221Book review section – Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 69 (2020) (2) 209–220.Chronicle – Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 69 (2020) (2) 221–221.

In early March a shocking news reached the repre-
sentatives of Hungarian landscape ecology. One of us, 
who has been so active in organizing and popular-
izing this discipline, has left us for good. Attila Barczi, 
associate professor of the Department for Nature 
Conservation and Landscape Ecology at Szent István 
University, Gödöllő, died with tragic suddenness. 

He was born in Budapest on 26 April 1964, but he 
attended primary and secondary school in Siófok. He 
began with geographical studies at the József Attila 
University of Szeged, but finally graduated from the 
Gödöllő Agricultural University as an agricultural 
engineer and began to work there at the Department 
of Soil Science and Agrochemistry. After attending 
postgraduate courses in soil science and agricultural 
environmental protection, he defended his PhD dis-
sertation in 1997 and became habilitated associate 
professor in 2004. Recruiting eminent scientists from 
all fields of landscape study, he undertook a lead-
ing role in the organization of the first Department 
of Landscape Ecology in Hungary and established 
the journal Tájökológiai Lapok (Hungarian Journal of 
Landscape Ecology). He was active as head of the de-
partment and of the Doctoral School of Environmental 
Sciences, vice-dean of the Faculty, but, first of all, as 
an enthusiastic and excellent lecturer of soil science 
and landscape ecology – not only at Gödöllő, but also 
at other universities. His classroom and field presen-
tations will equally be remembered by the younger 
generation of soil scientists and geographers.

He had a wide range of research interests: from ma-
nuring and composting to soil typology, evaluation, 
conservation and soil-plant interactions. In paleoecol-
ogy and paleopedology his investigations of buried 
soils in tumuli are internationally acknowledged and 
brought him appreciation in international circles. He 
won Széchenyi and Bolyai scholarships. He edited 
a series of full-colour booklets with his professional 
photos which presented the landscapes of Hungary 
to the interested public. Only the blind envy and ill-
will of his opponents could prevent him from being 
awarded the title of Doctor of the Hungarian Academy 
of Sciences, which he would have well deserved. 

Attila Barczi will be painfully missed by the com-
munity of researchers in landscape ecology and soil 
science, but through his positive attitude to work, 
self-confidence in his profession and in the use of the 
English language, friendly and cheerful personality, 
incessant helpfulness and readiness for action, we 
will keep him in good remembrance. 

Dénes Lóczy

C H R O N I C L E

In memoriam Attila Barczi (1964–2020)