Monografie Valašska a Antonín Václavík

The ethnography seminar of Antonín Václavík, "the professor" and his students, were a very friendly team with atmosphere of mutual understanding. Professor Václavík addressed his students by their first names; he was familiar with their family backgrounds and professional and leisure-time interests. During the complicated period of the 1950's students of ethnography felt like Václavík supported them on the grounds of their apolitical and conservative opinions. Understanding and respect worked both ways. Professor Václavík's teaching career and his lectures were focused on demonstrations and comparisons. They would reflect Václavík's extensive knowledge of the material originating from Central and Eastern Europe, especially Slovakia, Poland and the Ukraine. Václavík's enthusiasm was very impressive and motivated his students in their life-long specialisation and interest in this particular branch of science. The aforementioned facts reflected in the topics of term papers and theses, as particular attention was paid to the plan to take part in the publication of a monography in ethnography of Wallachia. Students were assigned research tasks in Wallachian villages; they cooperated with their teachers on specific studies and papers, using material from the Wallachian region. However, the project has never been completed and it is desirable that Václavík's idea be brought to life. Today's situation of the Department of European Ethnology represents perfect conditions for this goal.