Technicians for the Emperor or for Themselves? Prague Technical Universities and the First World War
Abstract
Demand for technical disciplines during the entire course of the 19th century greatly increased the social prestige of technical fields and the schools at which these subjects were taught. Although individuals with the academic title of 'engineer' (master's degree level) did not enjoy the esteem of university 'doctors', they expanded into all areas of public life.
In addition to the actual technical specialisations, the economic sciences studied at technical universities played an increasing role at the head of society. The ambition of the Prague technical universities, especially the Czech polytechnic, went hand in hand with this development, including the desire for positions in the city government and for city land for their buildings.
Many students, teachers and other employees left schools for the front. The death of exceptional mathematics professor František Velísek (1877-1914) at the front in August 1914 had a major impact on the atmosphere at the school back home, and great efforts were made, unfortunately in vain, to have men brought back from the war.
The article explores the question of whether the outbreak and course of the First World War interrupted, compromised or in some other way affected the ambitions of schools and their position in the city and society and how these schools entered the new era after 1918, which brought large-scale reorganisation and a boom in all directions (the student body, the development of fields, the construction of the campus and dormitories, etc.).