
John Dejak, both
John F. He moved to The united states on the sixties immediately after conference a great Slovenian lady titled Amelia Starasinic in Germany. Each of them had married and you will settled for the Cleveland, Kansas, where John F. Dejak come their industry due to the fact an engineer. They’d their very first kid, a son, for the ed him John Nicholas Dejak, Nicholas getting immediately after Amelia’s earliest cousin.
John N. Dejak grew up in Cleveland, Kansas and spoke Slovenian just like the 1st code. He or she is far less proficient inside today at the ages fifty-four, however, he was ridiculed inside preschool once to possess writing about a good shell just like the a beneficial “vilice.” He began working at his father’s host shop, Dejak Machine and Device Company, towards the sundays as he are fourteen, and you can began work due to the fact a mechanical professional after graduating from Cleveland State University during the 1989.