Aim. To explore personal biography of Vinko Frančišković (1919-1984), to improve the understanding of the beginnings of Croatian cardiothoracic and transplantation surgery. Methods. Comparative critical analysis of written published materials, archival materials and information collected through oral history interviews. Results. Vinko Serafin Frančišković was born in Praputnjak, a settlement of the eastern surroundings of Rijeka, Croatia. He was raised up in the Italian language and culture by his aunt, a mother's sister and her husband. He went to the Royal Classical Grammar School Giovanni Prati in Trento. On July 15, 1943, he defended his thesis, titled A contribution to the surgical therapy of fractures of the femoral neck at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Padua. Conclusion. The represented data about Vinko Frančišković's life, especially those concerning his secondary and higher education, explain some of his crucial personal traits and his later professional pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]