Svjetski putnik

Croatia's pioneering "svjetski putnik" (world traveler), Josip Franjo Mikulec – also known as "Joža Putnik" or "Joža the Traveller" – is retrospectively recognized as the world's first influencer. Born in 1878, Mikulec embarked on an extraordinary global journey around 1901, traversing the world twice, primarily on foot, over nearly three decades and covering an estimated 76,000 miles. He financed his extensive expeditions by selling postcards featuring his likeness and performing Croatian folk songs with instruments, particularly in American schools. His most significant contribution was a remarkable, leather-bound book, which ultimately grew to over 2,500 pages and weighed approximately 25 kilograms. Within its pages, Mikulec meticulously collected over 30,000 autographs and dedications from global luminaries, including six U.S. presidents, inventors Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, and industrialist Andrew Carnegie. This collection earned him recognition as a "social network before social networks." During his lifetime, Mikulec's adventures were chronicled in American newspapers and immortalized in two silent films. He passed away in 1933, leaving his legendary book as his sole recorded possession. His legacy continues to be honored, with the Croatian History Museum acquiring one of his invaluable books in 2023, and a monument unveiled in Oroslavje in 2024, complemented by plans for a dedicated promenade.