Janez Stanovnik
Encyclopedia
Janez Stanovnik is a Slovenia
n economist
, politician
, and former partisan
. He served as the last President of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
between 1988 and 1990. Since 2003, he is the president of the Slovenian partisan veterans' association.
, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, to a Slovene Roman Catholic family. His father Ivan Stanovnik was a prominent member of the left wing of the Slovene People's Party
and served as deputy mayor of Ljubljana. His mother was the niece of the Bishop of Ljubljana Anton Bonaventura Jeglič.
He frequented the classical gymnasium
in Ljubljana. As a high school student, he became active in the Cristian Socialist association Zarja (Dawn), where he became acquainted with the Christian left
intellectuals like Edvard Kocbek
and Bogo Grafenauer
. After the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia
, he became active in the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
and was imprisoned by the Italian occupation regime between autumn 1941 and February 1942. Soon after his release from jail, he joined the partisan resistance in the Province of Ljubljana
. In February 1944, he joined the Communist Party. Between April 1944 and May 1945, he was among the organizers of the partisan resistance in the Slovenian Littoral
and was member of the regional national liberation committee.
In 1946, after the war, he became the personal secretary of the Slovene Yugoslav Communist leader Edvard Kardelj
. He graduated from the University of Belgrade
's Law School
. Between 1952 and 1956, he was member of the Yugoslav mission at the United Nations
. In 1956, he returned to Yugoslavia and started studying economy. He was Professor at both the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade
, and the University of Ljubljana
.
Between 1965 and 1966, he served as an advisor to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
and between 1968 and 1983, he worked on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
.
In 1988, he was appointed as President of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia. Due to the political upheaval, he managed to use this largely ceremonial position in order to negotiate with the opposition groups, especially the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
during the Slovenian Spring. Because of his support for a peaceful transition to parliamentary democracy, he was called by the press, somewhat ironically, "father of the nation".
In 2003, he was elected as Chairman of the association of Slovenian partisan veterans.
He was the cousin of the Christian Socialist activist Aleš Stanovnik, who was executed by the Italian occupation forces in 1942. He is also the cousin and Tine Velikonja, former member of the Slovene Home Guard and prominent activists of the Home Guard veteran association Nova slovenska zaveza (New Slovenian Covenant) after 1990.
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and former partisan
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
. He served as the last President of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia
Socialist Republic of Slovenia
The Socialist Republic of Slovenia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1943 until 1990...
between 1988 and 1990. Since 2003, he is the president of the Slovenian partisan veterans' association.
Biography
He was born in LjubljanaLjubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, then part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, to a Slovene Roman Catholic family. His father Ivan Stanovnik was a prominent member of the left wing of the Slovene People's Party
Slovene People's Party (historical)
The Slovene People's Party was a Slovenian political party in the 19th and 20th centuries, active in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy and in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Between 1907 and 1941, it was the largest and arguably the most influential political party in the Slovene Lands...
and served as deputy mayor of Ljubljana. His mother was the niece of the Bishop of Ljubljana Anton Bonaventura Jeglič.
He frequented the classical gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Ljubljana. As a high school student, he became active in the Cristian Socialist association Zarja (Dawn), where he became acquainted with the Christian left
Christian left
The Christian left is a term originating in the United States, used to describe a spectrum of left-wing Christian political and social movements which largely embraces social justice....
intellectuals like Edvard Kocbek
Edvard Kocbek
Edvard Kocbek was a Slovenian poet, writer, essayist, translator, political activist, and resistance fighter. He is considered as one of the best authors who have written in Slovene, and one of the best Slovene poets after Prešeren...
and Bogo Grafenauer
Bogo Grafenauer
Bogo Grafenauer was a Slovenian historian, who mostly wrote about medieval history in the Slovene Lands. Together with Milko Kos, Fran Zwitter, and Vasilij Melik, he was one of the founders of the so-called Ljubljana school of historiography.- Early life :He was born in Ljubljana in a well...
. After the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
, he became active in the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
Liberation Front of the Slovenian People
On 26 April 1941 in Ljubljana the Anti-Imperialist Front was established. It was to promote "an international massive movement" to "liberate the Slovenian nation" whose "hope and example was the Soviet Union"...
and was imprisoned by the Italian occupation regime between autumn 1941 and February 1942. Soon after his release from jail, he joined the partisan resistance in the Province of Ljubljana
Province of Ljubljana
The Province of Ljubljana was a province of the Kingdom of Italy and of the Nazi German Adriatic Littoral during World War II. It was created on May 3, 1941 from territory occupied and annexed to Italy after the Axis invasion and dissolution of Yugoslavia, and it was abolished on May 9, 1945, when...
. In February 1944, he joined the Communist Party. Between April 1944 and May 1945, he was among the organizers of the partisan resistance in the Slovenian Littoral
Slovenian Littoral
The Slovenian Littoral is a historical region of Slovenia. Its name recalls the historical Habsburg crown land of the Austrian Littoral, of which the Slovenian Littoral was a part....
and was member of the regional national liberation committee.
In 1946, after the war, he became the personal secretary of the Slovene Yugoslav Communist leader Edvard Kardelj
Edvard Kardelj
Edvard Kardelj also known under the pseudonyms Sperans and Krištof was a Yugoslav communist political leader, economist, partisan, publicist, and full member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts...
. He graduated from the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
's Law School
University of Belgrade Faculty of Law
The University of Belgrade Faculty of Law , also known as the Belgrade Law School, is one of the first-tier educational institutions of the University of Belgrade, Serbia...
. Between 1952 and 1956, he was member of the Yugoslav mission at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. In 1956, he returned to Yugoslavia and started studying economy. He was Professor at both the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, and the University of Ljubljana
University of Ljubljana
The University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. With 64,000 enrolled graduate and postgraduate students, it is among the largest universities in Europe.-Beginnings:...
.
Between 1965 and 1966, he served as an advisor to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
and between 1968 and 1983, he worked on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters. It has 56 member states, and reports to the UN Economic and...
.
In 1988, he was appointed as President of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia. Due to the political upheaval, he managed to use this largely ceremonial position in order to negotiate with the opposition groups, especially the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights was a civil society organization in Slovenia, which functioned during the so-called Slovenian Spring between 1988 and 1990....
during the Slovenian Spring. Because of his support for a peaceful transition to parliamentary democracy, he was called by the press, somewhat ironically, "father of the nation".
In 2003, he was elected as Chairman of the association of Slovenian partisan veterans.
He was the cousin of the Christian Socialist activist Aleš Stanovnik, who was executed by the Italian occupation forces in 1942. He is also the cousin and Tine Velikonja, former member of the Slovene Home Guard and prominent activists of the Home Guard veteran association Nova slovenska zaveza (New Slovenian Covenant) after 1990.