Prof. PhDr. Bedřich Šalamon

Prof. B. Šalamon

Prof. PhDr. Bedřich Šalamon was born on July 16th, 1880 in Prague. After graduating from a preparatory high school he studied mathematics and descriptive geometry at the Czech Technical University in Prague. He also studied technology for four semesters in Brno, where he was an assistant to Professor Sucharda. Bedřich Šalamon was known for his outstanding teaching skills. For fifteen years he taught at preparatory high schools in Mladá Boleslav and in Prague, in addition to his university work.

He applied his knowledge of math and geometry to the field of cartography. In 1922 he became an associate professor of mathematical geography and cartography.  In 1926 he was appointed extraordinary professor, and five years later became a full professor. From 1933-1950 he directed the State Geophysical Bureau, in 1936 he became head of the 2nd department of the Geographic Institute of Charles University. From 1935-1939 he acted as the custodian of the State Map Collection. For the 1939-1940 academic year he was appointed Dean of the CU Faculty of Science, but in November 1939 the universities were closed by the Nazis.

After the war he returned to the university and lectured a number of cartographic and geophysical subjects such as cartography, mathematic geography, geophysics for geographers and geophysicists, as well as geographic disciplines in a stricter sense. From 1953-1956 he was the head of the department of cartography and physical geography before going into retirement. He died on July 26th, 1967 in Prague.

Scientific and publishing activity

The focal point and importance of Šalamon’s work was primarily his teaching. His heavy work load and own self-criticism kept him from authoring more publications where he could apply his profound knowledge. He worked with Václav Švambera and Karel Kuchař to publish the Monumenta cartographica Bohemiae series. He also published several versions of high school atlases, again working with Karel Kuchař. For his life’s work, he received the Order of Labor in 1956 and was awarded the ČSAV Silver Plaque in 1966.

Literature

KAŠPAR, Jan. Prof. dr. Bedřich Šalamon: kartograf a geodet. Sborník Československé společnosti zeměpisné. 1956, roč. 61, č. 1, s. 20–25. ISSN 0036-5254.

MARTÍNEK, Jiří a Miloslav MARTÍNEK. Kdo byl kdo: Naši cestovatelé a geografové. 1. vyd. Praha: Libri, 1998. s. 406-407. ISBN 80-85983-50-8.

MUCHA, Ludvík. K nedožitým devadesátinám univerzitního prof. dr. Bedřicha Šalamouna. Sborník Československé společnosti zeměpisné. 1976, roč. 76, s. 203–206. ISSN 0036-5254.

ZÁTOPEK, Alois. Prof. dr. Bedřich Šalamon: geofyzik. Sborník Československé společnosti zeměpisné. 1956, roč. 61, č. 1, s. 25–27. ISSN 0036-5254.