| Born: | 09-22-1893 |
| Faculty: | Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: | Expelled teacher |
Karl HITZENBERGER (born on September 22nd, 1893 in Laakirchen/Upper Austria, died on September 20th, 1941 in Vienna), son of Franz Hitzenberger (1861-1938, civil servant) and his wife Walpurga, née Grafinger (1862-?), was private lecturer ("Privatdozent, tit. ao. Prof.") for Internal Medicine at the Medical School of the University of Vienna in 1938.
After he had graduated from high school in Gmunden/Upper Austria in 1912, he began to study at the Medical School of the University of Vienna and graduated on July 10th, 1918 with the academic degree 'Dr. med.' (awarded 'sub auspiciis Imperatoris'). From 1919 on he worked at the 1st Medical University Clinic, became 1st assistant of head Hans Eppinger and was head of the department of radiology of the Clinic. Hitzenberger was promoted lecturer ('Privatdozent') for Internal Medicine on March 2nd, 1925 and was appointed extraordinary professor in 1934. In 1936 he moved to the hospital of the 'Rudolfsstiftung' in Vienna 3rd district, where he became head of the 1st Medical department.
After graduating from high school in Gmunden/Upper Austria in 1912, he began studying at the Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna and received his doctorate sub auspiciis Imperatoris on July 10th, 1918. From 1919, he worked at the First Medical University Clinic, became 1st assistant to the director Prof. Hans Eppinger and headed the clinic's X-ray department for several years. Hitzenberger was habilitated in internal medicine on March 2nd, 1925 and received the title - but not the position - of associate professor on September 3rd, 1934. From 1925 he also ran a medical practice as an internist in Vienna's 8th district, Lammgasse 12.
In 1936 he was appointed to the Rudolfsstiftung Hospital in Vienna's 3rd district, where he became head of the I Medical Department.
In 1928 he married the medical student and later doctor Anneliese Kosak (1905-2003), who was awarded a doctorate in medicine in 1931. Thery had four children: Gerhard (1929), Johanna (1931), Elisabeth (1933) and Franz-Jörg (1936).
Karl Hitzenberger was persecuted under National Socialism for racist reasons (his wife, like her husband a Roman Catholic, was considered a so-called "mixed race 2nd degree" due to a Jewish grandfather on her mother's side) and political reasons (anti-Nazi attitude), his venia legendi was revoked in 1938 and he was dismissed from his post on December 2nd, 1938 and expelled from the University of Vienna.
In 1940 he was appointed head of the 3rd Medical Department at Vienna General Hospital, shortly afterwards became head of the 4th Medical Department there, but died in September 1941 at the age of only 48 after a long illness related to his many years of X-ray work.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna, Senate S 304 personnel file, Senate S 305.63 obituary; Medical Association ("Aerztekammer") Vienna, personnel file; MERINSKY 1980, 100; MUEHLBERGER 1993, 24; BLUMESBERGER 2002, 557f.; TRAGL 2007, 246; UB MedUni Wien/van Swieten Blog; information courtesy of his daughter Dr. Johanna Kindermann, Vienna 08/2013 and of Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 11/2023.
Herbert Posch
