| Born: | 02-14-1903 |
| Faculty: | Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: | Expelled teacher |
Maximilian SILBERMANN, born on February 14th, 1903 in Vienna/Austro-Hungarian Empire [Austria], died on October 21st, 1978 in New York, NY/USA, was a university assistant III. class at the University Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurology (head: Prof. Otto Poetzl) at the Medical Schol of the University of Vienna in 1938.
He was persecuted in times of National Socialism for racist reasons and expelled from the University of Vienna.
Silbermann, born and entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") in Vienna, Austrian citizen, son of Jakob Saul Silbermann and Serl/Sofie Silbermann, née Hirsch (1866-1930) (legal guardian after the death of his father: Alexander Silbermann, private civil servant, Vienna's 3rd district., Ungargasse 14) lived with his mother and his brother, lawyer Dr. iur. Otto Silbermann in Vienna's 2nd district, Darwingasse 9. Maximilian had passed the school-leaving examination (Matura) at the Akademisches Gymnasium in Vienna's 1st district, Beethovenplatz in the summer of 1922 and began studying medicine at the University of Vienna from the fall term of 1922/23, obtaining his doctorate on December 12th, 1930.
He was admitted to the Vienna Medical Association at the end of 1930 and worked as an unsalaried assistant at the Psychiatric University Clinic and had established a psychiatric practice at his home address (Vienna's 9th district, Frankgasse 4) when his employment as an unsalaried assistant was finally converted into a salaried assistant's position on March 1st, 1938. However, after the Anschluss he was dismissed as a "Jew" in the same month and his position was transferred on May 1st, 1938 to his colleague Dr. Christine Palisa.
He had to flee Austria and managed to emigrate to the USA in time: on April 13th he was able to obtain a visa at the US Embassy in Vienna and on May 19th he left on the SS Washington from LeHavre/France for the USA, arriving in New York City, NY on May 26th, 1938.
He opened a practice in neighboring Newark, NJ (82 Lyons Ave) but settled in central New York, in the borough of Manhattan (1943-1962 at 1215 Fifth Avenue and from 1962 at 110 E, 57th str., apt. 17E) and from 1943 had his practice at 893 Park Avenue, Manhattan.
He remained unmarried, became a U.S. citizen in March 1944, and in addition to his practice, worked as a neurologist at Presbyterian Hospital and as honorary senior neurologist and psychiatrist at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York.
He was an officer of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and a member of the American Neurological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease, the New York Academy of Medicine, the New York Neurological Society, the New York County Medical Society, the Medical Society of the State of New York and the American Medical Association.
His applications to the Relief Fund for Nazi Victims in Vienna in 1958 and in 1963 were unsuccessful.
Dr. Maximilian Silbermann died on October 21st, 1978 at the age of 75 in New York City, NY/USA.
Lit.: Archives of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("National") MED 1922-1929, personnel rooster University of Vienna 1937/38, 111, Rectorate GZ 677 ex 1937/38, No. 91, GZ 680 I ex 1937/38; NY State Journal of Medicine 1979, 951; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2023; friendly reference Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 07/2022.
Herbert Posch
