History

The Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava celebrates its 100 years!

Although the establishment of the Faculty of Law was already foreseen in the 1919 Act on the Establishment of the Czechoslovak University in Bratislava, it was on Monday 24 October 1921 at 9.00 a.m. when the first semester of the new Faculty of Law opened in the former building of the Faculty of Law at Kapitulská Street.

The academic year 1921/22 began with a lecture on Roman law, given by Professor Vážný, after a short speech by Augustín Ráth, the first ever dean and at that time rector of Comenius University in Bratislava.

A total of 199 students (7 of whom were women) enrolled at the Faculty of Law in the establishing year. In this first year, also 25 students from abroad (from Yugoslavia, Russia, and Turkey) enrolled, too.

The fact that history has little regard for the beauty of the moment is shown by the fact that as early as 25 October 1921 Slovakia was shocked by the news of the mobilisation of Czechoslovak troops in connection with the unsuccessful putsch of the former King Charles of Habsburg in Hungary.

 

We celebrate the significant jubilee of the Faculty of Law with the words of the first rector of Comenius University, Professor Kristian Hynek: "I do not deny that tradition is certainly important, but the most glorious tradition has not yet saved anyone's life. Therefore, it is our duty to overcome the past. Every day must be better than the last. Let the spirit of progress, cooperation and honesty lead us on..."

 

The building of the former Hungarian Faculty of Law at Kapitulská Street, where the Faculty of Law of the Comenius University in Bratislava moved in 1921 (state before reconstruction). 

The building of the Faculty of Law of the Comenius University in Bratislava until 1936. Kapitulská Street, in the foreground is the extension to the old building, where the Auditorium Maximum was located.

Building of the Faculty of Law of the Comenius University in Bratislava at Kapitulská Street: the Seminar of Czechoslovak History
 

The first ever Auditorium maximum of the Faculty of Law of the Comenius University in Bratislava in the building at Kapitulská Street.

 

All the pictures provided are retrieved from: Ročenka University Komenského za první pětiletí 1919 – 1924. Bratislava: Akademický senát University Komenského, 1925.

 

The text was prepared by Dr. Gregor of the Department of Roman Law, Canon Law, and Ecclesiastical Law.