HÁROM ÉVTIZED AZ ELNÖKI SZÉKBEN – CHOLNOKY JENŐ ÉS A MAGYAR FÖLDRAJZI TÁRSASÁG (1893–1949)

The geographer Jenő Cholnoky (1870-1950) was one of the most important figures in the history of geography in the 20th century. In 1894, Lajos Lóczy Sr. took the talented young engineer – fortunately for geography – as a teaching assistant at the Geography Department of the University of Budpest. From then on, Cholnoky began to deal more closely with geographical research and became one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian Geographical Society, founded in 1872. It is important to mention that among the leading roles of many associations, the Hungarian Geographical Society played the most important role. Jenő Cholnoky’s name first appeared in the columns of Geographical Review in 1893. 108 of his studies, reports and commemorations were published in the Geographical Review. From 1893 he was a member of the HGS, from 1894 a member of the Balaton Committee, from 1904 to 1913 he was the editor of Geographical Review. From 1908, he became the chairman of the Alföld Committee, and from 1920 of the Balaton Committee. Between 1905-1911, he was the general secretary of the Society, between 1911-1914 its vice-president, and from 1914-1946 its president. Cholnoky was the HGS’s longest-reigning president to date (32 years).