[Otto J"ungling--the first "specialist in anesthesiology" in Berlin]

Compared to English-speaking countries, anaesthesiology in Germany developed into an independent field relatively late. German doctors were sent abroad to other European countries to learn modern anaesthetic techniques. At the beginning of the fifties, colleagues from East Germany had increasing problems to travel abroad. Otto Jüngling, who specialised in anaesthesiology in Vienna under Otto Mayrhofer, came with a work permit to the small town of Quedlinburg in the Harz mountains in November 1952. One year later, in September 1953, he went to Berlin to set up a new department of anaesthesiology at Friedrichshain Hospital. After recognition of his speciality by the Austrian General Medical Council in Linz, Otto Jüngling became the first specialist for anaesthesiology to practise in Berlin. Scientifically he worked on the development of new anaesthetics and anaesthetic machines. A transportable suction unit was one of his excellent ideas. Furthermore, he rendered outstanding services to the training of anaesthesists in Berlin. Otto Jüngling resigned in February 1959 due to unsatisfactory cooperation with public authorities and went back to Austria were he lives today as a pensioner.