Hugo Frey

Born:	12-30-1873
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled teacher

Hugo FREY (born on December 30^th, 1873 in Vienna/Austro-Hungarian Empire, died on March 1^st, 1951 in London/Great Britain) was a private lecturer with the title of associate professor ("Privatdozent, tit.ao.Prof.") for otology at the Medical School of the University of Vienna in 1938. Hugo Frey had studied medicine in Vienna and received his doctorate (Dr.med.) on July 9^th, 1898, then worked under Prim. Albert von Mosetig von Moorhof (1838-1907) at the Vienna Central Hospital and at the dermatological university clinic with Prof. Moriz Kaposi (1873-1902) and became assistant to the famous otologist Prof. Ádám Politzer (1835-1920).
In 1906 he had habilitated in otology and in 1909 became head of department at the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Ambulatorium and married Friederike Brandeis-Weikersheim (1882-1972) in December 1909. He served in World War I as battalion surgeon, war surgeon, and staff physician. He conducted research on the anatomy, physiology, pathology, and surgery of the auditory organs, as well as on oto-neurology. He published more than 100 scientific articles in Austria and abroad, and in 1921 was awarded the title (but not the function) of "associate professor." Hugo Frey, who came from a Jewish family of physicians (father primary physician at the Hospital of the Viennese Merchants Dr. Moriz Frey (1833-1889), mother Regine Frey, née Benedikt (1843-1914)), was persecuted under National Socialism for racist reasons and was deprived of his office ("Venia legendi revoked") and expelled from the University of Vienna on April 22^nd, 1938. He had to flee Austria and was able to emigrate to London/UK in time with his wife and children Aline Martina (1916-1975, married to Frank E. Figgures) and Hubert Frey (later: Fraser) (1918) and his mother-in-law. He was a member of the Association of Austrian Doctors in Great Britain, but could no longer practice in England. His daughter Lady Aline Martina Figgures, emigrated to the USA with her husband and son in 1948 and did not return to Great Britain until 1973. Prof. Dr. Hugo Frey died on March 1^st, 1951 in London, England and was buried in Camden, London, England/Great Britain.

Lit.: Archives of the University of Vienna, Personalblatt S 304.304, MED GZ 1097 ex 1937/38 No 76; FISCHER 1932/1933; GOLD 1971, 131; MERINSKY 1980, 62-64; MÜHLBERGER 1993, 20; MedUni Wien/van Swieten Blog;  GAUGUSCH 2011, 155, 301; information from Diana Fraser, England 05/2022.

Herbert Posch