Vavro Šrobár was a prominent political figure in East-Central Europe. He played a pivotal role in the establishment and development of the First Czechoslovak Republic, which emerged following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the first Minister to exercise full administrative authority in overseeing the Provisional Government of Slovakia, and throughout his career, including until the end of his life, he held several significant political positions, such as Minister of Public Health and Physical Education, Minister of Unification, Minister of Education and National Enlightenment, and Minister of Finance. Among his numerous contributions, Šrobár was unquestionably one of the key figures behind the founding of the University in Bratislava. His name subsequently became closely associated with the first decades of the Bratislava Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University, founded in 1919. In the field of medicine, he is regarded as one of the founding figures of social medicine in Slovakia. This article will primarily examine Šrobár's medical accomplishments within the context of healthcare in present-day Slovakia during the first quarter of the 20th century and his work at the Faculty of Medicine in Bratislava. Additionally, we will explore the connection between his person and the early history of medicine in Slovakia.
Vavro Šrobár who was of Slovak nationality, was born in Upper Hungary and did not speak well Hungarian language, which was used as the language of education. In Levoča, just shortly before his scheduled graduation, he was informed of his expulsion from all educational institutions within the Hungarian Empire due to his involvement in Pan-Slavic (political ideology formed in the mid-19th century concerned with promoting the integrity and unity for the Slavic people) activities and agitation. However, with the support of Czech and Moravian sympathizers in Přerov (located in Central Moravia in the present-day Czechia), he was able to complete his secondary education in 1888. See Nové obete. Národnie noviny, 9 July 1886, p. 1; Slovak historian Milan Podrimavský contends that it was during this period that Šrobár’s definitive views on the ideological, political, and socio-cultural reciprocity between Czechs and Slovaks began to take shape. PodrimavskýM. Vavro Šrobár a slovenská otázka na prelome 19. a 20. storočia. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
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2.
PekníkM. Dr. Vavro Šrobár a formovanie slovenskej politiky. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
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3.
BakošV. K ideovému profilu Vavra Šrobára. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
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4.
PekníkM. Dr. Vavro Šrobár a formovanie slovenskej politiky. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
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5.
Štefánek A. Novoveká filozofia a Slováci. In: Hlas, 1903; 5, p. 357. See alsoBakošV. K ideovému profilu Vavra Šrobára. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
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162.
6.
SeeVaššM. Názory Vavra Šrobára na niektoré aspekty slovenskej otázky po roku 1918. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
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508 and also Letz R. Slovenské dejiny IV. 1914–1938. Bratislava: Literárne informačné centrum, 2010, p. 105.
7.
For more information about this specific ministri: KrajčovičováN. Vavro Šrobár – prvý minister s plnou mocou pre správu Slovenska. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
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2012, pp.
303–
318.
8.
For more information: PekníkM. Dr. Vavro Šrobár a formovanie slovenskej politiky. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
Veda, Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
2012, pp.
11–
136.
9.
BeniakMTichýM. Dejiny Lekárskej fakulty Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave, I. časť.
Bratislava:
Univerzita Komenského,
1992, p.
154.
10.
The origins of today's Eötvös Loránd University (commonly referred to as ELTE or Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem) trace back to its founding by Péter Pázmány, Archbishop of Esztergom, in 1635 in the city of Trnava. By decree of Maria Theresa, the University was relocated to Buda in 1777, and subsequently to Pest in 1784. A significant milestone in the development of medical science in today's Slovakia occurred between 1769–1777, with the establishment of a medical faculty in Trnava, which was later transferred to Buda along with the rest of the university. For more information: Bokesová-UherováM. Lekárska fakulta Trnavskej univerzity.
Bratislava:
Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
1962,
134 p. and Falisová A and Brtáňová E. Vznik lekárskej fakulty na Trnavskej univerzite a jej prínos pre zdravotníctvo na Slovensku. In: Hološová A, et al. (eds) Trnavská univerzita vo svetle dejín. Kraków; Trnava: Ústav dejín Trnavskej univerzity; Towarzystwo Slowaków w Polsce, 2012, pp. 106–126.
11.
ŠrobárV. Z môjho života.
Praha:
Fr. Borový,
1946, p.
367.
12.
ŠrobárV. Z môjho života.
Praha:
Fr. Borový,
1946, p.
368.
13.
SeeŠrobárV. Z môjho života.
Praha:
Fr. Borový,
1946, p.
363; Vavro Šrobár rented in Ružomberok a modest two-room apartment with a kitchen from a pharmacist named Griell. The doctor's office, workspace and waiting area were situated in one room, while the adjacent room served as his bedroom. The furnishings were sparse, consisting of only a few waiting chairs, a desk, a small sofa, a cabinet for medical instruments, and a stand with medical manuals. The bedroom contained nothing more than an iron bed. Šrobár V. Z môjho života. Praha: Fr. Borový, 1946, pp. 372–373.
14.
FalisováA. Vavro Šrobár – lekár a prvý minister zdravotníctva ČSR. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
Veda. Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
2012, p.
375.
15.
FalisováA. Vavro Šrobár – lekár a prvý minister zdravotníctva ČSR. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
Veda. Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
2012, pp.
375–
376; Tišliar P. Stručný prehľad výskytu infekčných chrôb na Slovensku do 1. polovice 20. storočia. In: Slovenská štatistika a demografia, 2021; 31: 15–16.
16.
FalisováA. Vavro Šrobár – lekár a prvý minister zdravotníctva ČSR. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
Veda, Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
2012, p.
375; Falisová A. Zdravotníctvo na Slovensku v medzivojnovom období. Bratislava: Veda, Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied, 1999, p. 21.
17.
ŠrobárV. Z môjho života.
Praha:
Fr. Borový,
1946, p.
378.
18.
SeeOzorovskýVBeniakMChandogováE. Vavro Šrobár a jeho „ľudová zdravoveda”. In: Podpora duševného zdravia vrátane boja proti xenofóbii a rasizmu: aktuálne úlohy zdravotnej výchovy v súčasnosti. Vedecká konferencia dní Ivana Stodolu, 28.
Bratislava:
Štátny zdravotný ústav,
2001, pp.
82–
87.
19.
Šrobár was imprisoned for a second time during the May 1 1918 celebrations in Liptovský Mikuláš, where participants publicly expressed, for the first time, their desire to establish a joint state of Czechs and Slovaks. In his speech, Šrobár advocated for the Slovak nation’s right to self-determination and universal suffrage. This activity led to his arrest in August 1918, and he remained imprisoned until mid-October of that year.
20.
ŠrobárV. Alkoholické tváre.
Praha, vl. n.,
1923, pp.
14–
15. Author in his treatise argues, that if any means for the improvement of humanity exists, it must be sought in medical science, and that medical doctors are uniquely suited to become the nation's leader. Šrobár V. Alkoholické tváre. Praha, vl. n., 1923, p. 15. On his struggle with alcoholism in present-day Slovakia see: Bugajdová J. Boj proti alkoholizmu na Slovensku. In: Pekník M, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník. Bratislava: Veda, Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2012, pp. 397–410.
21.
FalisováA. Vavro Šrobár – lekár a prvý minister zdravotníctva ČSR. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
Veda, Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
2012, p.
377.
22.
The Hungarian army provoked war with Czechoslovakia and Romania in April 1919 by attempting to conquer Slovakia and Transylvania. In this Hungarian-Czechoslovak war (from April to June 1919) Czechoslovakia gained control of the territory of Slovakia, which had belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary before the war.
23.
See alsoGogolaM.
Vavro Šrobár, prvý profesor sociálneho lekárstva na Slovensku. Rev Med Praxi2017;
15:
55–
56.
24.
FalisováA. Vavro Šrobár – lekár a prvý minister zdravotníctva ČSR. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
Bratislava:
Veda. Vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied,
2012, p.
382.
25.
In this context, the decision was postponed three times due to the commission's failure to convene. Archive of Comenius University (hereinafter reffered to as ACU), Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1923/1924,
24 October 1923, p.
12; ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1923/1924,
14 November 1923, p.
6; ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1923/1924,
5 December 1923, p.
5. On December 5, Professor Růžička proposed offering Vavro Šrobár a professorship in hodegetics and the history of medicine. ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1923/1924,
5 December 1923, p.
5.
26.
Hodegetics from greek hodos – way, guidance, pointing the way- is closely associated with medical professionalism and deontology. At that time hodegetics was primarily focused on providing an introduction to the study of medicine.
27.
ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1923/1924,
23 January 1924, p.
9.
28.
BeniakMTichýM. Dejiny Lekárskej fakulty Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave, I. časť.
Bratislava:
Univerzita Komenského,
1992, p.
158.
29.
The Czech equivalent called Institute for the History of Medicine came into being in 1920, although the teaching did not start until suitable classrooms were provided in 1924. SeeČernýK.
History of medicine in Czech Republic: past and present. Hist Med2016;
3:
187.
30.
GogolaM. Dejiny medicíny na Lekárskej fakulte Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave. 30 výročie založenia Oddelenia histórie medicíny a zdravotníctva. In: GogolaMMesiarkinADanišM (eds) Historia Medicinae Slovaca V.
Bratislava:
Stimul,
2020, p.
140.
31.
MesiarkinA. Lekárska fakulta bratislavskej univerzity v rokoch 1938–1948. In: OzorovskýV (ed) Dejiny Lekárskej fakulty Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave, II. časť.
Bratislava:
Univerzita Komenského,
2021, pp.
236–
237.
32.
PřerovskýK. Gaudeamus Igitur!Bratislava:
Slovak Academic Press,
1995, p.
65; Beniak M and Tichý M. Dejiny Lekárskej fakulty Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave, I. časť. Bratislava: Univerzita Komenského, pp. 94–95.
33.
ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1926/1927,
1 December 1926, p.
5.
34.
ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1929/1930,
10 June 1930, p.
9.
35.
ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1929/1930,
18 June 1930, pp.
1–
2.
36.
ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1930/1931,
22 October 1930, p.
6.
37.
Literary Archive of Matica Slovenská, F. 173 O 24.
38.
ACU, Protocols of the Professorial Staff FM CU, school year 1936/1937,
13 May 1936, pp.
1–
2.
39.
DanišM. Vavro Šrobár a Univerzita Komenského. In: PekníkM, et al. (eds) Dr. Vavro Šrobár politik, publicista a národnoosvetový pracovník.
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2012, p.
394.
