Jerko Čulić: životni put, djelovanje i obitelj

Jerko Čulić (1898 – 1953) played a significant role in the economic, political and social life of Split in the first half of the 20th century. Having been born in a deprived suburb, his interest in politics, that he developed in his early adulthood, revolved around the central idea of the time – the unity of the Southern Slavs. His disdain for the Monarchy reflected in a number of writings and agitation attempts, which eventually resulted in incarceration. After the war, he became involved in social politics and humanitarian work. His attention eventually shifted towards tourism industry: he achieved immense success having initiated and established organised tourism in former Yugoslavia. He was also the first chief executive of the Split branch of Putnik, which, at the time, was a state tourism agency. Jerko Čulić was a prolific author of brochures and travel books. He regularly published a large number of travel magazines and thus contributed to the promotion of the Croatian Adriatic and his native Dalmatia. Due to his cooperation with the so-called Društvo za za uređenje i proljepšanje Bačvica i Firula (Bačvice and Firule garden design improvement association) his influence is still visible in the horticultural layout of the eastern waterfront in Split. He was married to a teacher and a political and humanitarian activist, Maja Čulić, with whom he had four children.