| Born: | 11-17-1916 |
| Faculty: | Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: | Expelled student |
Hans WASSERVOGEL (John WALTERS), born on November 17th, 1916 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Adolf Wasservogel (b. 1876, merchant) and Emilie (b. 1880, née Fischer), lived in Vienna's 7th district, Kandlgasse 35. He graduated from high school ("Robert-Hamerling-Realgymnasium") in Vienna's 8th district, Albertgasse 18-22 on June 27th, 1935 and started his medical studies at the University of Vienna in fall term 1935/36. He was enrolled finally in the spring term 1938 at the Medical School in the 3rd year of his studies (Leaving Certificate ('Abgangszeugnis') was issued on June 15th, 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.
He had to flee from Nazi-ruled Vienna and to prepare his emigration. In these months he married his former fellow student Laura Halpern (1912-1992) on February 14th, 1939 in Vienna. She had studied medicine at the University of Vienna from 1931 to 1937 and graduated on March 24th, 1937 and earned the academic degree "Dr.med.univ.". in times of National-Socialism she was not allowed to practice medicine.
In the end of March 1939 they could emigrate to England and later from Liverpool to New York/USA, where they arrived in March 1940.
His parents, Adolf and Emilie Wasservogel, could not flee from Vienna in time and were deported from Vienna to Izbica on May 15th, 1942 and murdered there.
Hans Wasservogel and his wife Laura changed their surname from "Wasservogel" to "Walters" in December 1942, later they were naturalized and lived and worked in the USA - first in New York, later in 65201 Columbia, Boone, Missouri, USA.
John Walters, né Hans Wasservogel, died in January 1979.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1937-1939; Vienna City Archive/relief fund; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 495; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 09/2017 and 07/2019; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2024; DOeW-victims database.
Herbert Posch
