* recorded in the personal card:
He gained experience as a doctor at the Regional Hospital in Brno and then worked in Zlín from 1901, where he found a job on a large estate. Tomas Bata turned to him when caring for his sick brother Antonín and in confidential family matters. With his advice, Gerbec assisted at the time of Bata’s exhaustion (1907), after a severe head injury (1913) and when Bata’s life was in critical danger (1917-1918). In 1920, Gerbec became city doctor in Zlín, and also at this time his cooperation with Bata continued, who appreciated his advice not only in medicine, but also in personnel matters. In the end, they agreed that Gerbec accepted a job in Bata company in 1924 and stayed there until the end of his life. As a company doctor, he played a large part in the development of public health care in Zlín, during Bata time. He died on July 2, 1935 while on vacation by the sea in Yugoslavia.
Tomas Bata through the eyes of Rudolf Gerbec: That car accident in 1913 changed him. How would I put it - he realized that he was mortal. He became more interested in everyday life. He was brooding even before this unfortunate event, but after it - he was aware of everyday trifles that the other person would not even pay attention to and would take for granted.
Rudolf Gerbec (archive NTB)
