Searching for Seka

[KivaSupporter]

In response to my post on a Croatian forum, I received an e-mail from a person who lives close to Skradin. He is offering to help search for Seka.

He says he is very familiar with Skradin, as well as with Belgrade, and has friends in both places.

He also says that Serbs generally did not sell their houses in Skradin due to the war, so he believes it is likely that Seka's family still owns a house there. However, he is going to check the Land Registry for any registered house sales and any other information which could help identify Seka and her family. He will also talk to older people residing there.

I will let you know what happens.

 

[Annasmom]

Let me remind everyone why we are looking for Seka. We know that she was in contact with the Georges over quite some period of time in San Francisco. We have copies of George Brody's correspondence to Seka as well as a post card she sent to "Mr. George" from Belgrade. She almost certainly would be able to furnish some pieces of the puzzle, but up until KivaSupporter came on board, we were not able to track her down...despite quite a few heroic attempts. We are much obliged to KS for her assistance on this.

 

[Julessleuther]

Do we know why she was in San Fran? Maybe she was a student? Maybe we could check student records at the local colleges? I will go back and re-read everything, so I don't have to keep asking questions....

Let me remind everyone why we are looking for Seka. We know that she was in contact with the Georges over quite some period of time in San Francisco. We have copies of George Brody's correspondence to Seka as well as a post card she sent to "Mr. George" from Belgrade. She almost certainly would be able to furnish some pieces of the puzzle, but up until KivaSupporter came on board, we were not able to track her down...despite quite a few heroic attempts. We are much obliged to KS for her assistance on this.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Do we know why she was in San Fran? Maybe she was a student? Maybe we could check student records at the local colleges? I will go back and re-read everything, so I don't have to keep asking questions....

I believe she was a student and also working part-time. Do you know how to get copies of student records? I could identify Serbian names.

Thanks.

 

[KivaSupporter]

This morning I received a very nice e-mail from a person in Serbia who had seen my message on a Serbian forum.

She sent me contact information for a Serbian Orthodox church in Skradin, a local municipal administration office, and a widely-read regional newspaper where we could place an ad or possibly publish an article.

She is offering to help but does not know how to proceed without Seka's last name.

I will work on all the above suggestions.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Anna's mom, is there any way you could figure out the words which were crossed out on the postcard from Seka to Mr. George? I believe that would be extremely helpful.

Does anyone know if there is a way to lift the ink from the paper (used to cross out the words) leaving the words (probably written with a ballpoint pen) visible?

 

[SherlockJr]

I believe Ms. Walla, the handwriting expert, has a way to determine what is written before it was scribbled out. I would suggest e-mailing this to Ms. Walla to see if she can help.

 

[Annasmom]

I believe Ms. Walla, the handwriting expert, has a way to determine what is written before it was scribbled out. I would suggest e-mailing this to Ms. Walla to see if she can help.

Here is the card again, plus an enlargement of the scribbled-out part. Should I re-post the typed copies of the letters to Seka?

 

[Julessleuther]

Just a comment about the note: If George could understand Sekas language, wouldn't she have written in Croatian, rather than English? Perhaps if she was student, she was a nursing student and worked with George W? I wonder if the places George W worked have an records for her?


Do we know Sekas last name?

 

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

Just a comment about the note: If George could understand Sekas language, wouldn't she have written in Croatian, rather than English? Perhaps if she was student, she was a nursing student and worked with George W? I wonder if the places George W worked have an records for her?


Do we know Sekas last name?

Good point about the language.

Seka's last name is unknown. That's why it has been so hard to find out who she is...also the fact that Seka is a commonly used nickname, meaning "Little Sister".

 

[Annasmom]

Just a comment about the note: If George could understand Sekas language, wouldn't she have written in Croatian, rather than English? Perhaps if she was student, she was a nursing student and worked with George W? I wonder if the places George W worked have an records for her?


Do we know Sekas last name?

Since the only surviving example of Seka's own handwriting was addressed to "Mr. George", it could well have been meant for GW instead of GB. Although the typed copies of the letters to her are in GB's "picturesque" way of writing, remember that GW wanted to model himself on GB and frequently had GB dictate letters which he (GW) then signed. Given that Seka seems to be a nice young girl from a good family, it is more likely that she would want to be friends with a youngish American doctor than with a strange old coot.

It was a pattern which was often repeated. GW would introduce a friend to GB in hopes that someone else would worship him as he did. When this did not happen, GW would then "sever relations" with the former friend. This is the term he used. It then served to further isolate him from any normal reality check. So sad.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Did Ms. Walla provide her services regarding Anna free-of-charge?

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Since the only surviving example of Seka's own handwriting was addressed to "Mr. George", it could well have been meant for GW instead of GB...Given that Seka seems to be a nice young girl from a good family, it is more likely that she would want to be friends with a youngish American doctor than with a strange old coot...

I agree with this analysis. At first, I thought that "Mr. George" was Brody, but this makes more sense considering the "romantic" nature of the communications.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Is there anyone who lives in or close to San Bruno, California willing to visit the National Archives and Records Administration?

I received information from the NARA Headquarters that Naturalization records are kept in their regional facilities and are public records. The regional office applying to San Francisco is located in San Bruno.

http://archives.gov/pacific/san-francisco/gil.pdf

I am guessing that Seka, after graduating, stayed in the US in or near San Francisco and was naturalized around 1985 or so. In those days, the requirement for requesting naturalization was five years in the US for persons with green cards. The process was different from the one today.

I believe there was only one naturalization date per year per regional Immigration & Naturalization Office.

Since we do not know Seka's last name yet, we would need a copy of all the naturalized citizens for the years from 1985 till (1989?) for that region. I believe I could identify Serbian names. Also, if I remember correctly, the country of origin is shown for each person.

Anyone willing to give it a try?

I would be happy to do it myself but I am on the East coast.

 

[KivaSupporter]

I agree with this analysis. At first, I thought that "Mr. George" was Brody, but this makes more sense considering the "romantic" nature of the communications.

I also agree that was the case.

 

[KivaSupporter]

Just received an e-mail from the person from the Croatian forum who had previously responded:

"I will go to Skradin and spend 2-3 days there. First, I will try to find out Seka's first and last names by talking to older residents, hotel and restaurant owners, taxi drivers, and shop owners. Then, I will go to the police station to see if they could help. Then, I will go to Belgrade.

It is possible that Seka's family has permanently moved to Skradin, due to the poor economic situation in Serbia. Many people who have houses in Skradin have done so."

I am hoping for the best.

 

[Annasmom]

KivaSupporter researched methods for recovering obliterated text such as the scribbled-out words on Seka's postcard from Belgrade, and she has made arrangements for an expert to do this. The card is on the way via Registered Mail. Many, many thanks to KS for managing this. Whether or not the deleted words mean anything or not, we will not know unless we find what they were.

 

[SideKick]

KivaSupporter, you are awesome!
Can't wait for the results.

* I have been searching more on the Seka who was the *advertiser censored* star, tho her bio says she was born in the USA, I wonder? Was this gal a white/ girl or from somewher else, sorry if this sounds crazy... the whole enamoured feel from George whoever about Seka is very interesting despite the pure good family life she apparently came from. Makes me think what on earth would a young girl like that be facscinated by the two G's! Reallly.

Just thinking........

 

[Julessleuther]

I saw her info too, and at one point in time, I believe she was in San Francisco. I will see if I can find the info! Opps, nevermind-- I guess she did a movie, Blond in San Francisco. I did find this, however. COuld our Seka be a massage therapist?
http://www.loriloo.com/2004/08/wisdom-of-seka

KivaSupporter, you are awesome!
Can't wait for the results.

* I have been searching more on the Seka who was the *advertiser censored* star, tho her bio says she was born in the USA, I wonder? Was this gal a white/ girl or from somewher else, sorry if this sounds crazy... the whole enamoured feel from George whoever about Seka is very interesting despite the pure good family life she apparently came from. Makes me think what on earth would a young girl like that be facscinated by the two G's! Reallly.

Just thinking........

 

[Annasmom]

KivaSupporter, you are awesome!
Can't wait for the results.

* I have been searching more on the Seka who was the *advertiser censored* star, tho her bio says she was born in the USA, I wonder? Was this gal a white/ girl or from somewher else, sorry if this sounds crazy... the whole enamoured feel from George whoever about Seka is very interesting despite the pure good family life she apparently came from. Makes me think what on earth would a young girl like that be facscinated by the two G's! Reallly.

Just thinking........

Well, if you met the younger George by himself and he was in an environment where he couldn't conveniently start parroting GB's "philosophy", you'd see a very handsome, idealistic Ivy League-educated physician from a good family...