Background
Menart was born in Maribor. His mother was a theatre actress. His father worked as an emergency medical technician and committed suicide when Janez was seven years old.
His mother died eight years later.
Menart was born in Maribor. His mother was a theatre actress. His father worked as an emergency medical technician and committed suicide when Janez was seven years old.
His mother died eight years later.
Having finished it he attended the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana where he graduated in Slovene philology and in comparative literature studies.
He translated a number of classic French and English poetry and drama works into Slovene, including Shakespeare"s sonnets. She soon fell ill, so the family moved back to Ljubljana. After compulsory military service he was at first a publisher"s reader, then a stage director and finally a director of puppet section at Triglav film.
Since 1963, when he left film, he earned his money by writing and translation.
Then he employed himself as the editor of drama editorial board at RTV Ljubljana. Due to political circumstances he was later degraded to a stage director and in the final three years he worked as a translator for current needs.
In 1979 he decided to leave his job and employ himself as a programme leader of the book sales club Svet knjige at Mladinska knjiga. He stayed there till his retirement in 1990.
He died in Ljubljana due to a hospital infection.
In 1975, his poem "Homeland" (In Slovene: "Domovina"), translated by Croatian poet Zvonimir Golob, was used as lyrics for the song "Domovina" sung by a Croatian rock and folk musician Drago Mlinarec.
Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.