Georg (George) Hindels
| Born: |
02-13-1914 |
| Faculty: |
Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Georg HINDELS (later: George Warren Hindels), born on February 13
th, 1914 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Heinrich Hindels (1877-1947, salesman) and Adele Hindels, née Weiss (dressmaker), lived in Vienna's 9
th district, Sechsschimmelgasse 6. He had graduated from high school ("Realgymnasium Wien 18") in summer 1932 and started to study medicine at the University of Vienna in fall term 1932/33. He was enrolled finally in spring term 1938 at the Medical School in the 5
th and last year of his studies.
After the takeover of power of National-Socialism in 1938 he was forced to quit his studies for racist reason without a chance to graduate. He requested to continue his studies in the context of the newly established 2% numerus clausus of Jewish Students, but was rejected and had to leave the University of Vienna.
While waiting for the answer, whether he can continue and finish his studies under the restrictions of the numerus clausus, he was arrested on May 14
th, 1938 on the streets of Vienna by a plain clothes police officer who asked why he wasn’t wearing a swastika. When he replied that he was Jewish, he was imprisoned in Vienna and transported to Dachau concentration camp on June 17
th, 1938 (prisoner number 16482), and from there to Buchenwald concentration camp on September 22
nd, 1938. On June 10
th, 1938, while imprisoned, a letter was written to him by the acting dean of the medical school Eduard Pernkopf, denying his petition to continue his studies and explaining how he must appear in person to get a refund of two-thirds of his fees for the semester. "Absolutorium", a certificate that he had passed all obligatory lectures and fulfilled all requirements to take the final examinations from the University of Vienna, was issued on June 24
th, 1938 but as a Jew he was no more allowed to take the final examinations.
He was released from Buchenwald in March 1939, after the issuance of his visa for the USA, which he had already applied for in 1932, was promised for April 18
th, 1939, and he promised to leave Germany immediately.
He was able to emigrate on the
SS Aquitania from Cherbourg/France to the USA on May 10
th, 1939, arriving in New York on May 16
th, 1939. His parents Adele and Heinrich Hindels were only able to obtain visas in January 1941 and arrived in New York on April 11
th, 1941.
George W. Hindels was able to complete his medical studies in New York at the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery.
He lived in Scarsdale, N.Y., and gave back to Columbia by serving for many years as a professor. He also had a private practice in New York City.
Dr. George W. Hindels died on August 12
th, 1998 in the USA.
An interview with him, conducted by his daughter Dotty Brown in 1994 about his life in Vienna and his time in concentration camp can be heard digitally at the U.S. National Holocaust Museum here:
https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn509274.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") MED 1937-1938; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 405; ancestry; information from his daughter Dotty Brown 11/2014 and 03/2021.
Herbert Posch
