1905

Juscelino’s father dies. The death of JK’s father, João César de Oliveira (see photo), worsened the family’s situation. He had been a traveling salesman, and his family lived through difficult times, having only narrow means of survival at their disposal. Although Dona Júlia had nobody with whom she could leave her children, she was determined to give them the best. So she took them to school every day, the classroom being a room at home. This way, Nonô (as Juscelino was called) and Naná, his sister, finished primary school. Juscelino had always been a diligent and interested boy. When Juscelino’s father died on January 10, 1905, Juscelino was only two years old. Despite the little contact he had had with his father, there was always a certain similarity between their personalities, a fact that pleased Juscelino. According to his own words, this made him feel closer to his father. Dona Júlia, on the other hand, was a reserved and unpretentious person, she seldom participated in social activities. A teacher since 1895, she dedicated most of her time and commitment to the school where she taught. She was the granddaughter of Jan Nepomusky Kubitscheck, also called João Alemão (German John, see photo), a Roman Catholic immigrant from Bohemia who established himself in Brazil as a carpenter at the time of the first Brazilian empire. It was he who assumed the responsibilities of the family when João César died at the age of 33. Dona Júlia died in 1971, she was over 90 years old. Juscelino had two sisters. Eufrosina who only lived for a few months, and Maria da Conceição (see photo), also called Naná (1901-1966).