Time is merciless.
I hardly can believe that already 16 years have passed since I met János Bák for the first time. It was in the spring 1993 when I was invited to read a few lectures on Byzantino-Slav relations for the students of the Medieval Department of CEU. Since then I was thanks to his and Gabor’s kind invitation for five years regularly coming over there to teach in the winter trimestr and during that time our acquaintance developed in a nice friendship. I cannot say that we spent very much time together but I enjoyed every minute I had the opportunity to be in his presence, regradless whether we discussed some scholarly questions or I could enjoy his dry humor with a glass of wine. My regular co-operation with the CEU was, unfortunately, terminated with my appointment as Director of the Slavonic Institute in Prague. But just this moment is in my memories very nicely connected with János. First, thanks to him I was awarded with a Fellowship of CEU that enabled me to work quietly and enjoy facilities of academic libraries in Budapest before I had to take over the obligation of my new post in Prague. And even more: When I mentioned that I intended to start my new function with the organization of a conference in which we would recapitulate the scholarly activities of the Slavonic Institute in Prague in the past 70 years since its foundation János came with a proposition to organize in addition, jointly with the CEU, a meeting of the representatives of Slavonic studies in Central European countries in which we would discuss the current state of these studies and their further perspectives in the forthcoming period. Thanks to his effort, and also thanks to a generous financial support of CEU, this meeting was realized and with success. It was a nice final point behind our scholarly co-operation, but – I hope – not behind our friendship. Allow me, please, at least in the distance to drink a glass of Moravian wine to his health. ΠΟΛΛΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΑ !
VladimÍr VavŘÍnek
