Ciril Kotnik

He attended the Ljubljana Classical Gymnasium, where he became a member of the radical student association Preporod ("Rebirth"), which advocated the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and the creation of a common state for all South Slavic peoples.

After the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918, Kotnik was included in the diplomatic service of the new state.

After the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, the Yugoslav embassy was closed down and its personnel dismissed.

After the Italian armistice in September 1943, Kotnik took advantage of his position of ambassador to the Holy See in order to help many anti-fascists and Jews to escape Nazi German persecution.

During this time, he established contacts with the political activist Janko Kralj, and Slovene emigrant from Gorizia, who also helped many anti-Nazis and Jews to escape persecution.