Royal Bohemian Society of Sciences ( la, Regia Societas Scientiarum Bohemica; german: Königliche böhmische Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften; cs, Královská česká společnost nauk) was established in 1784 – originally without the adjective "royal" – which was granted as late as in 1790 by King and Emperor Leopold II – to be the scientific center for

Lands of the Bohemian Crown The Lands of the Bohemian Crown were a number of incorporated states in Central Europe during the medieval and early modern periods connected by feudal relations under the Bohemian kings. The crown lands primarily consisted of the Kingdom of ...

. It was succeeded by the

Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences The Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (Czech: ''Československá akademie věd'', Slovak: ''Česko-slovenská akadémia vied'') was established in 1953 to be the scientific center for Czechoslovakia. It was succeeded by the Czech Academy of Science ...

in 1952, and finally became what is known today as the

Czech Academy of Sciences The Czech Academy of Sciences (abbr. CAS, cs, Akademie věd České republiky, abbr. AV ČR) was established in 1992 by the Czech National Council as the Czech successor of the former Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences and its tradition goes back ...

in 1992.

History

The Society was founded by filologist

Josef Dobrovský Josef Dobrovský (17 August 1753 – 6 January 1829) was a Czech philologist and historian, one of the most important figures of the Czech National Revival along with Josef Jungmann. Life and work Dobrovský was born at Balassagyarmat, Nó ...

, historian Gelasius Dobner and mathematician and the founder of Prague University Observatory, Joseph Stepling. Later it was headed by historian and politician

František Palacký František Palacký (; June 17, 1798 – May 26, 1876) was a Czech historian and politician, the most influential person of the Czech National Revival, called "Father of the Nation". Life František Palacký was born on June 17, 1798 at Hodslavi ...

. As early as 1861–1863 anatomist

Jan Evangelista Purkyně Jan Evangelista Purkyně (; also written Johann Evangelist Purkinje) (17 or 18 December 1787 – 28 July 1869) was a Czech anatomist and physiologist. In 1839, he coined the term '' protoplasm'' for the fluid substance of a cell. He was one of ...

proposed in his treatise ''Academia'' the establishment of an autonomous non-university scientific institution associating research institutes representing the main fields of the science of that time. This idea of an institution engaged in interdisciplinary research corresponds to the concept and structure of the present Academy of Sciences. By the end of the 19th century, language-differentiated scientific institutions arose in this country: the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Arts ( cs, Česká akademie věd a umění, 1890–1952) and the Association for the Fostering of German Science, Arts and Literature in Bohemia (german: Gesellschaft zur Förderung deutscher Wissenschaft, Kunst und Literatur in Böhmen, 1891–1945). Czech Academy of Science and the Arts was founded owing to the significant financial support from Czech architect, entrepreneur and philanthropist Josef Hlávka, who became its first president. The aim of this institution was to promote the development of Czech science and literature and to support Czech arts. The most important work of this Academy was its publication activities. Scholarships and financial support were also provided and smaller research units arose upon its initiative as well. After the foundation of the independent

Czechoslovak Republic Czechoslovak Republic (Czech and Slovak: ''Československá republika, ČSR''), was the official name of Czechoslovakia between 1918 and 1939 and between 1945 and 1960. See: *First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938) *Second Czechoslovak Republic ...

(1918) other scientific institutions were established, such as the Masaryk Academy of Labour (''Masarykova akademie práce'') and autonomous state institutes, such as the Slavonic, Oriental and Archaeological Institutes. International relationships of Czech research institutions grew with their affiliation to the International Union of Academies and the International Research Council. After the totalitarian regime came to power in Czechoslovakia in 1948, all scientific, non-university institutions and learned societies were dissolved and instead the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences was founded. In 1992 the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic was established by Act No. 283/1992.

External links

History of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
{{authority control Scientific societies based in the Czech Republic Scientific organizations established in 1784