Edgar Herz

Born:	04-18-1914
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled student

Edgar HERZ, born on April 18th, 1914 in Vienna (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna, Citizenship: Austria), son of Gustav Herz (bank official, retired), lived in Vienna's 9th district, Kinderspitalgasse 10. Edgar Herz enrolled 1932/33 at the University of Vienna, Medical School, and was finally enrolled in spring term 1937 in the 5th year of his studies ('Absolutorium' was certified on July 18th, 1938) and was preparing for the final examinations ('Rigorosen') in 1938. He could finally finish his studies and graduated on July 21st, 1938, but only with the discriminating ceremony of a 'Nichtarierpromotion', which included at the same time that he was banned from his profession. He could flee from Vienna and migrated to Shanghai to escape the perils of the Nazi regime. He practiced in Shanghai both in private practice and at the general hospital. He escaped from Japanese-occupied China to Australia. From March 1, 1943 until March 22, 1946 he practiced in Nannup, a small country town in the south-west region of Western Australia, under the Commonwealth emergency medical services, as authorized by the National Security Regulations legislation. Then he transferred to Derby. There was considerable debate in the Western Australian Parliament, whether Edgar Herz should receive full registration as other 'alien' doctors did under the provisions of regional registration, even though he had not served the stipulated seven years under the Medical Act 1894. Edgar Herz died in a drowning accident at Carnarvon in the north-west of Western Australia.

Lit.: WINTERTON 2005, 79; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 2016; Government Gazette of Western Australia, Sept. 14, 1956, p. 2333f.; Archive of the University of Vienna, MED Nationale, MED protocol of promotions; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2022.

Katharina Kniefacz, Herbert Posch