Nenad Porges

Nenad Porges (born 27 December 1946 in Zagreb, Croatia) is a Croatian politician, businessman, entrepreneur and former Minister of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship.

Background and education Porges was born in Zagreb to a Jewish family who came to Zagreb from Vienna and Bratislava. His paternal grandparents were killed during the Holocaust by the SS Prinz Eugen Division, while his father's life was spared due to a fact that he was an essential worker for the Third Reich. Porges remains a member, though inactive, of the Jewish community in Zagreb. He directed a letter to the World Jewish Congress and all affiliated Jewish organizations and institutions with the title; "Appeal to our Jewish brothers and sisters". In the letter he appealed for the recognition of Croatia and support in the Croatian War for Independence which was fought "against a brutal military force led by the Yugoslav Army". He has also worked on a number of marketing research projects and published numerous papers. In 2005 Porges was named among the one thousand most influential Croatians. After Croatian independence Porges helped to revive Freemasonry in the country.