Felix Schell

Born:	05-02-1916
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled student

Felix SCHELL, born on May 2^nd, 1916 in Vienna / Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna / Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Dr. Josef Schell (1890-1979, lawyer) and Eugenia Schell (b. 1892), lived in Vienna's 7^th district, Siebensterngasse 33, was enrolled finally in the spring term 1938 at the Medical School in the 3^rd year of his studies. In 1938, after the takeover of power of National-Socialism he was forced to quit his medical studies for racist reason and to leave the University of Vienna.
His father - he had earned a doctorate in law from the University of Vienna in 1913, had been running a law firm in Vienna's 1^st district, Seilerstaette 22 since 1920 and was president of the B'nai Brith Lodge Vienna - was arrested immediately at the "Anschluss" and was imprisoned until July 4^th, 1938 in the Vienna Police Department (Elisabethpromenade) and in the Vienna District Court 1. Felix Schell escaped from Vienna with his parents and his younger brother Kurt (b. 1920) and on September 14^th, 1938 they managed to emigrate to London, Great Britain. Felix Schell was able to obtain a visa for the USA on May 3^rd, 1940 in London and traveled on June 11^th, 1940 from Liverpool with the SS Britannic to the USA, where he arrived in New York / NY on June 21^st, 1940. His parents, both born in Moravia/Austro-Hungarian Empire [later: Czechoslovakia], had more difficulties with the Czech quota for immigration visa, but were able to get them on October 10^th, and shipped from Liverpool/Great Britain end of November 1940 with the MRS Nova Scottia to Boston/Massachusetts, USA, where they arrived on December 5^th, 1940. The family lived together in New York / NY, where his father became a legal consultant. In 1941, they all applied for becoming US-citizenship and were naturalized in 1946. Felix Schell in defiance to some difficulties was able to continue and finish his medical studies in the USA and finally became Assistant Professor in Clinical Dermatology at the New York University Skin and Cancer Unit New York / NY. He died on February 2^nd, 1990 in the USA.

Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna / enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1937-1938; Austrian State Archive (OeStA) / Archive of the Republic (AdR) / E-uReang / VVSt / VA 21355; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 499; SAUER/REITER-ZATLOUKAL 2010, 298; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 04/2020; www.libertyellisfoundation.org/; www.immigrantships.net/.

Herbert Posch