Lucia Wehle, verh. Zandl

Lucia WEHLE (ZANDL), born on May 2^nd, 1918 in Marienbad, Bohemia/Austro-Hungarian Empire [Mariánské Lázně/Czechoslovakia, today: Czech Republic] (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, citizenship 1938: Austria), daughter of Dr. Jean Gustav Wehle (lawyer) and lived in Vienna's 3^rd district, Salesianergasse 17. She had graduated from High school (Maedchenrealgymnasium Vienna III) in summer 1936 and started to study medicine at the University of Vienna in fall term of 1936/37. She was enrolled in spring term of 1938 at the Medical School in the 3^rd year of her studies.

After the Anschluss in 1938, she was persecuted for racist reason as a so-called "Mischling 2^nd degree", but was still able to continue her studies for the time being - with revocation at any time.

Her father, the lawyer Dr. Jean Gustav Wehle (1885-1942, living in Vienna's 3^rd district, Am Heumarkt 9/I/17) had to close his law office in Vienna's 1^st district, Krugerstrasse 1 in 1938, which he had opened in 1917, in 1938, because he was revoked as a so-called "Mischling 1^st degree" according to the Third Decree of the Reich Citizenship Law (his father Johann Gustav Wehle, 1828-1888, had only converted from Judaism to the roman-catholicism at his second marriage after 1875) (although this deletion from the list of lawyers was already revoked by the Berlin Reich Ministry of Justice on January 31^st, 1939).

Her brother, the famous composer and cabaret artist Peter Wehle (1914-1986), who was enrolled in 1938 in the 8^th and last semester of his law studies at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, was able to graduate with a doctorate in law in March 1939 even before the discriminatory regulations for "Mischlinge 2. Grades" came into effect.

When "Mischlinge" were forced to apply to the Reich Ministry of Education in Berlin for admission to studies beginning in the 1^st trimester of 1940, Lucia Wehle submitted an application to be allowed to pass the final examinations ("Rigorosen") and to graduate on March 18^th, 1941.
According to the regulations, the dean of the responsible medical faculty had to attach an expert opinion to the application which "had to deal in particular with the personal impression about the personality and the appearance of the applicant. It is to be mentioned whether and to what extent characteristics of the Jewish race are outwardly recognizable in the applicant ["insbesondere auf den persoenlichen Eindruck ueber die Persoenlichkeit und das Aussehen des Gesuchstellers einzugehen [hatte]. Dabei ist zu erwaehnen, ob und inwieweit Merkmale der juedischen Rasse beim Gesuchsteller aeusserlich erkennbar sind"]." [Decree of the Reich Ministry of Education, January 5^th, 1940]. Dean Prof. Eduard Pernkopf stated on March 29^th, 1941 only: "Lucia Wehle was here; she makes a quiet and good impression [Lucia Wehle war hier am Dekanate vorstellig; macht einen ruhigen Eindruck]."

The Reich Ministry of Education Berlin decided on May 12^th, 1941 after consultation with the Reich Ministry of the Interior, to admit Wehle to the medical examinations and graduation but however, it was explicitly pointed out to her that as a "Mischlinge 2. Grades" she had nearly no chance to get the "Bestallung" (professional license) as a doctor in the German Reich. A corresponding decision would be made ad personam by the Reich Ministry of the Interior at the appropriate time, depending on the outcome of the political review of herself, her parents, siblings and grandparents.

After passing the 2^nd and 3^rd viva voce examinations ("Rigorosum"), Lucia Wehle would have been entitled to take her doctorate on September 29^th, 1943, but meanwhile the Reich Ministry of Education Berlin had made a fundamental decision - without proof of "Bestallung" (professional license) as a physician (which was not easily granted to a "Mischling 2nd degree"), the doctor's diploma could not be handed out. "However, in order to make it easier for the aforementioned to obtain suitable employment in industry, I authorize the faculty to issue a certificate that, apart from the proof of German-blooded descent, you have fulfilled all the requirements for the award of the doctoral degree. It shall be expressly stated on the certificate that it does NOT constitute a doctoral degree."

Only after the end of National Socialism, in the first post-war graduation ceremony on June 8^th, 1945 - backdated as of September 29^th, 1943 – she was awarded the academic degree "Dr.med. univ." by the University of Vienna, according to the old and again reintroduced Austrian study regulations.

She lived and worked as physician in Vienna, but little is known about her further live and career. She later married the physician and "Medizinalrat" (Medical Councillor) Dr. Friedrich Zandl (1916-1988), continued to work as a physician herself and was also awarded the title of "Medizinalrat".

Dr. Lucia Zandl, née Wehle, died on October 17^th, 1999 and is buried with her husband at the Eggenburg cemetery, district of Horn/Lower Austria.

Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienn/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1936-1940, graduation register ("Promotionsprotokoll") MED 1941-1949, 1267, Rectorate GZ 944 ex 1939/40/41 ONr. 256, 280, 281, 283, MED GZ 1115 ex 1939/40 ONr 92, 120, 121; information courtesy by Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 2020 and 04/2023; SAUER/REITER-ZATLOUKAL 2010, 355; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2023.

Herbert Posch