Born: | 12-14-1913 |
Faculty: | Philosophical School |
Category: | Expelled student |
"Mrs. Malka Michaeli, who as a Palestinian citizen is under the protection of the Royal British Government, has stated that she has been refused permission to complete her studies at the University of Vienna, which she began 4 years ago. In view of the long time which Mrs. Michaeli has already studied and the fact that in the course of this time she has paid considerable sums of money to the university, I would be very much obliged to you if she were given the opportunity either to complete her studies there or to receive appropriate compensation for the expenses which she has incurred without purpose."On November 9th, 1938, the day of the pogroms, the provisional dean, Viktor Christian, approached the Ministry of the Interior and Cultural Affairs in Vienna regarding a decision as to whether she would be allowed to submit her dissertation and sit for the second viva voce examination after all - but any compensation for the tuition fees was out of the question for him under any circumstances. It was not until January 25th, 1939, that the Ministry decided to refuse, citing an earlier general ruling of October 24th, 1938. Thereupon, on February 1st, 1939, the dean finally informed Malka Michaeli that "her application for admission to final examinations for the purpose of obtaining the philosophical doctoral degree at the University of Vienna was rejected." Malka Michaeli had to leave Vienna, but was able to return to the British Mandate territory of Palestine. The exact date is not known, but already at the end of April 1939 she advertised in the English-language newspaper The Palestine Post, published in Jerusalem, that she offered to give Hebrew or German lessons in exchange for English lessons, giving a contact address in Tel Aviv. Little is known about her subsequent life; presumably she died in Jerusalem in 1994.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") PHIL 1937-1938, final examination registry and file ("Rigorosenprotokoll und -akt") PHIL 13991, PHIL GZ 1/III ex 1938/39; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 438; The Palastine Post from April 30th, 1939, 9; www.geni.com.
Herbert Posch