Fifty Years of the Brno Branch of the Czechoslovak Geographical Society

Abstract

In 1924 the Branch of the Czechoslovak Geographical Society in Brno was founded on Prof. Dr. Fr. Koláček's initiative. The Branch had 30 members at the beginning. Its main activities were geographical lectures and later research activities the results of which were published in its journals. The journals appeared since 1930 in three series: A - dealing with the Tatry Mts., B - with Moravia-Silesia, later Bohemia and Moravia, and C - with remaining geographical problems. On December 13 and 14, 1930 the Branch held its working meeting devoted to special geographical questions and attended by all outstanding Czechoslovak geographers. The meeting took place in the Institute of Geography of the University of Brno. The meeting has been designated later as the first Congress of Czechoslovak Geographes arid was the basis of the tradition of geographical congresses. The Brno Branch of the Czechoslovak Geographical Society was also affected by the economic crisis resulting not only in the decrease of the number of members but in unfavourable financial conditions with a negative effect on publication activities of the Branch. With retreating economic crisis the activities of the Branch could develop again as long as to 1938 when the number of members reached its highest prewar level i.e. 123 members. During World War II the activities of the Branch stopped both owing to increasing war affliction and to the persecution of its chairman, Prof. Koláček and two other significant functionaries. The post-war period of the Branch started in the autumn 1945 when Univ. Prof. Dr. Fr. Vitásek was elected new chairman. In 1946 the Branch had already 166 members and its activities were linked to the pre-war tradition mainly as to the publication of the works of its members. In 1950 the Branch was deprived of publisher's licence on the basis of the reorganization of publication activities. On the basis of the new law on voluntary corporations of 1951 the Presidium of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences decided (1953) that the Czechoslovak Geographical Society be associated with the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. Thus in 1955 a new society, the Czechoslovak Geographical Society at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences developed covering with its activities the whole territory of Czechoslovakia. The Society was given new regulations and its part became also the Brno Branch of the Geographical Society as the Branch of the Czechoslovak Geographical Society in Brno and the former Brno Branch was dissolved to December 31, 1956. This fact was confirmed even according to its regulations by its last general assembly on February 27, 1957. The new Branch in Brno had 113 individual and 8 collective members towards the end of 1957. Since 1955 the activities of the Brno Branch increased again and from July 2 to 6, 1957 the 7th Congress of Czechoslovak Geographers was held in Brno. During the Congress the proposal of the elaboration of a new Atlas of Czechoslovakia was discussed to substitute the National Atlas from 1936. In the same year, the Opava Branch of the Czechoslovak Geographical Society was founded and the Brno Branch had to shelve all members of the North Moravian Region and became an institution with regional sphere of action. At those times, the activities of the Brno Branch were concentrated on the organization of lectures for public, on field trips and a considerable part of members took part in the preparation and elaboration of the Czechoslovak Military Atlas and the National Atlas mentioned above. In 1960, 4 special commissions were established in the Brno Branch most intensive activities being registered in the Commission for Cooperation with Geography Teachers. In 1966, Prof. Dr. Fr. Vitásek, Corresponding Member of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, resigned the function of the chairman of the Brno Branch. Univ. Prof. Dr. Miloš Nosek was elected new chairman. The whole Committee of the Branch was reorganized and new methods were looked for to intensify the activities of the Branch. In connection with these efforts local groups of the Brno Branch were founded, such as for instance at Břeclav, Uh. Brod, later at Gottwaldov, etc. The cooperation with the Regional Pedagogical Institute in Brno and mainly with the Institute of Geography of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in Brno helping with the realization of the plans of the Branch was further intensified. The Brno Branch activities have especially intensified since 1969 when, in addition to numerous lectures often delivered by outstanding geographers from abroad, several courses were organized appearing the most effective form of scientific activites of the Brno Branch of the Czechoslovak Geographical Society at the present.