Loneliness. Eleanor Roosevelt. The death of the great scientist.

On the dazzling white pillows yellow, almost parchment face stands out in relief. It was like an old cameo, carved ivory skilled craftsman. Unusually high open forehead, characteristic, finely outlined nose, emaciated, sunken cheeks, thin lips, as if frozen in a half smile, and wonderful blue eyes, tired and sad, with a penetrating gaze into the soul. All facial features betrays imprint of the persistent struggle with death, which led vosmidesyatisemiletny old man not for the sake of life, but only for a little more time to do for the benefit of mankind.

The disease is confined Nikola Tesla to bed, but could not prevent him to continue to reflect on the events. As before, for that he need only loneliness. And now he is one. At the doorway of his room at the 33rd floor of the hotel "New Yorker", located in the noisy environment of a huge city - on the corner of Eighth Avenue and 37th Street - hanging laconic inscription: "Never go without a call." This requirement applies to all: at Hotel maid, doctor visits where the patient has reduced to a minimum, the journalists tried to enter the room to find out about the state of health of the one whose name for more than half a century has been one of the most respected in the world of science and technology. Even friends succeeded less and less to get permission to visit the patient.

About Tesla recognized serious illness of the United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. On the first day of 1943, on behalf of the President, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a note to a prominent public figure of America, Yugoslavia-born Adamik:

"The White House, Washington.

January 1, 1943.

Dear Mr. Adamik.

I asked the President to write to Mr. Tesla and want to see it soon, while I'm in New York. Highly respected you, Eleanor Roosevelt. "

But it is not so easy to get permission to visit his Tesla rooms, even if requested by the president's wife. Tesla did not answer and asked to call the Sava Kosanovicha. January 5 Kosanovich visited the patient. We are talking about events that agitated the whole world. Nephew persuaded scientists to meet with Eleanor Roosevelt. - Well, Sava - Tesla agreed. - I'll be glad to see Mrs. Roosevelt. Maybe I can still do something to speed up the victory.

But Sava Kosanovich seen as leaving the patient's strength. He wanted to persuade Tesla to allow him to stay in the hotel, but was rebuffed.

- I'm not sick - said Tesla - I can well do without assistance. I'll tell you, the Sava, when I can see you again.

After leaving the sick nephew called servants and once again reminded of the strict prohibition to enter it without permission or calling. Reminding about this there was no need - all the servants of the hotel knew this requirement, and keep it.

But when after three days the patient had not made itself any news, on Friday January 8, 1943 the maid, though fear of his disapproval, still entered the room. Nikola Tesla was lying dead in the same position, with a half smile, as if frozen on his face, barely preserved traces of past efforts in the struggle with death.

Police Commissioner and the investigator were called, which the administration of the hotel said it had long been bolevshy Tesla died without any medical assistance. It was found that the death was caused by old age and chronic disease in the night of 7 to 8 January. An employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a safe and took all the papers, hoping to find them in any of the inventions that have military value. Soon, however, all the papers and personal belongings of Tesla were put in office storage aliens, then, according to his personal testament, handed over to the Yugoslav Embassy. On Tuesday, January 12, 1943 the body of Nikola Tesla was cremated, and the urn with his ashes in the cemetery set Fernklif.

One of Tesla's old acquaintances, Gernsbach, removed plaster mask from the face of the deceased, and saves it to this day at the Publishing House of the scientific literature.

On Tesla's funeral gathered hundreds of his friends from various circles in New York. It met the people never knew that Nikola Tesla was their mutual friend. Scientists, writers, artists, Slavs of different nationalities and professions escorted the coffin, covered by two national flags: the Yugoslav and American. So just one of the great scientists of the world, those who were at the time of his death in New York. The war prevented to do so many other people highly valued the extraordinary achievements of the scientist, until the last days to give all their strength to the noble cause of science.