Duka Mandic
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Georgina-Đuka Tesla, nee Mandić, (1822 - April 4, 1882) was the mother of Nikola Tesla. She invented devices and tools, and was talented at handiwork and crafts. Đuka was the daughter of the Serbian Orthodox priest Nikola Mandić (1800 - 1863) from the town of Gračac in Lika, modern-day Croatia, otherwise a member of a prominent Serb family of the Banija (a region to the north of Lika).
Biography
Đuka was born in the small village of Tomingaj (translated as "Tomo's grove" - named after her great-grandfather). Her mother was blinded when she was 16 years old and so she took care of her seven younger siblings until her marriage. She married Serb Orthodox Reverend Milutin Tesla in 1847. She was illiterate, though far more talented than expected.
Đuka had five children with Milutin Tesla. Their names were:
- Dane (1848 - 1861)
- Angelina (married name: Trbojević; married a Serbian Orthodox priest)
- Milka (married name: Glumičić; married a Serbian Orthodox priest)
- Nikola (1856 - 1943) [the fourth child]
- Marica (married name: Kosanović; married a Serbian Orthodox priest)
She was gifted with a sense of intuition and bestowed inventiveness on her children. Nikola was born "at the stroke of midnight" during a summer storm and lightning. The midwife commented, "He'll be a child of the storm," to which Đuka replied, "No, of light." Đuka moved to Gospić in 1862 with her family. In 1879, when Milutin died, Đuka lived in Gospić, with her brother, Priest Petar. Đuka died three years later, on an Easter Saturday at one o'clock in the morning.
She was buried beside her husband, in the Jašikovac cemetery in Divoselo. Nikola raised individual tombstones of white marble (of similar height and likeness) to each of his parents. On Đuka's stone was written:
- Đuka Tesla
- Wife of Priest Tesla
Đuka Tesla's birth house in Tomin gaj was under the protection of the state from 1945 to 1991, but later fell into disrepair and ruin.
Reference
- Serbian National Federation Information (http://www.serbnatlfed.org/Archives/Tesla/tesla-mother.htm)