Franz Forel

Born:	04-08-1911
Faculty:	Philosophical School
Category:	Expelled student

Franz FOREL, born on April 8^th, 1911 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Abraham Forel (manufacturer/tradesman), lived in Vienna's 14^th district, Nobilegasse 50. He had already studied medicine for a few semesters at the University of Vienna after his school-leaving examination (Reifepruefung/Matura) before he began to study German, English and history at the School of Philosophy in the spring term of 1935. He was last enrolled in the spring term of 1938 in the 4^th and ultimate semester. He was a committed Social Democrat and, in the years 1931 to 1933, a sought-after speaker for the Association of Socialist Workers' Youth and the youth group of the Marxist Study Community, and belonged to the Young Socialist Front (together with Leo Kofler and Adolf Kozlik) founded in May 1932. He registered for the final examinations ("Rigorosen") on February 25^th, 1938 and passed the first exam on March 14^th, 1938, the day of Hitlers invasion in Vienna, than the examination-procedure was interrupted. He requested to continue his studies in the context of the 2% Numerus Clausus of Jewish Students, was first allowed to continue for about two months, but finally had to leave the University of Vienna without a chance to finish his studies any more. He had to flee Vienna and was able to escape to England with his two older brothers Robert (1903-1967) and Hans (1904-?), where Franz and Robert initially lived and worked in Liverpool. His brother Hans was still living in London in 1939, but soon moved to Liverpool as well and became director of the Bakelite factory of the Liverpool Plastic Company, where his brothers Franz and Robert also found work. On June 21^st, 1940, all three were interned as enemy aliens in Mooragh, England, and were only released after more than a year on August 13^th, 1941. From 1945 at the latest, Franz Forel lived in Parkhill, Huddersfield Rd., Stalybridge, Cheshire/England, gave "manufacturer" as his job title, and became a British citizen in June 1947. His parents have not been unable to leave Vienna in time - his mother Hermine Forel, née Grüngold was deported on August 20^th, 1942 from Vienna's 2^nd district, Grosse Stadtgutgasse 20/12 to Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic], where she perished on April 9^th, 1944; his father died in Vienna shortly after her deportation in 1942. Franz Forel lived until the end in Parkhill, Huddersfield Rd., Stalybridge, Cheshire and died there on July 16^th, 1972.

Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") PHIL 1935-1938, final examination file and protocoll ("Rigorosenakt und -protokoll") PHIL 14245; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 385; www.ancestry.de.

Herbert Posch