Croatian Inventors

Croatian Inventors & Their Inventions

Croatia – a land of inventors. Did you know?

Countries like Germany, the USA and Italy are well known for their innovations and creative treasures. However, would you have thought that – in addition to the Adriatic Sea, good food and beautiful sunshine – Croatia is home to some of the brightest minds and most clever inventions of our time? No? Then you will be surprised by how many everyday objects we use were invented by Croatian inventors. Test yourself. Would you have known that these inventions came from Croatia? Join us on a journey to Croatia, the land of inventors!

Oh, là, là – The tie as a 17th century fashion sensation

The necktie is certainly the most famous Croatian invention. In the 17^th century, Croatian soldiers joined the French army and wore a scarf around their necks that was knotted in a very specific way. The French quickly copied the fashionable accessory and the trend spread like wildfire to other countries. The term tie comes from the French word cravatte, which originated from the French word la Croate which meant Croat (Croatian). As a tribute to this invention, the Day of the Tie is celebrated in Croatia every year on October 18^th.

Men in historical garb of Croatian soldiers of the 17th century — Croatian soldiers wearing the first version of the tie in the 17th century (source: www.croatiaweek.com)

A soft landing from dizzying heights – the first parachute

Less fashionable, but extremely inspiring: Leonardo da Vinci had the first idea for the parachute. However, Faust Vrančić from Šibenik was the first to actually build one from a wooden frame and fabric in 1617. Vrančić was an inventor, philosopher and lexicographer who described the construction of his parachute, as well as 56 other inventions, in detail in his book Machinae Novae (New Machines). In addition to the description of the parachute, there is also a picture of the so-called Homo Volans (the flying man). Faust Vrančić tested his own invention by jumping from a bell tower in Venice at the age of 65 – talk about the entrepreneurial spirit! A Museum has been built in his hometown of Šibenik where visitors can admire the development of the parachute and his other inventions: Open Website of the Museum

Test dummy used to demonstrate invention of parachute — Soft landing: Croatians also invented the parachute! (source: www.lust-auf-kroatien.de)

Explosive invention from the 19th century – the torpedo

Let’s move on to the most explosive Croatian invention. The first prototype was developed in 1861 by naval officer and inventor Ivan Blaž Lupis. A factory in Rijeka then developed the idea further before starting with mass production. From 1880, the torpedo was part of the basic armament of all developed navies. Nowadays, fortunately, the principles of this invention are also used for more peaceful purposes. Visitors to the city of Rijeka can learn more about the torpedo at the Maritime Museum

Torpedo being shot from a military ship — The invention of the torpedo changed the world of war. (source: Pixabay)

How a small light changed the world – the light bulb

Once again, we can thank the Croatians for bringing us light. The Croatian chemist and metallurgist, Franjo Hanaman, along with Aleksander Just, developed the production of tungsten filaments and thus invented the tungsten light bulb. They patented the idea in 1903.

close up image of maglite flashlight — The robust, rod-shaped Megalite flashlight also comes from Croatia. (source: Pixabay)

The secret ingredient for Croatian cuisine – Vegeta Spice Mix

We have a woman to thank for what is probably the most delicious Croatian invention! The now world-famous Vegeta spice mix from the Podravka Company was developed in 1958 by a team led by Prof. Zlata Bartl. The first product was called Vegeta 40. Eight years after the spice blend was launched on the market, it was also exported to Russia and Hungary. Today, Vegeta is sold in over 40 countries on five continents. The ingredient has become an indispensable part of most (Balkan) households.

glass jar with Vegeta Spice Mix — The Vegeta spice blend from Croatia can be found in households all over the world. (source: Pixabay)

Detective know-how from the 19th century – the fingerprint

The Croatian Sherlock Holmes: Ivan Vučetić came to a realization that was a milestone for criminology. Born on the island of Hvar, the Croatian emigrated to Argentina and began working there was a police officer in 1888. His job was to convict criminals through anthropometry, the measurement of body parts. However, as the common methods of conviction at the end of the 19^th century were not entirely accurate, Ivan began to compare numerous fingerprints and he noticed that no two were alike. In 1891, the method was recognized by a court in Buenos Aires. His idea was confirmed a year later when a double murder was solved using fingerprints. Since then, this method has become indispensable in unsolved crimes.

magnifying glass with a finger print — Many perpetrators are still convicted on the basis of their fingerprints. (source: Pixabay)

Summa Summarum: Croatians invent THE antibiotic

A team from the Croatian pharmaceutical company Pliva discovered the organic chemical compound azithromycin in 1980 and patented it in 1981. This is an antibiotic and is one of the most important remedies for bacterial respiratory and skin diseases. In Croatia, this medicine is sold under the name Sumamed. The name is made up of the Latin words summa summarum medicinae, which means “total medicine”: at the time, this chemical compound was a completely new type of antibiotic and therefore a sensational novelty.