Jelena Krmpotić-Nemanić (1921-2008) was a world-famous anatomist, internationally distinguished otolaryngologist, a member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences & Arts and appreciated professor at the School of Medicine University of Zagreb. The founding influence in her scientific career came from her mentor Drago Perovid who was a student of Ferdinand Hochstetter, the leading authority in the field of human developmental neuroanatomy and embryology. Such an influence was obviously important in early shaping of the research agenda of Jelena Krmpotić-Nemanić, and it remains important in a long series of studies on developing human telencephalon initiated by Ivica Kostović and his collaborators - with an always present and active support of Jelena Krmpotić-Nemanić. The aim of this mini review is to briefly describe her numerous contributions to the anatomy of the human peripheral and central nervous system.