Janko Pleterski (born 1. 2. 1923 in Maribor) graduated from secondary school in Ljubljana in 1941, graduated history on the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana in 1957 and reached his doctor's degree vvith the theme National and political consciousness in Carinthia (1848—1914). 1954 he started working on the Institute for Ethnic Studies, 1971 — 1983 he was professor of history of Slovenians and other Yugoslav nations in the 19th century on the Faculty of Arts. In his books and treatises he mainly deals with the history of Carinthian Slovenians, relations among Yugoslav nations and Slovenian history in the 19th century. In 1989 he became correspondent member of the Slovenian Academy of Arts and Sciences.