Karl Wilhelm Gerstl
| Born: |
01-24-1904 |
| Faculty: |
Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Karl Wilhelm GERSTL, born on January 24
th, 1904 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Ignatz Isidor Gerstl (1863-1925, merchant) and Rosalia Gerstl, née Schmidek (1869-1940), lived in Vienna's 6
th district, Stumpergasse 65/III/18. He had passed the "Matura" at the Reform-Realgymnasium in Vienna's 14
th district as an external student, was a technician and had been a member of the Electrotechnical Association since 1925 and had studied medicine at the University of Vienna since the sspring term of 1930 and, after several terms suspended or not credited, he was last enrolled in the 5
th and last year of his medical studies in the fall term of 1937/38 ("Absolutorium" was certified on June 1
st, 1938).
Gerstl could escape to England in 1939, where he arrived on January 20
th, 1939. His older sister Johanna Haas, née Gerstl (1894-1979), stayed in England and lived in London for the next decades while he continued to emigrate to New Zealand, where he arrived on August 7
th 1939. He started to work and took the chance to restart his medical studies in autumn 1939 at the
University of New Zealand in Wellington and later at the
University of Otago in Dunedin – he had to repeat nearly all the courses and examinations – but finally could graduate in 1945 as "Bachelor of Medicine".
Karl Wilhem Gerstl became as a physician in New Zealand. He married Violet Maud Gerstl (b. 1907) and they lived in 52, Ottawa Road, Wellington. After the end of the war he was naturalized and became a New Zealand citizen.
He made an application for compensation for the loss in his profession at the "Fonds zur Hilfeleistung an politisch Verfolgte, die ihren Wohnsitz und staendigen Aufenthalt im Ausland haben (Hilfsfonds)". But it took until 1970 before his widow was compensated with the last payment.
Karl Wilhelm GERSTL deceased on January 31
st, 1964 in Wellington/New Zealand.
Lit.: Vienna University Archive/Medical School: Nationale 1930-1938; Austrian State Archives OeStA/AdR/E-uReang/VVSt/VA 13748, OeStA/AdR/E-uReang/FLD 16393, OeStA/AdR/E-uReang/FLD 15848, OeStA/AdR/E-uReang/Hilfsfonds/Abgeltungsfonds 10022; Technische und Wirtschaftliche Nachrichten, Beilage zu Elektrotechnik und Maschinenebau vol 44 No. 1, from January 3, 1926, p. XXXIV; Graduates of the Year, in: Otago Daily Times from May 9, 1945, p. 8; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 391; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2022; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 11/2015.
Herbert Posch
