Thomas Weihs

Born:	04-30-1914
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled student

Thomas WEIHS, born on April 30th, 1914 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ('heimatberechtigt') for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), son of Richard Weihs (director of chemical industries, living in Wien 1, Schottenring 17), lived in Wien 3, Gerlgasse 10, was enrolled finally in the fall term 1937/38 at the Medical School in the 6th and last year of his studies (Fall term 1937/38 was validated on May 7th, 1938). Although of protestant religion he was persecuted by national-socialists as a jew.

Thomas Weihs had recently married a Swiss national, so he emigrated to Basel, Switzerland, on October 1st, 1938, where he was able to complete his final year. He travelled soon after this to Scotland to join Dr. Karl Koenig, his wife Tilla, the medical student Peter Roth, the dancer Anke Nederhoed-Roth, the photographer Alix Roth and the medical student Marie Blitz-Korach, - a group soon to be joined by the curative teacher Trude Blau-Amann, the artist Carlo Pietzner and the expelled Viennese chemistry student Alexander Baum. This small group had pledged themselves to a cause - to set up a community based on the philosophy of Dr. Rudolf Steiner, for the care of children with special needs. In this spirit they each made their way to Kirkton House, Culsalmond in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and became the founders of the "Camphill Rudolf Steiner Schools for Children in need of Special Care", a movement which has grown and spread out into many corners of the world. 

Thomas Weihs' first task, together with Peter Roth, was to learn how to farm the land to grow food for the community, then to work the land with a group of maladjusted boys. Only later, when it was needed by the community, did he take on the role of doctor, and still later, that of Superintendent to the Schools.

As well as many articles written over the years, Thomas wrote two books: "Children in need of Special Care (1971, translated into many languages), and "Embryogenesis in Myth and Science", published in 1986, after his death.

He had four children, but later married Anke Nederhoed-Roth. He lived and worked in Camphill until his death on June 19th, 1983 

Lit.: information from his daughter Christine Polyblank, 2012; BOCK 2004.

Herbert Posch