Místopisná komise České akademie věd a umění v letech 1913–1952
Topographic Committee of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1913–1952

Summary/Abstract: In the early days of the establishment of the Topographic Committee at the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts the idea behind the institute was to coordinate interdisciplinary research (involving history and philology) and to deal with practical (review and renaming of local names) and scholarly tasks (recording the development of local names). The committee was made up of specialists from various fields (philologists, historians and geographers) both in research and in practice. It operated almost continually between 1913 and 1952, thanks in particular to the activities of several prominent figures (chaired by Josef Zubatý, Josef Janko and Josef Dobiáš, with secretaries Josef Vítězslav Šimák and Antonín Profous). It focused primarily on practical tasks – drawing up expert reports on proposals for local names to alter or become fixed. Of permanent merit is the scholarly work by Antonín Profous Místní jména v Čechách. Jejich vznik, význam a původní změny – Local names in Bohemia. Their origin, meaning and original changes (published 1947–1957), which came about in part with the support of the Topographic Committee. Charting the history of this committee helps us to understand the institutionalization of research within marginal fields and within the context of Czech-German rivalry. Questions surrounding the review of, and alterations to, topographical nomenclature were carefully followed by state administration and local government representatives, whose influence on Topographical Committee tasks was great in view of the tiny grants for research.

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