To Whom it May Concern

Re: The funerary ashes of Nikola Tesla.

I wish to reiterate my authority and responsibility concerning the disposition of the funerary ashes of my granduncle, Nikola Tesla.

It has come to my attention through media reports that there is a proposal to move the ashes of Nikola Tesla from the Nikola Tesla Museum to a site associated with St. Sava Cathedral in Belgrade. While I am always supportive of additional honors and recognition accorded to the memory and regard of this great man, I must insist that I be consulted on any such move. I have always supported the wishes of my aunt, Dr. Mica Trbojevic, niece of Tesla, confidant of and co-founder with Dr. Sava Kosanovic of the Museum (and also his heir) that Tesla’s ashes should be on view at the Museum. By definition, a move would be an important undertaking and must include my participation.

I speak now as the closest living relative of Nikola Tesla rather than as the Chairman of the Executive Board and Executive Secretary of the Tesla Memorial Society, Inc.

My authority stems from two separate but related sources. First, my older cousin Jovan Trboyevic of Chicago and I are the last surviving of a total of only five grand nephews/nieces of Nikola Tesla. We are grandsons of Angelina Tesla-Trbojevic, eldest sister of Nikola Tesla. This is a unique blood relationship not available to anyone else.

Second, at the time of Tesla’s death in 1943 my father, Nikola J. Trbojevich, was the nominal direct heir of Tesla’s estate, being a nephew and the only U.S. citizen with authority to act on behalf of Nikola Tesla, also a U.S. citizen who died intestate. The exigencies of war, illness and travel difficulties made it more efficient for these duties to be shifted to Dr. Sava N. Kosanovic, another nephew of Tesla and on temporary wartime duty in New York. This arrangement led to the transfer of the Tesla estate to Belgrade and the founding of the Nikola Tesla Museum. My authority follows the family line of succession as each member died. Dr. Sava Kosanovic to Dr. Mica Trbojevic (both died without children) to Nikola Trbojevich to me.

For responsibility, I have spent more than thirty years representing the family in accepting honors accorded to Nikola Tesla and in promoting the memory and ideals of my famous granduncle. If any move of his ashes should occur, I must be present to preserve the legitimacy of the act in this modern day of non-authoritarian government.