Slovenia has many known historical figures who have contributed to the development of the Slovenian state, culture, language, literature, science and other fields important to us. Below we will learn more about these personalities, that each with his work or otherwise has affected the history of the Slovenian nation.

POETS

France Prešeren
France Prešeren is the greatest Slovenian poet, who was born on 3. December 1800 in village Vrba, he died on 8. February 1849 in Kranj. France Prešeren was born into peasant family in Vrba on Gorenjska. In year 1844 he wrote poem Toast, which 7th stanza is today Slovenian national anthem. [_Read more_]

Fran Levstik
Fran Levstik was a Slovenian writer, dramatist, poet, critic and linguist. He was born on September 28th, 1831 in Dolnje Retje, he died on November 16th, 1887 in Ljubljana. Fran Levstik was talented in many different fields of work – poetry, storytelling, dramatics, essay writing, literary critics and history. [ _Read more_]

Srečko Kosovel
Srečko Kosovel is a Slovenian poet, publicist and reviewer, who was born on 18th March 1904 in Sežana, died on 27th May 1926 in Tomaj. Srečko’s family moved to Pliskavica, in Dolenji Karst, soon after his birth, but not for long. In year 1908 they moved to Tomaj, where they lived in a school. [_Read more_]

Karel Destovnik Kajuh
Karel Destovnik, known under the partisan name Kajuh, was Slovenian poet, translator and national hero, who was born on December 13th, 1922 in Šoštanj, he died on February 22nd, 1944 on Žlebnik’s homestead in Šentvid nad Zavodnjami. He was born to Marija Vasle and Jože Destovnik. [_Read more_]

Miroslav Vilhar
Miroslav Vilhar was a Slovenian composer, poet, dramatist, journalist and politican, who was born on September 7th 1818 in Zgornja Planina pri Rakeku, he died in August 6th 1871. His original name, written in the register, was Freidrich Karl Wilicher, but later he slovenized it. [_Read more_]

HISTORIANS

Avguštin Stegenšek
Avguštin Stegenšek was first Slovenian art historian, Roman-Catholic priest, theologian, philosopher and conservator. He was born on July 7th 1875 in Tevče nad Laškim, he died on 26. March 1920 in Maribor. With collection Church monuments, he reached the peak of his scientific work. [_Read more_]

LINGUISTS

Matevž Ravnikar
Matevž Ravnikar, also known under the names Raunicher Matteo, Matevsh Ravnikar, Matej Ravnikar and Matthseus Raunicher, was Slovenian Roman-Catholic priest and bishop, born on 20. September 1776 in Vače. He died on 20. November 1845 in Trieste, that time Austrian empire. [_Read more_]

Fran Ramovš
Fran Ramovš was a Slovenian dialectologist, onomast and linguist, who was born on September 14th 1890 in Ljubljana. He died on September 16th 1952, in Ljubljana as well. December 3rd 1919 he had at that time newly established University in Ljubljana his first lecture about Slovenian language. [_Read more_]

WRITERS

France Bevk
France Bevk was a Slovenian writer, poet, dramatist, translator, editor, and politician, who was born in croft family on September 17th, 1890 in Zakojca. He died on September 17th, 1970 in Ljubljana, he is buried in Solkan. He was the oldest child of eight of village shoemaker Ivan and mother Katarina.[_Read more_]

Josip Ogrinec
Josip Ogrinec is a Slovenian dramatist, translator, storyteller, chess player, and teacher, who was born on April 5, 1833, in Podgorje in Kamnik, he died on May 13, 1879, in Vinkovci, Croatia. He was born to a father Jožef and mother Neža. He is known as a writer and fist chess theorist in Slovenia. [_Read more_]

Matija Vertovec
Matija Vertovec was Slovenian professional writer and winegrower, who was born in January 28th 1784 in Jakuline, Šmarje in Vipava region. He died on September 2nd 1851 in Podnanos. He belongs among most visible Slovenian professional writers of 19th century. [_Read more_]

Edvard Kocbek
Edvard Kocbek is a Slovenian writer, poet and politican. Born on 27. September 1904 in Sveti jurij pri Ščavnici, he died on 3. November 1981 in Ljubljana. In his life he wrote poetry, log-narrative prose, philosophical, theological and political studies, discussions, essays and articles. [_Read more_]

Fran Saleški Finžgar
Slovenian writer, translator and dramatist, who was born on 8. Februar 1871 in Doslovče (village under Stol in Gorenjska), and died on 2. June 1962 in Ljubljana. Due to his longer and shorter narrations about peasant and bourgeois life is very importan and known in Slovenian literature. [_Read more_]

Miran Jarc
Miran Jarc was Slovenian poet, dramatist, writer, translator and publicist, born on July 5th 1900 in Črnomelj, he died on August 24th 1942 in Pugled pri Starem Logu. He was also known by his nickname Janez Suhi. In Stari Log memorial plaque for Miran Jarc is located, it was erected on September 13th 1952. [_Read more_]

Jože Kerenčič
Jože Kerenčič was a Slovenian writer, journalist, partisan and national hero. He was known as an activist of the Liberation front. His illegal name was Janko. He was born in Jastrebci on March 9th 1913, he died in Maribor on December 27th 1941, at the age of 28. Several streets are named after him [_Read more_]

Jožef Klekl
Jožef Klekl, also Stari Jožef Klekl, was Slovenian Chatolic priest, devout writer, publisher, editor and politican, who was born on 13. October 1874 in Krajna in municipality Tišina, he died on 30. May 1948 in Murska Sobota. He was born to Prekmurje family of eight children, parents were fairly-wealthy farmers. [_Read more_]

Anton Mahnič
Anton Mahnič was Slovenian theologist, bishop, poet, writer, and critic of Slovenian cultural and spiritual life and editor, who was born on September 14th, 1850 in Kobdilj, in parish Štanjel on Gorica Karst, he died on December 14th, 1920 in Zagreb. Anton finished gymnasium in Gorica. [_Read more_]

PAINTERS

Simon Ogrin
Simon Ogrin was Slovenian painter born on 6. October 1851 in Stara Vrhnika, he died on 3. May 1930 in Vrhnika. He was born as a first child in family of eight to tailer Luka Ogrin and Marija Skubelj. His paintings can be found all around Slovenia, as well as in Croatia and Dalmatia. [_Read more_]

Ferdo Vesel
Ferdo Vesel was one of the most important Slovenian painters, who was born on May 18th 1861, he died in Ljubljana on July 28th 1946. Vesel was working with landscaping, portraiture and folklore genre. His art works were torn between realistic and impressionist style. Painter Josip Potočnik was his student. [_Read more_]

ENGINEERS

Stanko Bloudek
Stanko Bloudek was Slovenian athlete, aviation constructor and planner of sport structures. He was born on February 11th 1890 in Idrija, he died on November 26th 1959 in Ljubljana. In his life he worked on four areas: aviation, automobilism, development of sport and constructing of sports structures. [_Read more_]

Herman Potočnik
Herman Potočnik, alias Hermann Noordung, was a Slovenian rocket engineer, officer, pioneer of cosmonautics (astronautics), space flights and technologies, born on December 22nd 1892 in Pulj (today Hrvaška) – Austria-Hungary, he died on August 27th 1929 in Vienna, Austria. [_Read more_]

Milan Ciglar
Milan Ciglar is a Slovenian forestry engineer, environmentalist, and traveling organizer, who was born on December 3rd, 1923 in Zagreb, he died on March 6th, 1977 in Grintovec. Ciglar was specialized in spatial issues of forests and nature protection. He was chief editor of Forestry journal. [_Read more_]

PUBLIC WORKERS

Jože Plečnik
On this day in year 1872 the world-renowned greatest Slovenian architect was born, Jože Plečnik. He was the architect, who transformed the image of Ljubljana, and was also named for the architect of the Prague castle. He died on January 7th 1957 in his home in Trnovo.  [_Read more_]

Anton Trstenjak
Anton Trstenjak was a Slovenian anthropologist, psychologist and theologian, who was born on January 8th 1906 in Rodmošci near Gornja Radgona, he died on September 29th 1996 in Ljubljana. He was the son of a respectable farmer Janez and hearted mother Marija. [_Read more_]

Artur Lokar
Artur Lokar was born on 12 June 1865 in Ajdovščina, where he died on 15 June 1926. After finishing elementary school Artur Lokar went go Gimnasium in Gorica and Trieste, where he finished his schooling. He continued his studies in Graz and became a notary. [_Read more_]

Janez Gregor Božič
Janez Gregor Božič was Slovenian sculptor, who was born in year 1675. His birthplace is not known, he died in Laško on March 13th 1724. Very little is known about Janez, he lived in the time of the Holy Roman empire and the sculptural activity he most likely studied in Klagenfurt, at the master M.A. Clauss. [_Read more_]

FILMMAKERS

France Štiglič
France Štiglič is Slovenian movie director and screenwriter, who was born on November 12th, 1919 in Kranj, he died on May 4th, 1993 in Ljubljana. He was also NLS partisan and journalist, in Ljubljana, he studied law. After the war, he was among the leading organizers of the movie industry in Slovenia. [_Read more_]

MUSICIANS

Borut Lesjak
Borut Lesjak was a Slovenian composer and arranger, who was born on May 25th, 1931 in Ljubljana, he died in August 25th, 1995 in Ljubljana. He composed music for radio, movie, theater and television. With composition Ne čakaj na maj he wrote him self in a history of Slovenian pop songs. [_Read more_]

Marjana Deržaj  
On 25th May 1936 Slovenian singer of amusing music Marjana Deržaj was born in Ljubljana. She died in Ljubljana, 18th January 2005. In her singing carrier she recorded 312 songs, most famous of them is Summer night, which she sang for the first time in year 1957 on Ljubljana radio. [_Read more_]

Jože Privšek
Jože Privšek was Slovenian composer, conductor, pianist and vibraphonist, who was born on 19. March 1937 and died on 11. June 1998. He started his music carrier as vibraphonist and pianist. He was most recognizable as a composer of many songs and arrangements of Pop and Jazz music. [_Read more_]

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Miha Arih
Miha Arih was a Slovenian mountain climber and partisan, who was born on September 17th, 1918, he died on February 9th, 1944 in Podkoren. Miha Arih was born to a farm family, to the father Jože and mother Neža, born as Oman. He was known under the nickname Mihol. [_Read more_]

Franc Knez
Franc Knez or Franček Knez was born on 15 July 1955. He finished more than 5000 ascent, which includes more than 700 paramount ascents. He joined the expedition with paramount acents in America (El Capitan and Fitz Boy – Cerro Torre and Torre Egger) and Himalaya (Lhotse). [_Read more_]

SPORTINGLY ACTIVE

Rok Petrovič
Rok Petrovič was Slovenian Alpine skier, who was born on Feberaury 5th 1966 in Ljubljana. He died on September 16th 1993 in Vela Luka in Croatia. Rok was the first Slovenian to win the the biggest children’s competition for Topolino Cup and won small crystal globe in the slalom category. [_Read more_]

Nuša Tome-Babnik
Nuša Tome-Babnik was born in October 19th 1960 in Ljubljana, she died on November 10th 2015. She was a Slovenian Alpine skier, who competed for Yugoslavia on Winter Olympic Games in year 1980 in Lake Placid. She competed in giant slalom and slalom. [_Read more_]

Mateja Svet
Mateja Svet was a Slovenian Alpine skier, born on 16th August 1968 in Ljubljana. In year 1984 she became young world champion in giant slalom, what was her first noticeable success. Next season, 1984/85, in Slovak Vysoke Tatry she got her first Slovenian women victory in World championship in giant slalom. [_Read more_]

Bojan Križaj
Bojan Križaj is a Slovenian Alpine skier, born on January 3rd 1957 in Kranj, to a famous skiing family from Tržič. His first skiing experience had been at the age of three. The breakthrough to the top in skiing started in the season 1967/77, when he won his first point for world cup in giant slalom. [_Read more_]

PARTISANS

Rudi Bašelj
Rudi Bašelj was a Slovenian NLS fighter, combat engineer and saboteur, who was born on April 18th, 1918 in Pušnik – Bukovski vrh, he died on December 6th, 1979 in Koritnica. In November 1943 he joins partisans, when he returned from the Italian army after the their capitulation. [_Read more_]

Ludvik Kukavica
Ludvik Kukavica was born in 1908 in Zgornji Kašelj near Ljubljana, he died in 1982. On 16.7.1941 he joined a partisan group on Pugled, where in 1942 the II. group detachment was formed. And right here he experienced his baptism by fire, when Germans invaded Janče; Germans had lost this fight. [_Read more_]

FOREIGN FIGURES

Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf, full name Hugo Philipp Jakob Wolf, was Slovene-born world-known composer and music critic. He was born on March 13th, 1860 in Slovenj Gradec, he died on February 22nd, 1903 in Vienna. He was born as a third child into the German-speaking family of a tanner, Filip Wolf and to wife Katarina. [_Read more_]

Arnold Rikli
Arnold Rikli was born on 13. Februar 1823 in Wangen an der Aare in Switzerland, he died on 30. April 1906 in Sankt Thomas in Koroška (then Austria-Hungary). He was Swiss hydropath and natural healer. He was healing with help of water. He came on Bled because of his illness. [_Read more_]