Stjepan Mesic, President of Croatia

Stjepan Mesic was born on 24 December 1934 in Orahovica. Father Josip Mesic and mother Magdalena Mandica Mesic married in 1931 and had two children. Mother died in 1936 and his sister Marija was sent to uncle Tomo Pernar in France while care of Stipe was taken over by grandmother Marija until his father married again and stepmother took over.

Little Stjepan spent World War 2 hiding on Papuk mountain and occasionally liberated Orahovica until when during last offensive he flees to Hungary with his family and some 10,000 other refuges. Family moved to Nasice were his father become president of Municipal board. Family soon moves to Osijek were Stipe finishes forth grade of primary school and two out of eight year gymnasium. Together with his father new position family moves back to old family house in Orahovica Stjepan Mesic completes gymnasium in Pozega. At the end of school he become member of Communist Party of Yugoslavia.

In autumn 1955 attends Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb and in 1961 graduates. Same year he married Milka Dudunic from Hrvatske Kostajnice and has two daugthers, Sasha born in 1961 and Dunja born in 1963.

Serves military service in 1961, six months in School for reserve officers in Bileca and six in Nish.