Insignia of Mendel University in Brno

Insignia symbolize the legitimacy of a person holding a given function and a certain rank or position. University insignia are badges of the rank of academic dignitaries and an expression of the traditions of universities. The most important insignia are the seal, the rector's and dean's scepters, and the medals hung on the chains of academic dignitaries who wear them during university ceremonies.

Due to the diversity of their implementation, they differentiate individual universities and different symbols also recognize their governing bodies (Rector, Vice-Rectors) and deans within one university.

The first collection of insignia from the University of Agriculture in Brno, 1934 -1935

Academic insignia were mostly donated in the past. The University of Agriculture in Brno (VŠZ) also received for its academic dignitaries the first insignia from the proceeds of a collection organized for this purpose. The first proposals for the construction of a rector's chain, which was supposed to be used in 1929 during the jubilee celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the University of Applied Sciences, were not implemented due to lack of funds. At the initiative of the faculty, the "Fund for Rector's and Dean's Insignia" was established in 1931, which was reproduced by donations from supporters and friends of the schools (landowner František Harrach, Minister of Education Dr. Milan Hodža, Prof. Julius Stoklasa, Council of the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Edvard Reich ), individual professors and associate professors (Prof. Josef Opletal, Doc. František Bernard) and graduates (Club of Friends of Czechoslovak Agricultural Engineers, Interest Group of Forest Engineers). Silver gilded insignia, rector's chain and two dean's chains, were made according to their own designs in the years 1931 - 1934 by the company Alois Tengler, a plant of artistic-industrial work from silver, copper and bronze, Prague. The rector's chain was first used during the ceremonial inauguration of the rector prof. Dr. Ing. Václav Novák in 1934, dean's chains a year later at the introduction of prof. Dr. Ing. Alois Tichý to the rector's office. The insignia was troubled by Nazi Germany after the occupation of Czechoslovakia. After the assassination of the deputy imperial protector R. Heydrich, a decree was issued on the confiscation of property, facilities and custody of Czech universities at banks and financial institutions. The old insignia was confiscated by the curator of the German Technical University in Brno, Dr. Helmut Leitmeyer, who also served as commissioner of closed Czech universities. They remained at Technical University until the liberation of the city of Brno in 1945. After the war, they were searched for and returned to the University of Applied Sciences by a ceremonial act together with the second collection of insignia.

The second collection of insignia from the University of Agriculture in Brno, 1939

Academic dignitaries of other Brno universities were equipped with narrative chains, scepters and robes, but the university did not have enough financial means to purchase them. Thanks to the honorary associate professor of agricultural cooperatives at the University of Agriculture and the chairman of the Central Union of Czech Economic Cooperatives, František Wenzl, the board of directors of Brnosvaz, the central association of Czech economic cooperatives in the Czechoslovak Republic in Brno and Moragra, the commercial cooperative of economic cooperatives in Brno, a gift from the Moravian cooperative to the 20th anniversary of the Czechoslovak Republic and the 40th anniversary of the Brno Union. The chain designs were designed by Jan Růžička, a professor at the 3rd Industrial School in Brno, and the scepter designs were created in the workshop of the professors of Brno School of Arts and Crafts, Jan Lichtág and Jiří Auermüller. The insignia in gilded bronze was professionally made in 1939 by the company Ladislav Zelinka and Karel Padělek, in Brno.

The new collection of insignia was completed at the end of 1939, and as a result of the closure of Czech universities, it was no longer handed over to the university. They were officially taken into custody by the Moravian Union of Credit Unions and Cooperatives (successor to Brnosvaz) in July 1940. The cooperative headquarters hid them together with the old insignia in silence in its coffers until May 1942. After the assassination of the deputy imperial protector R. Heydrich, when he was issued a decree on the confiscation of property, facilities and safekeeping of Czech universities at banks and financial institutions, the insignia stored in July 1942 was taken over by German representatives of the city of Brno by Government Commissioner Oskar Judex and Mayor W. Czernny to the "faithful hand". The confiscated insignia were to be preserved in Brno, Germany, so they were kept in the city's main treasury. Thanks to the conscientiousness and diligence of Czech city officials and caretakers, all objects were saved with the exception of 6 large bronze figural plaques. The saved insignia was handed over by the Moravian cooperative headquarters to the University of Agriculture during the first post-war doctoral graduation and the ceremonial declaration of new agricultural and forestry engineers in August 1945. Due to the post-war renovation of university buildings destroyed by war, the insignia were in the vault of Masaryk University, when they were taken into permanent custody of the school.

The third collection of insignia from the University of Agriculture in Brno, 1969

The third set of insignia was acquired by the University of Agriculture on the occasion of the celebrations of its 50th anniversary. In 1969, new chains of the Rector, Vice-Rectors and Deans of the faculties were made of gilded bronze. According to the designs of the academic sculptor Miloš Axman, the insignia were made by the Arts and Crafts Center in Brno in the Umělecké pasířství B. Studený establishment. The medals on the chains are the work of academic sculptor Václav Adolf Kovanič, and were minted by the State Mint in Kremnica. The chain of the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was handed over in 1969 to the renewed University of Veterinary Medicine in Brno.

Additional insignia

The Faculty of Horticulture, based in Lednice in Moravia, chose a different artistic design of its insignia when it was founded in 1985. The chain and scepter were designed by the academic sculptor Slavomír Čermák in 1986. The insignia were artistically designed between 1987 and 1989 by Jaroslav Náprstek, a master craftsman through the Czech Fine Arts Fund in Prague.

 The artistic solution of the second collection of insignia was followed by a design for the insignia of the Faculty of Business and Economics. The symbolism of the original dean's chain, made in a set of insignia in 1969, no longer corresponded to the pedagogical and scientific focus of the faculty. The Faculty of Business and Economics also did not have its own scepter. Therefore, its management decided to acquire a new insignia on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the faculty. The chain was made in 1999 according to the design of the academic sculptor Josef Úprka, the master craftsman Pavel Strakoš from Pasířství Hradec nad Opavicí. The medals were minted in Jablonec Jewelery. The design and realization of the dean's scepter is the work of the academic sculptor Josef Úprka from 1997.

Contemporary insignia

The current insignia were created according to the artistic design of the academic sculptor Michal Vitanovský. Academic chains were manufactured by TRIGA-K.