Marcel Back
| Born: |
04-06-1916 |
| Faculty: |
Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Marcel BACK, born on April 6th, 1916 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Ernst (accountent) and Rachel Back, lived in Wien 2, Herminengasse 4, was enrolled finally in the spring term 1938 at the Medical School in the 4th year of his studies (Leaving Certificate ('Abgangszeugnis') was issued on December 15th, 1938).
In an Interview, which he gave in 1996, he remembers the following situation taken place at the University of Vienna:
"Austria was always antisemitic. I remember for instance, when I had my physiology examination at medical school, my teachers remarked that I did my job excellently, and I liked physiology and so I asked him afterwards, 'Professor, would it be all right if I could work in your department?' and he looked at me and said 'Oh no, I have my people.'".
His parents were deported to Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic] and later to Auschwitz [Oswiecim/Poland], where they were murdered. Marcel Back emigrated illegally to France and was interned in the Camps in Chambarend and Arandon in France. He tried to finish his medical studies at the Sorbonne in Paris, which wasn’t possible. He was then able to continue his studies at the University of Lyon for one year until the beginning of the war.
Back later emigrated to French Marokko (Casablanca) and Martinique to Cuba, where he found a position in the diamond industry after doing different temporary jobs.
In July 1946 he left Cuba for the USA. He gained an english language certificate to continue his studies, but wasn’t accepted in the USA, but in Switzerland. He was enrolled for two terms, wrote his thesis, passed the 12 final examinations within seven months and graduated with the academic degree 'Dr. med.'. Back in the USA he was offered an Internship and opened his own private practise in the Bronx, New York, where many Spanish-speaking Immigrants lived.
Marcel Back later specialized on Ophthalmology and worked in the Bronx and later in Spring Valley, NY, where he also lived.
He died on April 19th, 1997.
Lit.: USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education, University of Southern California, Interview 14544 (May 26, 1996, Spring Valley, NY, interviewer: Jery Nejman); KNIEFACZ/POSCH 2017c.
Katharina Kniefacz und Herbert Posch
