[Persecution, expulsion, annihilation. Neurologists in the NS era-For active remembrance]

Area of Science:

• Medical history
• Neurology
• German history

Background:

• The German Neurological Society (DGN) commissioned research on the expulsion and murder of neurologists during the National Socialism (NS) era.
• This study examines the persecution of German physicians, focusing on the historical context of the DGN's predecessor, the Society of German Neurologists (GDN).

Observation:

• The GDN, founded as the successor to the professional home of many Jewish neurologists, was dissolved in 1935.
• Jewish specialists and those deemed "Jewish" by NS law were expelled, deported to concentration camps, or driven to suicide during the NS era.

Findings:

• The research addresses the expulsion, persecution, and extermination of neurologists, raising ethical and moral questions.
• The DGN's project aligns with an interdisciplinary culture of commemoration and confrontation with National Socialism.

Implications:

• Investigating this history impacts the public image of neurological specialist societies.
• Remembering this era is vital for the DGN's culture of remembrance and history politics.