Bojan Pollak Honorary Member of PZS, Highest Awards...

Bojan Pollak honorary member of PZS, highest awards to volunteers in mountaineering.

The Mountaineering Association of Slovenia (PZS) on December 6 in Muta honored Bojan Pollak with the recognition of honorary member of PZS for his life's work, which includes long-term work in the mountaineering organization, primarily in the field of guiding and training guides, and exceptional achievements that raise the reputation of Slovenian alpinism at home and abroad. The day after International Volunteer Day, in Carinthia, it also awarded solemn charters of PZS to 11 deserving individuals and commemorative plaques of PZS to 21 mountaineers on the occasion of their life jubilees, thus thanking them with its highest awards for dedicated voluntary work in mountaineering.

The Mountaineering Association of Slovenia (PZS) each year expresses respect to individuals with its highest awards for long-term dedicated voluntary work in various fields of mountaineering activities, both in the local and broader social environment. The recipients of the awards were addressed by the keynote speaker, alpinist Ivan Kotnik - Ivč, a representative of the golden generation of Slovenian Himalayanism, who among other things conquered the first Yugoslav eight-thousander, Makalu, in 1975. He skillfully incorporated this shared victory and important alpinistic prehistory into his speech, in which he emphasized that he is happy and honored to be among the recipients of the highest PZS awards, as he knows they have earned them with their dedicated work, while also highlighting that the awards certainly cannot replace everything they have done and will continue to do.

"We are glad for such awards, as they are a sign that our mountaineering comrades appreciate our work. We work voluntarily, yet we are richly rewarded for this work, with satisfaction from a job well done, as well as with the bonds that have been formed among us. Sincere congratulations and thank you for everything," said the president of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia Jože Rovan, addressing the award recipients. At the ceremonial presentation in the Kienhofen hall, which PZS organized together with the Mountaineering Club (PD) Bricnik Muta, which is celebrating 30 years this year, and the Municipality of Muta, also spoke the head of the PZS Membership Committee Tone Jesenko, the mayor of the Municipality of Muta Angelca Mrak, and the president of PD Bricnik Muta Andreja Senica, who invited mountaineers from all over Slovenia to the Mučka mountaineering trail. The cultural event was musically enriched by the Mixed Choir ZVON under the direction of Vita Gracej and the Muta Wind Orchestra under the direction of Miha Petek. On behalf of all award recipients, the recipient of the solemn charter Marijan Lačen proudly thanked, emphasizing that mountaineering is a great value and that we must preserve mountaineering ethics.



With the highest award, honorary member of PZS, the mountaineering organization honored alpinist Bojan Pollak, who also left a great mark in the field of guiding and training guides. He completed more than 2500 alpinistic ascents, of which about 130 were first ascents, and was a member of three Yugoslav alpinistic expeditions to the Himalayas, namely Kangbachen in 1974, Makalu in 1975, and Everest in 1979. In his long-term mountaineering activity, he worked in his home Mountaineering Club Kamnik, the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia, the Association of Mountain Guides of Slovenia (ZGVS), and the Kamnik Mountain Rescue Service. In the mountaineering organization, he performed numerous organizational tasks, as leader or member of sections, commissions, subcommissions, various committees, and working groups. He was heavily involved in education and training, with special attention to the issue of guiding in Slovenia, both at ZGVS and even more within PZS. He also participated eight times in the training of Nepalese mountain guides in Manang. Pollak is the author or co-author of numerous publications in the fields of guiding, alpinism, and education and training. For his work, he has received numerous awards, including the medal for merits.

"Some say that alpinism is not only a sport, but also a way of life. I can confirm this, as alpinism, not only physically but also with its philosophy, has marked all my other life, both professional and social and family," reflects Bojan Pollak, who could not attend the event due to illness. Although he never worked for the purpose of receiving any award, but primarily for himself, for the meaning and purpose of the activity itself, as he emphasizes, being accepted among the honorary members of PZS fills him with pride, responsibility, and gratitude: "I feel very honored that they have accepted me into the distinguished family of honorary members of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia. However, I take this acceptance not only as recognition of my personal involvement, but primarily and also as recognition of the joint work and efforts of all those with whom I collaborated, both in the field of alpinism, guiding, both voluntary and professional, work in GRS still within PZS as outside it, nature conservation, mountaineering trails, and various trainings and other; in addition to all activities outside mountaineering also - for mountaineering. Let my thanks go to all who helped me with this, including my family."

Recipients of the highest awards of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia for the year 2025



Recipients of the SOLEMN CHARTERS OF PZS, the highest awards of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia, for the year 2025 are:

Franc Ekar (PD Preddvor) for long-term versatile and very dedicated work in mountaineering, for popularizing mountaineering and spreading the mountaineering idea,
Janez Gradišar (PD Valentin Stanič Kanal) for long-term work in the mountaineering organization, primarily in the field of alpinism and mountain rescue,
Martin Vimpolšek (PD Brežice) for long-term work in PD Brežice, primarily in the field of guiding and work with youth,
Otilija Mertelj (PD Gozd Martuljk) for long-term versatile work in PD Gozd Martuljk, for work with youth, protecting mountain nature, and editing collections,
Maksimiljan Kotnik (PD Dravograd) for long-term work in PD Dravograd, in MDO PD Koroške, in PZS, primarily in the marking and guiding field,
Marijan Lačen (PD Črna na Koroškem) for spreading mountaineering ideas, developing mass mountaineering in PD Črna na Koroškem, in MDO PD Koroške, and for including people with special needs in mountaineering,
Alojzija Kos (PD Moravče) for long-term versatile work in PD Moravče, where she emphasized the importance of intergenerational cooperation and learning,
Mihael Kersnik (PD Dovje-Mojstrana) for great life contribution to PD Dovje-Mojstrana, for long-term work with youth, and for caring to preserve mountaineering cultural heritage,
Janko Kovačič (PD Poljčane) for long-term versatile work in PD Poljčane, in MDO PD Podravja, and for great contribution to the renovation of the Mountaineering Home on Boč,
Valentin Golež (PD Dramlje) for long-term dedicated work in PD Dramlje, in Savinjski MDO PD, for leading numerous excursions, and for the recognition of the club in the wider area,
Franjo Marovt (PD Ljubno ob Savinji) for long-term work in PD Ljubno ob Savinji, for dedicated work in mountaineering work actions, and for the recognition of the club in the wider area.

COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUES OF PZS, which the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia awards on life jubilees to its most deserving members for their long-term loyal and exceptionally successful work, were received by:

For 90 years:

Viktor Us (PD Blagovica) for long-term work in PD Blagovica, where he left an indelible mark, laid the foundations for the club's operation, guiding, and work with youth,
Jožef Lipnik (PD Vrelec Rogaška Slatina) for long-term work in the club, also as president and founder of the 4000+ club on Breithorn, where he climbed for the fourth time this year.
For 80 years:

Marko Barbetti (PD Šmartno ob Paki) for long-term work in the club, also as president and president of the honorary tribunal, help to markers, and protecting mountain nature,
Marjan Poljšak (PD Ajdovščina) for dedicated work with youth in various fields, also in mountaineering orientation, presiding over PD, and help in renovating mountaineering huts on Čaven and under Golaki,
Marija Goršič (PD Podpeč-Preserje) for long-term work in the club from its foundation and dedicated education of youth in the mountaineering spirit,
Vladimir Lemut (PD Ajdovščina) for long-term leadership of the club, also on the 100th and 110th anniversary, guiding work and education of youth, management of mountaineering huts, and broader mountaineering networking,
Ivan Hovnik (PD Slovenj Gradec) for active work in PD in the economic field, also as manager of the Hut under Kremžarjev vrh and Grmovškov dom under Velika Kopa.
For 75 years:

Slavko Pogorelčnik (PD Slovenj Gradec) for active work in the club as secretary and head of the marking section, dedicated work on mountaineering trails, and help in supplying the mountaineering hut.
For 70 years:

Drago Trček (PD Gorenja vas) for long-term work in the club in leadership positions, as mountaineering guide, marker, active in building the shelter on Jelenci and organizing the hike to Blegoš,
Dušan Polajnar (PD Dovje-Mojstrana) for dedicated work in mountain rescue as a helicopter rescuer, mountain rescue instructor, and head of alpinists, and co-creating friendly ties with Prekmurje clubs,
Stane Šmid (PD Dovje-Mojstrana) as alpinist, helicopter mountain rescuer, snow avalanche miner, always ready to help in club actions, at the Bivak under Luknja, and in nature schools,
Vinko Pagon (PD Tolmin) for active work in guiding and youth field, in renovating the Hut on planina Razor after the earthquake, and leading excursions Along paths to already forgotten corners,
Jožica Kolar (PD Makole) for long-term extensive guiding work and work with youth, and leading the Makole mountaineering section and then the newly founded PD Makole,
Alojz Palir (PD Polzela) for long-term work in the club, in leading the marking section, hikes and their organization, and help at the Mountaineering Home on Gora Oljka,
Barbara Mlakar (PD Polzela) for active work in PD in various fields, from informing and archiving to participating in work with youth, mountain guard, and conducting the mountain run to Gora Oljka,
Anica Pugelj (PD Velenje) for long-term work in the club as mountaineering guide and mentor of the mountaineering circle, guardian of mountain nature, and mentor of the circle for mountaineers in the third life period,
Manja Rajh (PD Vinska Gora) for active work in PD in educating young mountaineers, in guiding, and in leading the club, in renovating the Connecting mountaineering trail of the XIV. division, and already the fourth term presiding over Savinjski MDO PD.
For 65 years:

Rade Ratković (PD Rimske Toplice) for active work in the club, managing the Hut on Kopitnik, and help in conducting traditional events,
Vlasta Bobovnik (PD Fram) for long-term extensive work in the field of mountaineering guiding and education of young mountaineers, in leading the club and mountain guard,
Franjo Jelen (PD Polzela) for opening the Andraška trail, its maintenance, and organization of hikes along it and arranging trails to Gora Oljka,
Tatjana Lemež (PD Šmartno ob Paki) for dedicated work in PD and as mentor of children in kindergarten for educating the youngest mountaineers.