There are 18 people living in Croatia with the name of the former communist leader Josip Broz and 16 who are named after the notorious Ustasha leader Ante Pavelić.
Each of them had some experiences because of the name they bear, the first, namesakes of the former president of Yugoslavia, mostly pleasant, and the second, namesakes of the infamous Ustasha leader, and not so pleasant.
One of the 18 Josip Broz says that it never occurred to him to change his name.
"Even if I were born again, I would like to be called the same," said Josip Broz (63) from Našice, whose parents wanted him to be called Stjepan, but the priest at the baptism suggested that he be called Josip, after his uncle.
For today's "Večernji list" from Zagreb, Josip Broz (60) from Sesvet also spoke about the incidents with the name, who, because of his well-known name and surname, was best welcomed in Serbia, where he served in the army, and in Kosovo, where he went on business.
"In a bar in Slavonski Brod, when they found out my name and surname, the owners immediately closed the bar for the other guests, saying that Josip Broz was their guest, so they were celebrating," said this Broz.
The namesakes of the infamous Ustasha leader were less forthcoming with journalists, but the two agreed to discuss their name.
Ante Pavelić from Stari Mikanovac said that he did not always bear this name.
"I was born on the day of St. Anthony, and it used to be customary for children, when they were born on those days, to be named after the saints on whose day they were born," said this Pavelić, whose father was afraid to name him Ante, so he named him Peter.
As a matter of principle, because he was born on St. Anthony's Day, he changed his name from Petar to Ante in 1989.
"If I had not been born on that day, I would certainly never have changed my name, I would have remained Petar," says Ante and adds that, although he bears this name and surname, he never associated it with the NDH and the Ustasha leader.
Another Ante Pavelić says that since birth he was in trouble because of his name and surname, and that 40 years ago he was forced to change his surname.
Ante Pavelić from Vukovar claims that, after Titu complained about his job, he was called by the municipality and ordered to change his surname. He took his mother's surname Knežević, but in 1992 he returned the surname Pavelić.
"Even today, when someone calls me somewhere, everyone turns around as if they see a white crow. Many remain in disbelief when I tell them my name," adds this Ante Pavelić.
Bonus video:
