JOVAN CVIJIĆ - GEOGRAPHER AND ACADEMICIAN

BIJELJINA, OCTOBER 11 /SRNA/ – Serbian geographer Jovan Cvijić /1865–1927/, the founder of anthropogeography and geomorphology in Serbia and of the Serbian Geographical Society, rector of the Belgrade University and president of the Serbian Royal Academy, was born on October 12, 1865.

Cvijić was also an honorary doctor of the Sorbonne in Paris and Charles University in Prague.

Cvijić’s research on the morphology and hydrography of the Dinaric karst and other karst regions, the tectonics and glaciation of the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, as well as his studies of the Adriatic coast, the basins and plains of the Balkans, Šumadija and the Pannonian Basin, and the migrations of the Yugoslav peoples, are of considerable importance.

He played an exceptional role as an adviser to the Serbian delegation at the peace negotiations in Paris following the First World War.

Cvijić’s works include Fundamentals of the Geography and Geology of Macedonia and Old Serbia, Anthropogeographical Problems of the Balkan Peninsula, The Balkan Peninsula and the South Slavic Lands, Geomorphology, Ethnogeographical Maps of the Yugoslav Lands, Geographical Map of Yugoslavia, and Speeches and Articles.

Jovan Cvijić was born in Loznica and devoted his life to studying Serbia and the Balkan Peninsula, travelling throughout the Balkans almost every year.

In addition to his geographical research, Cvijić was also dealing with geology, including geomorphology, tectonics, palaeogeography and neotectonics.

His monograph on karst received highly favourable reviews in European scientific circles. His inaugural academic address on the structure and classification of the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, based on their geological and tectonic composition, established his reputation as the first South Slavic geotectonic scientist.

Cvijić also studied psychological types among the peoples of the Balkans. A defining feature of his scientific work was his examination of the influence of climate and terrain on human physical characteristics, emphasising that human beings are eko-sensible.

When the University of Belgrade was established in 1905, Cvijić was among its first eight full professors, who subsequently selected the rest of the teaching staff, as all professors and associates of the abolished Higher School had been made available for appointment to the new university.

Cvijić founded the Geographic Institute at the Faculty of Philosophy in 1893 and served as its director from its establishment until 1927. He also served two terms as rector of the University of Belgrade, in 1906–1907 and 1919–1920.

In 1921, he was appointed president of the Serbian Royal Academy by decree.

Cvijić was a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Parnassos Literary Society of Athens. He was also an honorary doctor of the Sorbonne and Charles University.

Jovan Cvijić was also awarded British, French and American medals in recognition of his scientific work.