Part 1: The Early Years  |  Part 2: The Worst of Times  |  Part 3: The Best of Times
Part 4: Coming To America  |  Part 5: Ivan Opens Art Studio
Part 6: Ivan's Collapse - The Final Chapter

Part 3 - Best of Times

	#0287, 1949

Ivan's big break came between August 14-19, 1948, when his oil painting, Salzburg, was exhibited in the very first and largest art exhibit of its kind following World Word II. Hundreds of paintings were shown at this Grosse Austellung. The directors of the exhibit admired his work so much that they featured it prominently in the vestibule.

As his art work gained a following, photographic reproductions of his paintings were made into postcards and sold to tourists, an accolade only given to a city's best-loved artist.

"City by the River" 1949 became the most famous postcard of the era. Sometimes known by the name of Salzburg by the River or Riverbank, Ivan painted several of this exact same scene each with subtle differences usually found at the water's edge.

In the winter of 1948, Ivan decided to advertise for a model in the Salzburg newspapers. These ads brought Maria Schneider with her two daughters, Lili and Lana, to his studio. During the ensuing months, Ivan became enamored with Lili's beauty. On April 6, 1949, just two and a half months before his 31st birthday, an old world, arranged marriage took place. Ivan married Lili who was just sixteen years of age.

Just two months later, on June 4, 1949, in hopes of going to the United States for total freedom and opportunity, Ivan registered at the Assembly Centre Hellbrunn as a 'displaced person'. In the midst of winter about eight months later, a new person entered Ivan's life. On February 17, 1950, Lili and Ivan's only child, Arnold, was born. Even with their newly born son, the incompatibility of their ages and other irreconcilable differences forced their divorce on December 1, 1950. Although the divorce was finalized, Ivan continued to maintain a close personal relationship with his former in-laws.

Along with thousands of others, Ivan's passage to the United States was arranged by the International Refugee Organization in accordance with the Immigration Act of 1924 and the Displaced Persons Act of June 25, 1948. Among the others accepted for relocation to the United States at this time were his former in-laws, his ex-wife and his son.

With all of the necessary paperwork in order, Ivan and the new immigrants awaited official word from the American authorities. In August of 1951, confirmation arrived and the immigrants prepared to depart for their new country. In a surprising turn of events, Lili decided not to depart for America and to keep Ivan's son with her in Europe. Although saddened by Lili's decision, Ivan did not allow it to dissuade him from going to this new homeland, the United States of America.

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