The Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen Celebrated Its 65th Anniversary












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            Memories, optimism about recent successes, and concerns about the future of the plans for 

            of the faculty’s campus all resounded throughout the celebrations of the 65th anniversary 
            of the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen. Among those came to wish it the best were representa
            University and other Czech and Slovak institutions of higher education, the Ministry of Ed

            and Sports, the Ministry of Health, and the city of Pilsen.
            Rector of Charles University, Professor Václav Hampl wished the faculty to “fulfill its am
            goals both in research and education.” He then added: “I hope that the faculty will stay t

            ancient idea of university as a community of students and professors, who are seeking true
            together.” Mr. Hampl mentioned the historical context of the foundation of the faculty, bu

            focused on its current scientific accomplishments. He stressed the faculty’s 6% share of t
            publication output in the Web of Science database and the successes its students have had 
            competitions, such as the recent 10th annual Awards for Chemistry, Pharmacy and Medicine, 

            Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Jean-Marie Lehn at the French Embassy in Prague.
            “In a certain way, the fate of the university and its faculties copies the history of the 
            whole”, said the Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Boris Kreuzberg, while summing up the history of

            “The era of Normalization was the proving ground for people’s moral integrity. Some of the
            others proved to be honest, and the latter often had to pay for it.” Three of the latter, 
            Jiří Heřt and assistant professors Martin Šolc and Petr Fiala, received Memorial Medals of

            University from the Rector. Professor Heřt recounted: “I was active in the dissent, but I 
            a criminal who wants to overthrow the regime. I was convinced that the regime was wrong an
            to be a more democratic system”. Of his involuntary 19-year stint as a general practitione

            said with a hint of irony: “Maybe I was more useful to my patients that I would have been 
            The celebration concluded with reception of memorial diplomas and medals by significant me
            faculty and a vocal performance by Dana Hažmuková.

            The Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen was founded by the Decree 135 of the President of Czecho
            Edvard Beneš, on October 27, 1945. As of now, the Faculty hosts around 2,000 students, one
            study in English. By 2014, two new research facilities for 600 million CZK are planned to 

            Faculty’s hospital in the Plzeň neighbourhood of Lochotín.
            P.K.


            Translation: Jaroslav Švelch