Mapy a Atlasy: Atlas Republiky Československé

Summary

This article is a response to criticisms of the Atlas of the Czechoslovak Republic. The author notes that while the editorial board anticipated unfavorable reviews from abroad, it did not expect domestic scholars, such as Prof. Říkovský, to condemn the work as a 'lost opportunity' for Czechoslovak geography. The article systematically refutes the main points of criticism: the atlas's statistical bias, its lack of synthetic and genetic maps, and insufficient coverage of regional divisions and cultural areas. The author emphasizes that the atlas's program was fixed in 1928, constrained by the maturity of geographical research at the time, data availability, and financial and temporal limitations, making many proposed additions impossible. The article argues that the critic overlooked the atlas's contributions in statistical analysis, physical geography, and cultural information, and notes that similar shortcomings were present in the Finnish and Polish atlases then regarded as models. The author concludes that the atlas represented the best achievable outcome under the circumstances and deserves recognition for its value.