Anton Vratuša
A Slovenian diplomat who navigated the complexities of Yugoslavia, serving as its UN ambassador and later as his republic's prime minister.
1915–2017 (age 102)·Slovenian politician and diplomat·Birthday: February 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anton Vratuša was a subtle architect operating within the intricate and often fragile framework of socialist Yugoslavia. Born in 1915 in what became Slovenia, his life spanned the creation, zenith, and dissolution of the multinational state. A scholar and partisan during World War II, he later channel his intellect into diplomacy. His most visible role on the world stage was as Yugoslavia's ambassador to the United Nations, where he gave voice to the country's non-aligned foreign policy during the Cold War. Returning home, he stepped into the executive role of Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia from 1978 to 1980, managing its economy and unique position within the federation. Vratuša's career embodied the dual loyalties of the era: to the broader Yugoslav project and to the specific interests of his Slovenian homeland. He lived to see Slovenia's independence, passing away in 2017 as a figure from a bygone political era.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anton was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anton Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Anton's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2017Died at 102
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Served as the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia from 1978 to 1980.
- Represented Yugoslavia as its Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
- Was a participant in the Slovenian National Liberation Struggle during World War II.
Did You Know?
He earned a doctorate in law from the University of Ljubljana.
After his political career, he worked as a professor of international law.
He was the oldest living former Prime Minister of Slovenia prior to his death at age 101.
“A state is built on the principle of unity in diversity.”
