The Croatian who was ‘world’s first influencer’ gets monument

Monument for Josip Franjo Mikulec unveiled (Photo credit: Krapina-Zagorje County)

In the town of Oroslavje in Croatia’s Krapina-Zagorje County just outside of Zagreb, a monument was recently unveiled in honour of the famous traveller and the “first global influencer” Josip Franjo Mikulec.

Born in 1878 in Krušljevo Selo near Oroslavje, Mikulec left for the United States at the age of 27. As he travelled across the country, he recorded his adventures in a leather-bound book and collected autographs and dedications during his meetings with various dignitaries and famous individuals, including Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.

As he continued his travels, the book grew larger, with Mikulec adding several pages with each new visit to a city or town. By the end of his journey, the book had over 2,500 pages and weighed around 26 kilograms.

Within its pages are numerous testimonies from statesmen, presidents, businesspeople, actors, artists, athletes, writers, scientists, political and religious leaders, and others.

(Photo credit: Krapina-Zagorje County)

Initially, Mikulec carried the book by hand or on his shoulder, but later he transported it using specially made wooden carts. Due to its historical significance, the Croatian History Museum purchased the book at the end of 2023.

The monument was unveiled by Željko Kolar, the Prefect of Krapina-Zagorje County and representative of the President of the Republic of Croatia, alongside the Italian Ambassador to Croatia, H.E. Paolo Trichilo, the Mayor of Oroslavje, Viktor Šimunić, and the sculptor Adna Bakija, the Krapina-Zagorje County said.

(Photo credit: Krapina-Zagorje County)

“This is truly impressive. The world is small today, and travelling is common. Nowadays, it’s almost impossible for someone to undertake such a journey and even reach the gates of the White House, let alone collect signatures from as many as six American presidents.

Those were different times, but we can see how much determination and persistence were needed for such an endeavour. Only a Zagorje native could have done that,” said Željko Kolar.

(Photo credit: Krapina-Zagorje County)

Among the many attendees at the monument unveiling ceremony were the Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević, the Belgian Ambassador William De Baets, the Swiss Ambassador Urs Wolfgang Friedrich Wilhelm Hammer, the Deputy Ambassador of Slovenia, Miha Fatur as well as Members of Parliament, the Director of the Croatian History Museum, Matea Brstilo Rešetar, the President of the Chamber of Crafts of Krapina-Zagorje County, Nenad Kučič, the Mayor of Donja Stubica, Nikola Gospočić, and the Mayor of Stubičke Toplice, Josip Beljak.

Mikulec passed away in Genoa, Italy, on 8th May 1933.