Viktor Hammerschlag

Born:	06-17-1870
Faculty:	Medical School | Medical University Vienna
Category:	Expelled teacher

Viktor (Victor) HAMMERSCHLAG (born on June 17th, 1870 in Leipnik/Moravia [Lipník nad Becvou/Czech Republic], died on May 16th, 1943 in Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic]) was in 1938 lecturer ('Dozent') for Otology (Ohrenheilkunde) at the Medical School of the University of Vienna.  After he had graduated from high school in Bruenn [Brno/Czech Republic], Viktor Hammerschlag studied at the Medical School of the University of Vienna and was graduated Dr. of Medicine on February 23rd, 1895. Subsequently, he began to work as a ENT physician at the Wilhelminenspital in Vienna, where he worked until his retirement in 1936.
In 1901 he was promoted "Privatdozent" of Otology at the University of Vienna, in 1911 he was awarded the title of an ao. Prof. He was a member of the "Gesellschaft der Aerzte", of the "Deutsche otologische Gesellschaft" and of the "Oesterreichische otologische Gesellschaft".
Besides his work as a doctor and as a lecturer at the University Hammerschlag was active in the Masonic Lodge "Zukunft" (future) since 1913 (such as co-founder of the Austrian League for Human Rights). As a committed social democrat, he was politically active as a member of the Vienna City Council. Viktor Hammerschlag was persecuted in times of Nazism as a Jew, lost his position and was thrown out of the university on April 22nd, 1938.  Together with his wife Hedwig Hammerschlag (nee Bunzl) he was deported to Theresienstadt [Terezín/Czech Republic] on June 20th, 1942, both died there in 1943.
Lit.: Exhibition "Bedrohte Intelligenz – Von der Polarisierung und Einschüchterung zur Vertreibung und Vernichtung im NS-Regime", Vienna 2015; MERINSKY 1980, 84; Marcus G. PATKA, Freimaurerei und Sozialreform, Wien 2011; Marcus G. PATKA, Österreichische Freimaurer im Nationalsozialismus, Wien 2010; UB MedUni Wien/van Swieten Blog. Katharina Kniefacz