EX-POW Visits Benefactress
By: Mildred Smith
In 1945, Air Force Sergeant Gene Keck
was shot down over Yugoslavia and taken prisoner. Twenty-one years
later, Keck through a fortunate twist of fate visited his benefactress
on U. S. soil. His friend in time of dire need in 1945 was Baroness
Vera Nikolich-Podrinsky of Zagreb, Yugoslavia. “I never dreamed I’d see
her again. I can hardly believe it happened”, declared this Washta
resident of his visit last week with the Baroness.
Postmaster at
Washta for the past sixteen years, he has just returned from Cleveland,
Ohio, where the Baroness, a professional artist has her paintings on
display. And though, Gene spent 24 hours traveling the more than 900
miles to visit with Baroness Vera for a short period, he declared “I’d
do it again and gladly.”
If it weren’t for the Baroness, I might
not be here”. Keck, mused, as he relived for a few hours, the rather
painful two months period in World War II when he and 52 other
Americans were prisoners of war and were housed in barracks erected on
the Baroness’s estate in Zagreb.
The worst part of my prisoner
of war days was food, or rather lack of”, Gene remembers of his 1945
experience. “I went from 180 pounds to 125 in those two months.”
The
Baroness provided the prisoners with food, helped care for the sick and
“she even persuaded the Croatian Nations to allow us to attend Sunday
Services in her villa and served us lunches afterwards”, Gene related.
One
other former POW, Air Force Lieut. Clyde Herbold of Parma Heights
visited the Baroness at Cleveland at the same time as Gene. Before
returning home, Gene visited a crew member in Columbus who he had not
seen since they climbed aboard the plane before being shot down.
The
Baroness regarded these young Americans as “My boys” and referred to
Gene as “my baby”. A gunner, he explains he was the youngest of the
group imprisoned there.
With the 15th Air Force, he served two years, flying out of Italy in B24’s.
As
the war drew to a close, many prisoners were eliminated as the defeated
German forces retreated. Even after the formal end of the war there was
still fighting in some areas. The Baroness, fearing “her boys” would be
taken hostage by the Croatian nationalist before the American consulate
could act, again interceded. She had the prisoners hide in the woods
and come to her villa at night, sleeping on top of pianos and tables,
in chairs and beds and on the floor. After two days the Uartisans came
and the boys were released. This was the last time the Baroness or her
boys saw one another until this visit to the U.S.A.
For Baroness
Nikolich-Podrinsky, now 79, this is her second visit to the United
States. She first came in 1957. Gene unable to make the trip to the
east at that time resolved to let nothing stand in his way this time.
Painting
by this gracious lady of the people, the land, and the sea of her
native land are to be on display Jan. 17 through Feb 18, at the Women’s
City Club in the Bulkley Building in Cleveland. Since arriving in the
U. S. at the end of September, she has had a number of exhibitions,
including one at the Washington Gallery of Modern Art.
Her
secret hope is to be able to sell enough of her painting in America so
she can buy a motor for her motor boat and cruise the Adriatic Sea when
she returns to her homeland this spring. Gene, for one, ardently hopes
she realizes this ambition.
Gene’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. R.
Keck of rural Washta, his wife Carolyn and their three children
Jeanette, Marcia and Brian have not met the Baroness in person but she
has been a part of their lives, so often have they joined Gene in
giving thanks for the tremendous courage of this woman at a time when
it was desperately needed.
Source: Cherokee
County Historical Society Scrapbook, news clipping is hand dated 1-20-66.
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