Early years (1856–1885)

Nikola Tesla was born on10 July (O.S. 28June) 1856 to Serbian parentsin the village of Smiljan, AustrianEmpire (modern-day Croatia). Hisfather, Milutin Tesla, was an Orthodox priest. Tesla'smother, Đuka Tesla (née Mandić),whose father was also an Orthodox priest,:10 hada talent for making home craft tools, mechanical appliances, and the ability tomemorize Serbian epic poems. Đukahad never received a formal education. Nikola credited his eideticmemory andcreative abilities to his mother's genetics and influence. Tesla'sprogenitors were from western Serbia, near Montenegro.:12Tesla was the fourth offive children. He had an older brother named Dane and three sisters, Milka,Angelina and Marica. Dane was killed in a horse-riding accident when Nikola wasfive. In1861, Tesla attended the "Lower" or "Primary" School inSmiljan where he studied German, arithmetic, and religion. In1862, the Tesla family moved to Gospić,Austrian Empire, where Tesla's father worked as a pastor. Nikola completed"Lower" or "Primary" School, followed by the "LowerReal Gymnasium" or "Normal School."In 1870, Tesla moved to Karlovac toattend school at Higher Real Gymnasium, wherehe was profoundly influenced by a math teacher Martin Sekulić.:32 Teslawas able to perform integral calculus in his head, which prompted his teachersto believe that he was cheating. Hefinished a four-year term in three years, graduating in 1873.:33In 1873, Tesla returnedto his birthtown, Smiljan. Shortly after he arrived, Tesla contracted cholera;he was bedridden for nine months and was near death multiple times. Tesla'sfather, in a moment of despair, promised to send him to the best engineeringschool if he recovered from the illness (hisfather had originally wanted him to enter the priesthood).In 1874, Tesla evadedbeing drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army inSmiljan byrunning away to Tomingaj,near Gračac.There, he explored the mountains in hunter's garb. Tesla said that this contactwith nature made him stronger, both physically and mentally. Heread many books while in Tomingaj, and later said that MarkTwain's works had helped him to miraculouslyrecover from his earlier illness.In 1875, Tesla enrolledat Austrian Polytechnic in Graz, Austria,on a MilitaryFrontier scholarship.During his first year, Tesla never missed a lecture, earned the highest gradespossible, passed nine exams (nearlytwice as many required),started a Serbian culture club, andeven received a letter of commendation from the dean of the technical facultyto his father, which stated, "Your son is a star of first rank." Teslaclaimed that he worked from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m., no Sundays or holidaysexcepted. Hewas "mortified when father made light of hard wonhonors." After his father's death in 1879, Teslafound a package of letters from his professors to his father, warning thatunless he were removed from the school, Tesla would be killed through overwork. Duringhis second year, Tesla came into conflict with Professor Poeschl over the Grammedynamo, when Tesla suggested that commutatorsweren't necessary. At the end of his second year, Tesla lost his scholarshipand became addicted to gambling. Duringhis third year, Tesla gambled away his allowance and his tuition money, latergambling back his initial losses and returning the balance to his family. Teslasaid that he "conquered passion then and there," but later hewas known to play billiards in the US. When exam time came, Tesla wasunprepared and asked for an extension to study, but was denied. He nevergraduated from the university and did not receive grades for the last semester.