Hans Gutwurcel (später Jochanan Gat)
| Born: |
05-02-1915 |
| Faculty: |
Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Hans GUTWURCEL (nee Lebensbaum, later Jochanan GAT), born on May 2nd, 1915 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of David Gutwurcel (merchant, born 1883 in Warsaw/Poland) and his wife Sarah, nee Lebensbaum (born 1885 in Warsaw), lived in Wien 2, Obere Donaustraße 4/10 and changed his name to Gutwurcel about 1928. After he had graduated from high school ("Bundesrealgymnasium") in Vienna 20th district, Unterbergerstrasse 1, on May 8th, 1934, he began to study at the Medical School of the University of Vienna in fall term 1934/35. During fall term 1936/37 he completed the exams in anatomy, histology and physiology of the first 'Rigorosum'. He was enrolled finally in spring term 1938 at the Medical School in the 4th year of his studies.
After the "Anschluss" in 1938 Hans Gutwurcel was forced to quit his studies. From March 1st to May 1st, 1938 he completed an internship at the 1st Medical Department at the Hospital of the 'Wiener Kaufmannschaft' in Vienna 19th district, Peter Jordanstrasse 82. On May 13th, 1938 he applied for the emigration to Argentinia at the emigration department of the Jewish Community in Vienna.
On August 3rd, 1938 Hans Gutwurcel left Austria, first to Luxembourg, short time later to France, where he prepared his emigration to South America. In Marseille/France he managed to get visa for Paraguay and Uruguay by the end of October. On December 20th, 1938 he left the port of Marseille with destination Montevideo/Uruguay with the ship "Campana". In Montevideo he settled and changed his name to "Juan Gutwurcel Lebensbaum" (address: calle Durazno No. 938, later calle Bartlome Mitre No. 1488).
Between 1940 and 1943 he completed a study of Veterinary medicine at the Universidad de Montevideo, was promoted the title of a Veterinary in March 1944 and subsequently worked at the Clínica particular de animales grandes y chicos desde.
On November 25th, 1944 he married Edith Rath (born on March 11th, 1922 in Berlin/Germany) in Montevideo/Uruguay. Their sons Claudio Gat and Daniel Gat were born in 1945 and 1949 in Montevideo.
In 1945 Hans Gutwurcel worked as aspirant of Prof. Agregado and in 1947 as honorary scientific assistant at the Laboratorio de Biología Animal "Dr. Miguel C. Rubino", Department of Brucellosis and Pullerosis and after that became 'Inspector Veterinario Municipal' in Carmelo, where he lived since about 1947. In 1950 he moved to Durazno, where he worked as Inspector Veterinario de la Zona de la Dirección de Ganadería. From 1953 on he worked as Técnico de la Dirección de Ganadería, División Industria Animal, from March 1956 also as a honorary scientific fellow at the Institute de Fisiología at the Faculdad de Veterinaria in Montevideo.
In the 1950s he supported the Partido Colorado "Batllismo", which based on the political ideology of José Batlle y Ordóñez and was committed to an interventionist policy of nationalization and redistribution of central economic areas, a progressive social legislation, the separation between church and state, but also for the prohibition of combat step and other forms of animal cruelty. In 1962 he also became a member of the Anthroposophical Society (branch Novartis, Montevideo), based on the ideology of Rudolf Steiner.
Since about 1960 Hans Gutwurcel and his family lived in a finca in calle Marcelino Izcua Barbat No. 1181.
Besides his Uruguay passport ("Juan Gutwurcel Lebensbaum") he also received – after his Austrian citizenship was confirmed in 1962 – a passport from the Republic of Austria in 1964 and was registered as a victim of National Socialist perpetration.
On August 25th, 1964 Juan Gutwurcel, Edith Rath and their son Claudio participated in the 26th Cionist Congress of the Organización Sionista Mundial.
In 1966 the family emigrated to Israel, where Hans Gutwurcel changed his name to Jochanan Gat and continued working as a veterinary. He settled in Beer Sheva and received the Israeli citizenship on November 23rd, 1980, but also kept on holding the Austrian.
Hans Gutwurcel died on August 2nd, 1993 in Beer Sheva/Israel.
Lit.: information from his son Claudio Gat, Israel, 2014; Archive of the Jewish Comminity Vienna; genealogy.com; KNIEFACZ/POSCH 2017b.
Katharina Kniefacz and Herbert Posch
