[100 years of Zeitschrift für Orthopädie]

The article affords insight into the one hundred years' history of the Journal of Orthopedics. The existing 130 volumes reflect the change in the orthopedic spectrum of illness, diagnostic investigation and treatment. Already in its first few years of existence, the journal was a forum for international exchange. Investigation of various epochs showed that the editors applied strict scientific standards in selecting the publication, despite basis changing historical conditions. They were able to prevent political interventions appreciably influencing the character of the journal. At the same time, the negative effects which the two world wars and National Socialism had on the further development of orthopedics become evident. The extent to which, as a result of these, the development of orthopedics fell behind international development could only be overcome in the last few decades.