“We would like to inform you that on February 15 1951 a founding general meeting of “Slovenian Chemical Society” took place, and this entity will unify all chemists in PR Slovenia. With this, the formerly known chemical section of Society of engineers and technicians PRS transforms into an independent professional and scientific society.” (Extracts from the first communication to “Respected chemical comrades”)

The first president of the society was Prof. Maks Samec (*1881- †1964), a member of SASA, the architect of modern chemistry in Slovenia and an internationally renowned researcher. He was the founder of the Chemistry department in University in Ljubljana and the director of National Institute of Chemistry. He managed the SCS between 1951 and 1963.

SCS was successful in executing the guidelines from the statute from the beginning of its existence. Branches, sections, and commissions were being formed. First gazette called Zbornik was substituted by Vestnik in 1954. Lectures and seminars were being organized and the first international congress on hydrogen bond was being held in 1957, chaired by Prof. Dušan Hadži, who later became the president of the society. For the first time after the cold war, this congress hosted lead scientists from both Eastern and Western Blocs.

The second president was Roman Modic (*1911- †2003), pioneer of chemical engineering in Slovenia, organizer of Chair of chemical engineering, Chancellor of University of Ljubljana, director of National Institute of Chemistry, and an active member of the editorial board of Vestnik slovenskega kemijskega društva. His mandate lasted for eleven years, from 1963 to 1974.

The third president of SCS was Prof. Dušan Hadži (*1921- †2019), a full professor and a member of SASA, a former head of the Laboratory for structural chemistry at National Institute of Slovenia, and a former councillor of the general director of Lek. He is retired since 1992, but he still conducted research at National Institute of Chemistry. His SCS presidency lasted for 12 years, from 1974 to 1986. He was elected an honorary president of the society. Under his tenure many scientific and professional meetings were being held on a Slovenian, Yugoslavian, and international level, and many professional seminars, classes, and lectures were organized. Also, the number of sections increased and the journal Vestnik had been published regularly.

The next in line to take the wheal in 1986 was Prof. Ljubo Golič (*1932 – †2007), a member of SASA, a full professor of inorganic chemistry at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology.

All international cooperation of SCS was at that time managed through the Union of chemical societies of Yugoslavia. However, since the independence, the society has started to fully integrate in international chemical society networks. It was welcomed into Federation of European Chemical Societies (FECS), International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), European Polymer Federation (EPF) and other. The name of Acta Chimica Slovenica was being strengthened throughout the years; this journal was the successor of the former “Slovenski kemijski vestnik”. Under the society’s initiative, the chemists started to publish the journal “Kemija v šoli” in 1989 under auspices of Commission for chemical education and secondary schools. Under the Golič mandate, the first Slovenian chemical days were organized as a Pan-Slovenian meeting of experts from the fields of chemistry, chemical technology, and chemical engineering.

The current president Prof. Venčeslav Kaučič, a retired full professor and a long-time head of Laboratory for inorganic chemistry and technology at National Institute of Chemistry, manages the society since 1996. Under his leadership SCS further strengthens the cooperation with various chemical societies across the world. The first version of the SCS’s homepage as well as Acta Chimica Slovenica in an electronic from were introduced in 1998. This way the journal was accessible to a wider public. The same year, a bilingual SCS brochure came out with the purpose of popularization of chemistry. Year 2001 marked the 50^th jubilee, which was commemorated with the issue of publication Slovensko kemijsko društvo / Slovenian Chemical Society 1951 – 2001. In 2008 a translation of inorganic chemistry nomenclature was published and in 2011, a Chemical manual was made available on a CD.

Throughout its existence, SCS held / welcomed countless renowned Slovenian chemists, scientists, professors, and practical experts. On the basis of their hard work and altruism, the society was preserved throughout the years and became ever stronger.

Adopted from: Slovensko kemijsko društvo / Slovenian Chemical Society 1951 – 2001