Karl Kloss

Karl Maria Robert Christian KLOSS, born on February 7^th, 1917 in Vienna/Austro-Hungarian Empire (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Olmuetz/Moravia [Olomouc/Czech Republic], Citizenship 1938: Czech Republic), son of Dr. Karl Kloss (physician) and his wife Sophie, née Kohn. His parents moved to Amsterdam/Netherlands in 1920, where his father worked as general practitioner, later also as medical officer at the German embassy. Together with a nanny Karl Kloss lived in Vienna's 2^nd district, Rueppgasse 8/8.
After he had graduated from high school in 1935, he began to study medicine at the University of Vienna in fall term 1935/36.

His maternal grandparents belonged to the Jewish Community, therefore Karl Kloss was discriminated as a so called "Mischling 1. Grades" and he was only enabled to continue his studies at first - valid until revoked. He was enrolled in the fall term 1938/39 at the Medical School in the 4^th year of his studies (fall term 1938/39 was validated on April 26^th, 1939). In November 1939 he passed the 1^st Rigorosum (1^st part of the final examinations) and started to work as a helping hand ("Famulus") at the 1^st surgical universiity clinic (head: Prof. Leopold Schoenbauer). 

When "Mischlinge" were required to submit an application to the Reich Ministry of Education (REM) in Berlin for admission to studies as of the 1^st trimester of 1940, Karl Kloss also submitted an application to continue his studies in September 1940. In accordance with regulations, the dean of the medical school, Eduard Pernkopf, attached to the application an expert opinion dated September 21^st, 1940, which "in particular [had to] address the personal impression about the personality and appearance of the applicant. It is to be mentioned whether and to what extent characteristics of the Jewish race are outwardly recognizable in the applicant." [Decree of the REM, January 5^th, 1940]. It stated succinctly, "His exterior does not show any Jewish type."
The REM, after consultation with the Reich Ministry of the Interior, decided in November 1940 to admit Kloss "by way of exception" to the medical examination according to the old Austrian study regulations, since he had already passed the preliminary examination (1^st viva). However, it was to be expressly pointed out to him that as a "Mischlinge 1. Grades" he would have no chance of obtaining the "Bestallung" (professional license) as a physician in the German Reich.

After passing the 2^nd and 3^rd viva voce examinations, Karl Kloss would have been entitled to a doctorate according to the old study regulations. In April 1942, the University of Vienna forwarded his application for admission to the doctorate of complete medicine.
On September 19^th, 1942, the REM made a fundamental decision: without proof of certification as a physician (which was generally not granted to "Mischlingen of the 1st degree"), the doctoral diploma could not be handed out.

"However, in order to make it easier for the aforementioned to obtain suitable employment in industry, I authorize the faculty to issue a certificate to the effect that, apart from proof of German-blooded ancestry, they have fulfilled all the requirements for the award of the doctoral degree. It shall be expressly stated on the certificate that it does not constitute a doctoral diploma."

This confirmation was issued on October 20^th, 1942. He was thus able to work as an unsalaried visiting physician or volunteer assistant at the Pathological-Anatomical Institute of the University of Vienna at the Vienna General Hospital.

Only after the end of National Socialism he could graduate on June 8^th, 1945, with the doctoral diploma backdated to March 16^th, 1942, the day on which he had passed the last examination, and at that time had not received the doctoral diploma only because of his Jewish ancestry.

He was Roman Catholic, lived in Vienna's 1^st district, Ebendorferstrasse 7, and married Dr. Hidegard Buller, a pediatrician, in his first marriage on April 26^th, 1945, immediately after the end of National Socialism. On January 10^th, 1947 he also acquired Austrian citizenship (until then a Czechoslovak citizen).
After the divorce of his first marriage, he married in second marriage on August 27^th, 1949 in the registry office of Vienna-Alsergund Herma Anna Antonia Pollak (1925-1991), the private secretary of Prof. Hans Hoff, head of the psychiatric university clinic of the University of Vienna and they had together two daughters Renate Kloss-Schwamberger (born 1950, X-ray assistant) and Eleonore Kloss-Scholz (born 1954, physiotherapist).

He successfully completed his specialist training in surgery - he was only able to take it up after the end of National Socialism - in January 1951 and soon moved from Vienna to the University of Innsbruck/Tyrol as an assistant for neurosurgery at the Surgical University Clinic (directed by Prof. Burghard Breitner) - as of February 26^th, 1952, he transferred from the Viennese to the Tyrolean Medical Association).

He habilitated in January 1958 for "surgery with special consideration of neurosurgery" and became associate professor in 1967 and full professor of neurosurgery in 1972 at the University of Innsbruck. A recognized scientist and pioneer in the field of diagnosis and surgical techniques for hydrocephalus children and spinal surgery, he was president of the Austrian Society (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) for Neurosurgery in 1967/68 and 1975/76.

He died at the age of 61 on February 4^th, 1979 in Goetzens Innsbruck, Tyrol.

Lit.: Vienna University Archive/enrollment forms ("Nationale") Medical School 1937 to 39; graduation registry ("Promotionsprotokoll") MED 1941-1949 Nr. 1243, MED GZ 1115 ex 1930/40, RA GZ 944 ex 1939/40/41, MED GZ 10 ex 1941, RA GZ 97/I ex 1942/43; Austrioan Stat Archives OeStA/AdR/02-Unterricht/Kurator d. wiss. Hochsch. Wien (K. 13)/GZ 5201 ex 1940-1943; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 07/2019, from Dr. Peter Goller, Innsbruck 07/2019, from em. o. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Fritz Raber, 08/2021 and from his daughter Renate Kloss-Schwamberger, Salzburg 03/2022; Oesterreichische Hochschulzeitung Vol. 31/1979, 23; REITER_ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2025.

Katharina Kniefacz, Herbert Posch