The oldest of five children, Nikola was born in a small village
in the Croatian part of Yugoslavia. Like his parents, Nikola was
baptized in the Serbian Orthodox faith. After receiving his
medical degree from Prague University, he married, and in 1912
moved with his wife to Serbia. During World War I he served in
the Serbian army, and then settled in Novi Sad where he co-owned
a medical clinic. 1933-39: Nikola and his wife raised three
children in Novi Sad. Then difficult times brought on by the
1930s economic depression forced Nikola to close his medical
clinic. The Mrvos family moved to the Croatian city of Zagreb,
where Nikola found employment as the director of medical
services for Yugoslavia's newly established health insurance
administration. 1940-41: The Germans invaded Yugoslavia on April
6, 1941. Four days later, they entered Zagreb and Croatian
fascists came to power. Because of anti-Serb discrimination,
Nikola was arrested by Croatian fascists on April 12 and
imprisoned in Kerestinec Castle outside