SIMION MEHEDINTI

Simion Mehedinţi (1868-1962) is considered the founder of modern Romanian Geography. After having completed his studies in Paris, Berlin and Leipzig with Paul Vidal de la Blache, Ferdinand von Richthofen and Friedrich Ratzel, Mehedinţi was nominated Professor of Geography at the University of Bucharest in 1890. In his fundamental work written in Romanian – Terra, Introduction to Geography as Science (1931) and in other of his writings, the Earth is viewed as a complex system within which the four planetary covers are interacting both in terms of static’s (spatial distribution) and dynamics. In his opinion the complex relationships among the four geospheres are reflected in such planetary circuits as regular winds and Ocean currents.

Simion Mehedinţi played a decisive role in organising academic geographical education. It

was he who introduced the German system of seminars, practical works and applied field investigations for students, new geography courses, and monthly scientific colloquia that were being held for a

30-year period. With a view to updating Geography teachers’ scientific background, the Professor organised annual Congresses held on a regular basis between 1904 and 1937. The high level

of academic education was being maintained by geographical periodicals like the Year-book of

Geography and Anthropogeography in Romanian (1910–1914). He also co-ordinated and supervised

the publication of the newly-structured Bulletin of the Romanian Geographical Society, which was to

contain the most important scientific articles written in the inter-war period.

1. Mehedinţi was nominated Professor of Geography at the University of Bucharest in:

-          1880

-          1890

-          1900

2. Simion Mehedinti played a decisive role in organizing academic geographical education. He introduce for students:

-          German system of seminars

-          French system of seminars

-          American system of seminars

3. In his fundamental work written in Romanian – Terra, Introduction to Geography as Science (1931) the Earth is viewed as:

-          A complex system within which the five planetary covers are interacting both in term of static’s and dynamics.

-          A complex system within which the four planetary covers are interacting both in terms of static’s and dynamics

-          A complex system within which the four planetary covers are interacting in terms of static’s (spatial distribution).

By Prof. Molcalut Georgeta - Florentina