| Born: | 07-11-1913 |
| Faculty: | Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: | Expelled student |
Otto SOBEL, born on July 11th, 1913 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of David Sobel (textile merchant) and Esther Sobel, née Lapajowker, lived in Vienna's 2nd district, Hollandstrasse 10, was enrolled finally in the fall term 1937/38 at the Medical School in the 4th year of his studies (fall term 1937/38 was validated on February 10th, 1938).
In 1938, after the takeover of power of National-Socialism he was forced to quit his studies for racist reason and to leave the University of Vienna (Leaving Certificate ('Abgangszeugnis') was issued on April 23rd, 1938).
He had to flee Vienna and was able to emigrate to Switzerland, where he was also able to complete his studies in Lausanne, graduated to "M.D.", before emigrating via France (Le Havre) to the USA, where he arrived in New York on the SS Ile de France on August 7th, 1939.
In 1940 he lived together with his older siblings, Benno (b. 1909) and Margaret Sobel (b. 1907, married Hermann, later living in Miami), both of whom had obtained "Dr.med." degrees from the University of Vienna in 1930 and 1932, respectively, and had been able to emigrate to the USA earlier. In October 1940 he was mustered into the U.S. Army - he was then working at Beekman Hospital in New York, NY, as a doctor.
In 1943 he lived and worked in Chicago, IL/USA and changed his name to Otto George Sorel when he naturalized as a U.S. citizen in December 1944.
In 1950 he was living and working as a physician in Rochester, Monroe, NY/USA, had enlisted in the U.S. Army from February 1951 to February 1953. Since 1958 he worked at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, FL/USA and lived at 1215 S. Riverside Drive, Indialantic, Brevard County, FL/USA.
He was married to Marie Miller (1912-March 2nd, 2014).
Otto G. Sorel, nee Otto Sobel, died on November 27th, 1983 in Indialantic, Brevard County, FL/USA and is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester, Monroe County, NY/USA.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1937-1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 477; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2022; www.genteam.at; www.ancestry.de; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 07/2022.
Herbert Posch
