As early as at the end of the 13 th century there seemed to be favorable conditions for expansion and fostering of education in the Kingdom of Czech Lands. Intellectual precocity of the Royal Court was a byword. The Czech Lands were famous for its Cathedral School and prominent schools of the Order. No wonder it was Wenceslas II. of the Přemyslids who came up with the idea of a university. The giant sails of his plan, however, were trimmed by the nobility. The idea lay dormant until the times of Charles IV., successor to the Přemyslids’ throne, whose alma mater was the University of Sorbonne in Paris and who therefore was fully aware of the importance of university for the country as well as for its ruler.
To establish a university was no plain sailing in those times: subject to the internal conditions of the Kingdom, relations between the king and the nobility, present economic situation, and international bonds and associations. Moreover the name – studium generale – was a seal granted by the Papal Curia with the commitment of a best quality education. The universities in the Middle Ages concentrated knowledge as well as scholars, weaned and raised by diverse schools all round Europe. The degrees granted by these universities were recognized in the entire Christian world and the universities grew into potent cultural and social institutions.
Already authorized and accredited by the Pope, the Founding Charter was issued by Charles IV. (by then officially appointed Czech king) on the 7 th April 1348. It is essential that we emphasize this was the first university in Central Europe, hence it played an important part in propagating the roots of education in this area. The Charter was issued by Charles IV. ‘of His own accord’. In effect this meant taking on one’s shoulders all the responsibilities of smooth running of the new institution. The original reads: ‘... The famous university was also founded so as to aide our faithful habitants of our Kingdom in their infinite desire for the fruits of science, bar them from humble and demeaning conduct in foreign lands, and set the table for feast at home...’. The Charter was arrogated by the Nazis in 1945 and has been unaccounted for since.
The Czech Church covered all running costs of the University. At first the University Chancellor and Prague Archbishop Arnošt z Pardubic took the University under his wings. By the means of various collections he bought first University movables together with a building in the Old Town of Prague. When a university college, the Carolinum, was set up on the 30 th July 1366, the foundation of the University was completed. The fact that it has been the seat of the University rectorate until today points to the momentousness of the act of establishing the Carolinum.
In 1370 Charles IV. bought a legacy of 114 manuscripts left by Vilém z Lestkova at his death which greatly enriched the inventory of the library.
At the end of the 14 th and beginning of the 15 th century when the Czech Reformation saw the light of day Prague schooling enjoyed privilege equal to the corresponding institutions in Bologne (founded 1119) and Paris (founded 1253). It included all the faculties recognized in the Middle Ages: the Faculty of Arts, Law, Theology, and Medicine. Initially, lectures used to take place in professors’ flats, only later did they move to a building in Kaprova street.
At that time many doctors from the milieu of the royal family practiced there – the first Professor of Medicine being M. Valter (1348), succeeded by M. Baltazar de Tuscia (1353). Each doctor–to–be had to read the ancient Antique experts, Middle Age and Jewish files, and step–by–step ply their trade in towns or in the country under close observation of professors.
In the nineties of the 14 th century the generation of prevailing foreign masters was gradually substituted by their Czech counterparts who, by the way, went so far as to form their own concept of a critique of the Church as well as its entire decree so far. A key role in the process of Czech Reformation and Hussites’ Ideology in general was the University translation of the Bible into Czech. Diverse as the audience were the Bible affected the cultural level of the whole Czech society before Jan Hus .
In 1415, after the death at stake of the present Rector of Charles University Mister Jan Hus , prevailing recalcitrant and turbulent discussions had turned into a clear–cut viewpoint of the rising movement, with one outcome: the declaration that the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist should be administered in both kinds, this being the only means to redeem one’s soul. Thus the University became the first institution in the Christian world to stand up for the Reformation and play off the current exegesis of Chrisitanity put forward by official bodies – the Council and the Pope. Over all ecclesiastical prohibitions it carried on. The so–called ‘Four Articles of Prague’ (a program of the moderate middle current of the Hussite movement) were formulated here. Hence, the University indubitably sustained a substantial part of the Movement, although its influence tapered off as the left wing gained on prominence.
In particular, the University wielded an immense influence on the Czech culture before the Battle of the White Mountain (1620): many works of far–reaching importance were translated into Czech to later constitute a rich cultural heritage, a bedrock of the Renaissance of the Czech People.
However, the Battle of the White Mountain, silenced the Czech non–Catholic intelligence. Rector of the University Jan Jessenius , a well–known surgeon who carried out the very first Czech public autopsy (at the Old Town Square in Prague in 1600) was executed. Many more prominent Czech scholars were persecuted for their disapproval of the Hapsburgs and were driven out of the country. In the end, after more than thirty years of constant altercation over the dominance, the Jesuits appeared to have carried too many guns for everyone else and easily subjected the institution to their pecking order. There still were quite a few important professors among the staff of the Faculty of Medicine, e.g. Jan Marcus Marci from Kronlandu, Harvey’s predecessor in Embryogenesis, who, with his interpretation of Epileptogenesis, came three hundred years ahead of his time, and Jakub Dobřenský from Černý Most, one of the founders of pathological anatomy. After the White Mountain period the University was renamed Charles–Ferdinand University, the name which it could not shake off for almost three hundred years.
In the middle of the 18 th century the University underwent major changes.Individual faculties achieved recognition especially in the field of Mathematics and Physics, Philosophy, and Medicine. The Faculty of Medicine expanded with natural disciplines, and took on important scholars, for instance the pioneer of electorphysiology and electric treatment Czech and world–wide, Jan K. Boháč , who introduced experimental methods into research, an expert in anatomy Josef T. Klinkosch , or the physiologist of world renown in the field of nerve transmission and Dean of the Faculty (1789) Jiří Procháska . As a result of Medicare reform introduced by Boerhave’s pupil van Swieten and realized by the government in Vienna in order to consolidate the state economy and the state of internal affairs, more and more workers in medicine found employment in practice, thus enabling rather a far–reaching quantitative expansion in the studies of Medicine.
In 1774 the University was deprived of the Church control and ranked among the institutions of the absolutist state. That is why rather liberal lectures and seminars were restricted and limited as far as their subject freedom and style of lecturing went (officially approved, standardized textbooks were introduced to facilitate the control over the curricula in the entire monarchy). There was another side to the coin, however, i.e. getting rid of anti–reformist world viewpoint and Scholastic residue.
1784 curriculum did away with Latin as an instruction language, introducing German instead. Foregoing subjects of the seven arts were shifted to secondary schools and the University focus rested solely on natural, technical, and social sciences.
The end of Enlightenment brought to the surface the struggle for language emancipation, which came to the forefront as a sign of rather more complex social problems. Repressions, which followed hunger strikes and student unrests and demonstrations, focused especially on the Faculty of Arts, saving the good name of the Faculty of Medicine which, by then, had had a considerable experience in practice and was well–known abroad.
A most prominent and central character of Czech science was Professor of Natural Sciences Jan S. Presl , the founder of Czech scientific terminology, and author of a Catalogue of Plants and a Catalogue of Minerals. One of the most distinguished anatomists of the 19 th century Josef Hyrtl , dissector with an outstanding injection technique, made exemplary dissections and published an excellent textbook on anatomy (1846) in Prague. From a myriad of Enlightenment doctors we need to name at least Jan T. Held , who was the dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1818, 1819, 1824, 1825), rector of the University (1827) and musical composer.
It was mainly the students who dressed the soil for growing national movement, themselves being under a strong influence of unorthodox lectures given by B. Bolzano , who conceived religion as an ethical and educational problem. Step by step, naturalist pull was overshadowed by the drive of social sciences and modern languages and literature, from which stemmed a current of nation–liberating ideology. In 1848 the events reached its peak – the students formed, apart from many other associations, an armed Student Militia so that they could subsequently, during the uprising in June, lead the fights on barricades from the beleaguered Klementinum.
Repressions following the suppression of the uprising mangled education for a long time to come. A new curriculum was introduced, students’ associations forced to dissolve, and many students as well as teachers were disciplined. Even the most famous Czech expert on natural sciences and professor of physiology at the Faculty of Medicine in Prague from 1849, Jan Evangelista Purkyně (1787–1869), was under police surveillance. His prominent pupil, Jan N. Čermák , the originator of rear rhinoscopy, left Prague to found Faculties of Physiology at several middle European universities. Also Prof. Ferdinand Arlt moved away just before his milestone of a textbook on eye disorder and ailments came out.
The abrupt fall of Bach’s absolutist regime in 1859 ignited Czech nationalist movement which came hand in hand with unshackled development of sciences. Students’ associations were revived along with a number of magazines and chronicles, literary and musical parties, and the Universities ventured forth with Czech language as a language of instruction. Czech professors and associate professors, having taken their habilitations, went on to new clinics. At that time the office of the dean of the Faculty was administered for example by Edwin Klebs (1879–1880), the discoverer of the originating infection of diphtheria, typhoid, and other early infections (cf. the eponymous bacterial family),August Breisky (1880–1881), gynecologist and meticulous follower of Semmelweis’ and Lister’s teaching on aseptic, as well as Karl Toldt (1881–1882), author of a famous anatomical atlas and founder of the Department of Anatomy.
In 1882 the monarch endorsed the law which divided the Prague University in two parts: Czech and German.
T. G. Masaryk was an influential personality in the development of the Czech University: he became its first professor and his humanitarian and international philosophy wielded immense influence especially over young Czech intelligentsia. Czech textbooks and magazines took off, the famous twenty–seven part ‘Otto’s Encyclopaedia’ was published, Czech schools of science emerged, e.g. Gebauer’s Bohemistics, Goll’s History, Strouhal’s Physics. Let us list a few from a number of founders of the Prague School of Medicine: internists Eiselt , Meixner , Thomayer , Ladislav Syllaba , and pathologist Hlava .
By the number of its students the Czech University soon three times surpassed the German University, partly also because there were enrolled plenty of students from other Slav nations. The German part of the University was significant for taking a lion’s share in extending the system of education into the Middle Europe for generations to come, thus being influential not only for Bohemia and other regions but also for all German–speaking nations in Middle Europe. To select out of all deans of the German Faculty of Medicine at least a few, we ought to mention a couple which will stay forever immortal – the physiologist Ewald Hering (1894–1895), and the pathologist Hans Chiari (1896–1897). As for other members of the administration in German departments, we should mention its rector Ernst Mach (1883–1884). In 1912–1913 Albert Einstein , the author of the Theory of Relativity, worked here.
In 1891 several events took place overall having an immense impact on further development of Czech education and culture: the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts was founded, and a Convention of Progressive Slav Students was held in Prague. The Convention put forward and ratified an agenda, which would deal with the plight of national and democratic rights as well as with social questions. At that time, demonstrations against conservative professors shifted from lecture rooms and auditoria in the street and fomented movements of the youth, which culminated in a violent anti–dynasty demonstration on the ruler’s birthday on the 17 th August 1893.
In the first two decades of the 20 th century, the core of the University work and progress consisted especially in scientific research. We find many prominent Czech scientists and scholars practicing at the University in those years: Professor of Chemistry B. Brauner , naturalist B. Němec , Professor of Experimental Physics B. Kučera . Then there were already enrolled female students at the Prague University (to be exact, since 1897). In 1919 Charles–Ferdinand University was abolished and its Czech part underwent a transformation into Charles University again. An independent German university was founded, and lasted until 1945 when this discrepancy was terminated for good.
Every student of Medicine shall sooner or later encounter termini such as Hering’s Channels, Epstein’s Symptom, Zaufal’s Sign, Weil–Felix’s Reaction, Klausner’s Test, Biedl’s Syndrome, Chiari’s Malformace, Kahler’s or Pick’s Disease, Schlof–Fer’s Tumour, Elschnig’s Pearls, Breisky and Knaus’ Method, Gussenbauer’s Clipper, Hasner’s Operation, Schauty, Steinach’s Operation, will possibly read about Richard von Zeynek’s diatermal treatment, etc. The above mentioned are names of professors of German Prague Faculty of Medicine, alma mater to a number of famous students: for instance Hans Hugo Selye , the originator of the Adaptation Syndrome Theory and Stress Reaction, graduated here, as well as Prague natives Gerta Theresa Radnitz and Carl Ferdinand Cori , later husband and wife, winners of the Nobel Prize for Medicine (1947) for their joint discoveries in the sphere of the metabolism of carbohydrates.
The University status changed with the establishment of independent Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. It became the first Czechoslovak university and its students took a significant part in creating the ‘atmosphere’ of the First Republic. Acrid debates and opinion clashes among the devotees of different movements followed only to be swallowed by the threat of German fascism and subsequently transformed into the resistance to Nazi terror. As to the public response among intelligentsia, it redoubled with the publication of literary and critical essays and lectures by F. X. Šalda , and works by controversial professor of music Z. Nejedlý . To quote from scientific work, we might mention studies by Bedřich Hrozný , who deciphered Chetite writing. Let us mention – from tens and tens of teachers and professors of the University whose esteem and reputation spread abroad – at least the linguist Roman Jakobson and historian Josef Pekař .
The importance of the Faculty rose again, the number of its clinics increased from fourteen to twenty, and many foreign students were enrolled. Among prominent professors of the Faculty of Medicine between the wars were for instance world–famous physiologist, pioneer in endocrinology, discoverer of Ferritin, author of the theory of stimuli, co–founder of cybernetics and inventor of spaciocardiography Vilém Laufberger , ambidextrous internist Josef Pelnář , founder of clinical neurology Kamil Henner , outstanding surgeon Arnold Jirásek , and founder of plastic surgery František Burian .
Fascist invasion to Czechoslovakia stirred students to participation in demonstrations on the 28 th October 1939. When police tried to stomp down, a student, Jan Opletal , was killed. His burial became yet another anti–fascist manifestation on 15 th November 1939. Hitler’s nomenclature used it as a pretext to brutally impinge on Czech universities and students. On the 17 th November 1939 Prague dormitories were invaded and seized, 1200 Czech students taken to the concentration camp in Sachsenhausen, 9 students, leaders of the movement, were executed on the spot. Czech universities closed down, their buildings being freely available to SS troops, German universities, war industry, and for other purposes. The 17 th November did not stay the only brutal revenge of the Nazis, nevertheless, it did remain a symbol of students’ resistance against Fascism. In 1941 it was proclaimed International Students’ Day in 1941.
In the war years Czech students and intelligentsia took part in various underground movements and organizations. 23 professors and other university teachers were executed – let us mention at least the professors of physics František Závišek and Václav Dolejšek , zoologist Jaroslav Štorkán , expert in Slav culture Josef Páta, sociologist Josef Fischer , and internists Alexandr Gjuričand Miloš Nedvěd . To Czech and Slovak nations the Charles University in Prague became a symbol of national culture, by the Nazis inexorably preordained to perish.
Post–war era bore the stamp of reconstruction of the national economy, which had been destroyed and devastated by war. Also the students did their best to aid the devastated economy and clarify political wings and opinions at the University. Increasing number of students showed their interest in university studies.
An outstanding biologist, doctor Jan Bělehrádek was the rector and subsequently pro–rector of the Charles University in 1945 and 1945–1946. After World War II, Josef Čančík became the first dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Prague, the first (vice–deans of the new Faculties of Medicine at Charles University were Ivo Mačela (in Pilzen) and Bohuslav Bouček (in Hradec Králové).
In February 1948, however, all hopes for democracy and free and independent nation were crushed. The sixth birthday of the Charles University sarcastically began a new era of dogma. Marx–Lenin ideology forced a number of professors and teachers out of work, their positions being easily filled by obsequious and obeisant comrades who were to guide the process of education in accordance with the Communist imagination. One of the first to get their marching orders was the current rector, important national economist, Prof. Karel Engliš . The Communist Board of Students marked off thousands of students for expulsion. A common curriculum was introduced once again, including the basics of Marx–Leninist ideology, the only officially approved philosophy. This ensured a sufficient supervision over the entire system of education and universities. Thousands of young people were denied access to regular studies. Dogmatism and rigid censure influenced people’s thoughts in a very negative way as well as prevented the free development of education and co–operation with the western world. The cornerstone of social progress was political loyalty, while morality or specialization received a severe cutback in time.
The Higher Education Act of 1950 legally provided for socialist changes in this field, ridding the universities off all their academic liberties. As central planning and management of economy was introduced, a new Academy of Sciences structured in accordance with the Soviet model substituted the old Czech Academy of Science and Arts. ‘Aspiratures’ and science ranks of Doctor and Candidate of Sciences came in force. An extensive network of nomenclature and political ‘cadres’ checked upon the desired development.
In 1953 the original Faculty of Medicine underwent a transformation into three new faculties: the Faculty of General Medicine, the Faculty of Pediatrics, and the Faculty o Hygiene. The first deans of these faculties were respectively: František Blažek , Josef Houštěk , and František Bláha .
In spite of the fact that the official publishing, lecturing, scientific and research activities were grossly restricted, plenty of individuals as well as teams achieved remarkable results. Reluctance to realize the results of their work, disregarding the facts, distorting and intentionally misinterpreting new findings as well as detachment from the international scientific milieu, nevertheless led to a gradual hampering in the process of development not only in the sphere of science but also in the area of education and overall cultural, economic and social life which were soon to lag far behind the western world.
In Vinohrady Hospital and at the Faculty of Hygiene there worked several prominent personalities at this time: the above mentioned Prof. František Burian , an outstanding surgeon Prof. Emerich Polák (Vice–Dean of the Faculty in 1957–1959), from among the internists we should not omit a great cardiologist and endocrinologist Prof. Vratislav Jonáš , and the founder of Czech diabetology and proponent of its good name abroad Prof. Jiří Syllaba . The State Institute of Health employed Prof. Karel Raška , who left no stone unturned to seal the doom of small–pox all round the world.
The events that took place in 1968, now inscribed to history as ‘the Prague Spring’, when the students also came in for their share, caused the invasion of Warsaw Pact armies into our country, with subsequent expurgations, repressions, and strengthening of the communist dictate. Students’ demonstrations took place in the winter of 1968. Today we are left with the painful symbol of human desire for freedom – a student of the Faculty of Arts at Charles University, Jan Palach , burned himself as a protest against the invasion of Warsaw Pact armies into our country, as well as to object against all demagogy, violence, and totalitarian suppression of freedom all over the world. However, the ‘period of normalization’ managed to hold in disgrace not only Palach, but any attempts to put forward the principles of democracy and freedom in the country. A similar destiny was doomed for Charter 77, a remarkable act of independent citizens. A series of charges and trials, hand in hand with further expurgations and spying, followed. The years on the turn of the 1970s and 1980s were amongst the darkest times of the communist era since August 1968.
In spite of all attempts on the part of the communist government, the ties that bind Czech nation with the best moral and cultural canon from T. G. Masaryk to Jan Patočka were preserved.
Great damage was inflicted on the Charles University, for the best specialists of outstanding moral and expert qualities were either forced to retire with no possibility to go on in their work or driven to exile right away.
Autumn 1989: the unbelievable did happen in the end. Independent organized movements from abroad and the bold courage of the students at home helped to bring about major changes and set our country on the road to democracy in a very short time. Prof. Radim Palouš , PhD was elected Rector of the Charles University at this time (free elections of deans and other members of the academic administration along with competitions for heads of individual departments, Associate Professors and lecturers took place at the faculties. The arrangement of the University stems from ages–proven tradition and is commensurate to the needs and requirements of individual faculties for autonomy as well as their co–operation and co–ordination. To remain open and open–minded to foreign countries means to come back to the free, developed modern world.
The Parliamentary elections in June 1992 evidenced the political tendency of the revolutionary November, excepting for a separate vote of the Slovak people which caused the federal country – Czechoslovakia – to fall apart). The Czech Republic was proclaimed on the 1 st January 1993. Naturally, this country falls into line of independent Czech statehood from the first rulers of the Přemyslid dynasty where the Czechoslovak period forms no exception. The Charles University, the oldest university in middle Europe, belongs by dint of tradition as well as by the strong hand of its current potential among the most important cultural, scientific and educational institutions in our country.