Francis Dvornik

Dvornik was born on 14 August 1893 in Chomýž, Moravia, Austria-Hungary (today the Czech Republic), to Francis Dvornik and Frances Tomečková. Already in his childhood years was showing "outstanding" achievements in elementary school, because of which in 1904 was sent to the local archiepiscopal minor seminary. In June 1912 completed classical gymnasium with high scores, Olomouc's University professor and dean Jan Hejčl desired to be succeeded one day by Dvornik, but his negative experience as an assistant pastor in Germany (1917-1919), and rising political and anti-Catholic Away from Rome! movement, impacted a change in his career path.) and corresponding fellow of the Medieval Academy of America (or 1954). He was also named Knight of the French Legion of Honour, and in memoriam received Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (class III). Since 1964 he has continued his research and teaching as Professor Emeritus at Dumbarton Oaks. By then, several academic societies, associations and universities in the US awarded him honorary degrees and awards. He died on 4 November 1975 in his home during a visit from the United States. At his funeral came two bishops and 120 priests, and many academics and scholars paid homage to him. ==Legacy==

Dvornik has been credited to have "changed our views of the history of Byzantium, of the Slavs and of the Church of Rome; provided large syntheses of Slavic civilization from its beginnings to the early modern period; and traced the development of Byzantine political ideas from their beginnings in the ancient Orient to their reflections in post-Byzantine Eastern Europe". When published two volumes on the history of Slavic nations (1956, 1962), was deemed "that no one was better qualified to present so wide a synthesis of such a complex history". For all those achievements, Dvornik in 1972 received Award for Distinguished Contributions to Slavic Studies by American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies. Dvornik was hailed for his "erudition", "intelligence, ability to view history in large interconnected units, and sheer passion for writing". Sirarpie Der Nersessian noted that at the Dumbarton Oaks "from the very beginning his unbiased attitude in intellectual matters as well as in personal relations, his loyalty, his kindliness, and his genial personality won the esteem and affection of his colleagues and of the younger Fellows, as well as of the members of the Staff. His broad outlook, his judgement and wise counsels have been of invaluable assistance ... and of major importance has been his role in the development of its Library". ==Bibliography==