Dora Van VrankenDora Van Vranken was born in former Yugoslavia to a fourth-generation ethnic German father. She grew up in ethnically-diverse communities, first speaking Hungarian, then German, and upon entering elementary school, Serbian. By age thirteen, she had sen two wars fought in the streets of her hometown of Vrsac: Hitler's forces conquering Yugoslavia in 1941, followed by the Russian Red Army liberation in 1944. Both wars left in their wake major upheaval-ethnic tensions and persecutions; hardship and suffering. For Van Vranken, her experience under Tito's Communist rule included internment, separation from her parents and some siblings, forced labor, and a risky escape and flight. Reunited in Vienna, she and her family emigrated in 1949 to the United States, settling in California. Once able to resume her education, Van Vranken pursued Liberal Arts. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University in German Studies. As a tenured Professor at University of Redlands, she taught German and other literatures. After retiring, Van Vranken turned to writing. The Winds Of Fortress Kula is her first book. Van Vranken lives in the Bay Area to be near her two daughters. Read More Read Less