| Born: | 07-29-1893 |
| Faculty: | Medical School | Medical University Vienna |
| Category: | Expelled teacher |
Erich URBACH, born on July 29th, 1893 in Prague, Bohemia/Austro-Hungarian Empire [Praha/Czech Republic] (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, citizenship 1938: Austria), was a private lecturer in skin and venereal diseases at the Medical School of the University of Vienna in 1938.
He was persecuted under National Socialism on racist grounds and was removed from office on April 22nd, 1938, his venia legendi was revoked, and he was expelled from the University of Vienna.
He had received his "Dr.med.univ." from the University of Vienna on November 28th, 1919. and married Dr. Josefa Kronstein (1895-1981) on July 29th, 1921, and they had two sons: Friedrich/Frederick (1922-2004) and Hans/John Urbach (1924-?). Erich Urbach worked at the Internal Department and at the Skin Department of the Vienna General Hospital and at the Skin Clinic in Breslau [Wroclaw], was an assistant at the Skin Department of the Rothschild Hospital in Vienna and habilitated in dermatology in 1929 and, in addition to his lectureship, was an assistant at the II University Clinic for Skin and Venereal Diseases of the University of Vienna and also a primary physician at the Hospital of the Viennese Merchants. With his wife Dr. Josefa Urbach he had also opened a joint private practice, he as a specialist in dermatology and allergies, she as a specialist in radiology, diagnostics and therapy - initially in Vienna's 1st district, Gonzagagasse 12, from 1937 in Vienna's 1st district, Schottenring 7. Since 1932 he was also a member of the Masonic Lodge "B'nai Brith" in Vienna.
His publications included Klinik und Therapie der allergischen Erkrankungen (1935), Das Heufieber und seine Behandlung (1937) and Hautkrankheiten und Ernährung.
After the "Anschluss", he was forced to flee Vienna and immediately traveled to London, UK, where he obtained a tourist visa for the U.S. on March 28th and traveled from Southampton to the U.S. on March 30th, 1938, aboard the SS Queen Mary, arriving in New York City, NY, on April 4th, 1938. However, he did not travel back to England as originally stated, but continued on to Cuba, where he waited until he could obtain a "non-quota visa" in Havana and then traveled by plane on May 31st, 1938 from Havana/Cuba to Miami, FL/U.S. now with the official desire to settle permanently in the U.S. His wife and children succeeded in obtaining affidavits and visas at the American Embassy in Vienna on August 1st, 1938, and they traveled by SS Georgic from LeHavre/France to the U.S. on August 5th, 1938, arriving in New York City, NY on August 14th, 1938.
Erich Urbach and his family eventually settled in Elkins Park, Philadelphia, PA, where he became head of the Allergy Department at the Jewish Hospital and Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, and where he and his wife again established their own practice in dermatology and radiology. In 1943, they were granted U.S. citizenship.
His two sons also became physicians - Frederick/Frederick (1922-2004), became a physician and later director of the Science Center Skin and Cancer Hospital at Temple University and also John H. Urbach (1924-?), became a physician and later professor of dermatology at the Medical College of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Erich Urbach died after a short serious illness at the age of 53 on December 17th, 1946 in Philadelphia, PA/U.S. and was buried in Chelten Hills Cemetery.
Lit.: Archives of the University of Vienna/graduation registry ("Promotionsprotokoll") MED 1919-1923 M33.11, Senate S 304. 1308, Rectorate GZ 677 ex 1937/38, GZ 680/I+II ex 1937/38, personnel roster University of Vienna 1937/38, 45; Austrian State Archives OeStA/AdR E-uReang/VVSt/VA 41108, OeStA AdR E-uReang Hilfsfonds Abgeltungsfonds 8645, OeStA AdR E-uReang FLD 11894; Municipal and Provincial Archives of Vienna WStLA 1. 3.2.119.A41 244 N, 111, Bezirk 1 Vermögensentziehungsanmeldung; MERINSKY 1980, 271-272; STADLER II 2004 [1988], 766-793, 776; MUEHLBERGER 1993, 34; BLUMESBERGER 2002, 1400; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2023; UB MedUni Wien/van Swieten Blog; www.genteam.at; www.ancestry.de; www.myheritage.at; www.findbuch.at.
Herbert Posch
