Ernst Flaum

Born:	03-22-1904
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled teacher

Ernst FLAUM, born on March 22^nd, 1904 in Vienna, died on November 30^th, 1956 in Adelaide/Australien. He lived in Vienna's 9^th district, Lazarettgasse 11 and was an assistant ("unbesoldeter Hochschulassistent") at the II. Medical Universitiy Clinic (head: Prof. Jagic) at the Medical School of the University of Vienna. In 1938 he was expelled for racist reason and had to leave the University of Vienna. He had been married to the chemist Dr. Ella Fehér, who also l lost her job at the university for racial reasons in 1938. Ella Flaum was able to gain an entry visa to Australia by making contact with Sir Stanton Hicks, head of the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) at the University of Adelaide. (Hicks had spent a sabbatical in the same Vienna University laboratory as Dr Feher). She was offered a position as a biochemist at the CSIRO Animal Nutrition Laborarory and a resulting visa to Australia. With the help of one of his patients, Ernst Flaum managed to organise an opportunity to leave Austria for Adelaide (via Amsterdam) on August 13th, 1938 and travelled via Indonesia to Australia. Ernst Flaum's Viennese qualifications were not recognised by the local authorities in South Australia. Supported by his wife at the CSIRO, Ernst studied 3 years of medicine at the University of Adelaide where he obtained top results in his final examinations. He also obtained part time work as a tutor in the Medical School whist completing his studies. He eventually set up a successful practice in his original field of Cardiology. Their daughter Barbara Flaum was born in Australia and the family acquired British (Ausralian) citizenship.

Lit.: Vienna University Archive/Rectorat GZ 680 ex 1937/38; information from Dr. Barbara Sauer, Vienna 2018; Austrian State Archive/Archive of the Republic/06-Finances/Hilfsfonds; geni.com; REITER-ZATLOUKAL/SAUER 2022.

Herbert Posch