Anton Melik facts for kids
Anton Melik (born January 1, 1890 – died June 8, 1966) was a famous Slovene geographer. He spent his life studying and teaching about the Earth's surface, especially the geography of Slovenia.
Contents
About Anton Melik
His Early Life and Studies
Anton Melik was born in a small village called Črna Vas in Carniola. At that time, this area was part of Austria-Hungary. He went to the University of Vienna to study history and geography. He finished his studies in 1916, right in the middle of World War I. After university, he worked as a secondary school teacher, helping young students learn about the world.
Becoming a Professor
Melik's passion for geography led him to the University of Ljubljana. In 1926, he became an associate professor, which is a step towards becoming a full professor. He earned his PhD in 1927. His special research for his PhD was about how people settled in the Ljubljana Marsh area. By 1938, he became a full professor of geomorphology at the University of Ljubljana. Geomorphology is the study of how landforms are created and changed. He was so good at this that he started his own well-known school of thought in this field.
His Big Work: Geography of Slovenia
One of Anton Melik's most important achievements was his huge work called Geografija Slovenije (The Geography of Slovenia). The first two books came out in 1935 and 1936. These books described the general geography of the region. Later, he added four more books between 1954 and 1960. These new books gave detailed descriptions of specific parts of Slovenia, like the Alps, Styria, Prekmurje, the Meža Valley, the Lower Sava Valley, and the Slovenian Littoral.
Leading Important Institutions
Anton Melik was a very important leader in the world of geography. From 1947 to 1960, he was the head of the Department of Geography at the University of Ljubljana. He also led the Geographical Institute of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts from 1948 to 1966. On top of that, he was the chancellor (the main leader) of the University of Ljubljana for several years, from 1946 to 1950. He also served twice as the dean of the Faculty of Arts. He retired in 1966 and passed away in Ljubljana that same year.
His Family and Legacy
His Family
Anton Melik had a family, and some sad things happened to them. His two brothers, Franc and Ivan, passed away in 1943 during a difficult time. Anton Melik also had three sons. His son, Vasilij Melik, grew up to become a historian. Sadly, his other two sons, Anton and Andrej, died when they were very young children.
Awards and Recognition
Anton Melik was recognized for his amazing work. He received the Prešeren Award three times, in 1947, 1949, and 1951. This is a very important award in Slovenia for achievements in arts and sciences. In 1976, the Geographical Institute of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts was renamed the Anton Melik Geographical Institute in his honor. This shows how much he contributed to the study of geography.
See also
In Spanish: Anton Melik para niños
