| Born: | 11-01-1914 |
| Faculty: | Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: | Expelled student |
Hermann FINKELSTEIN (Zvi SHAMIR), born on November 1st, 1914 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, citizenship 1938: Austria), son of Dr. Max Finkelstein (1880-1946, lawyer) and Amalia Finkelstein, née Lipschitz (b. 1893), lived in Vienna's 9th district, Wasagasse 11, was last enrolled in the spring term 1938 at the Medical School in the 5th and last year of his studies, but the last term was not validated for the euphemistic reason "lack of attendance" ("wegen mangelnder Frequenz").
He had already passed the First Rigorosum with distinction in 1936 and interned at the Internal Department of the Hospital of the Viennese Merchants, at the Vienna Cardiac Ward and at the Surgical Department in the Vienna General Hospital.
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 July 9th, 1938).
He had to flee from National Socialist Vienna and he tried to emigrate to either England, USA, Australia, South America or Palestine with the support of the emigration department of the Jewish Community Vienna. In addition to his medical studies, he also stated that he had completed additional training in massage, and hydrotherapy, electrotherapy as a medical-chemical laboratory technician, as well as training at the Vienna Fango Healing Institute with a diploma, and that he had knowledge of English, French and Hebrew in addition to German.
Hermann Finkelstein, who was also able to name two cousins in Great Britain as well as another cousin and his uncle Prof. Harry Torczyner in Palestine as contacts in potential emigration countries, managed to emigrate to Palestine [Israel] before the end of October 1938.
His parents were also able to flee Austria in time, first to Luxembourg, and from there they were able to emigrate to Palestine [Israel] in December 1939.
Hermann Finkelstein was naturalized in December 1940 and later changed his name to Zvi Shamir, was able to complete his studies, and lived and worked as a pediatrician in Israel.
On October 4th, 1999, Zvi Shamir, together with five other medical students who were expelled in 1938, was honored by the Medical School of the University of Vienna at a ceremony.
Zvi Shamir, MD, born Hermann Finkelstein, died on March 18, 2009.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1933-1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 382; SAUER/REITER-ZATLOUKAL 2010, 131; kind reference Dr. Babara Sauer, Vienna 09/2019 and David Magen, Israel, 11/2022.
Herbert Posch
