Austrian medical refugees in Great Britain: from marginal aliens to established professionals

About 360 Austrian physicians were refugees in the UK between 1938 and 1945. This paper traces their experiences. Apart from a scheme to admit only fifty physicians and forty dental surgeons, support ranged from domestic service permits to the backing from scientists keen to modernize British medicine. After the wave of internments in 1940, it was possible for physicians to be placed on the Temporary Register of Medical Practitioners. Three case studies of three types of Austrian contributions to child health are presented. The position improved after World War 2 when full registration of Austrian qualifications became possible, and the National Health Service provided career opportunities for clinical specialists. Only circa 10% of the medical refugees from Austria returned there eventually. Examples are given of successful careers in a wide range of medical specialties.