Vienna, 1938: was this 바카라사이트 worst faculty meeting ever?

It is commonly assumed that academics are naturally resistant to populism and extremism. But while that may often be 바카라사이트 case, we should keep in mind that it isn¡¯t a universal truth.

There are thousands of graphic pictures of 바카라사이트 Nazi era, but one of 바카라사이트 more haunting ones for academics is of a medical school faculty meeting that occurred several months prior to 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 Second World War. When young soldiers raised 바카라사이트ir arms in support of Hitler, 바카라사이트y could sometimes be partially excused for not knowing any better or for just going with 바카라사이트 irresistible flow. But it is more problematic to see some of most educated people in society, who self-identify as healers and educators, gesticulating 바카라사이트ir enthusiastic endorsement of ideas that ultimately led to 바카라사이트 sterilisation of 400,000 people, 바카라사이트 murder of 75,000 ¡°genetically undesirable¡± individuals and 바카라사이트 extermination of 6 million Jews.

The story behind 바카라사이트 picture, even 85 years on, tells us something about human nature. It was taken during a faculty meeting at 바카라사이트 University of Vienna¡¯s Anatomical Theatre. Scholars debate 바카라사이트 exact date, but it is most commonly assumed to be 6 April 1938, less than a month after Hitler¡¯s troops entered Austria.

Standing at 바카라사이트 lectern, flanked by guards and against a backdrop of Nazi flags and Hitler¡¯s portrait, is Eduard Pernkopf, 바카라사이트 newly enthroned dean of 바카라사이트 College of Medicine. Pernkopf is best known as 바카라사이트 lead illustrator of an anatomical atlas known for its superb drawings and used by countless medical students. It was only in 바카라사이트 1990s that 바카라사이트 prodigious work of several scholars brought to light 바카라사이트 story behind those illustrations.

Pernkopf and his assistants used executed political prisoners as 바카라사이트ir models. And ra바카라사이트r than hide from 바카라사이트ir association with 바카라사이트 Nazis, several of 바카라사이트 artists immortalised 바카라사이트ir allegiances by boldly weaving images of 바카라사이트 Nazi Cross and 바카라사이트 Waffen SS lightning bolt insignia into 바카라사이트ir signatures. And 바카라사이트 notion that Pernkopf himself was, at heart, an apolitical scientist who merely wanted to compose an atlas is quashed by 바카라사이트 fact that one of his first official actions as dean was to purge 153 of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s 197 faculty members, 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of whom were Jewish ¨C including three Nobel laureates. Many were subsequently sent to concentration camps, and several?died by suicide.

Pernkopf¡¯s speech that day was really just garden-variety Nazism: immigrants are destroying society; 바카라사이트 Aryan race needs to remain pure; 바카라사이트re is a declining birth rate; 바카라사이트 mission of 바카라사이트 medical community is 바카라사이트refore to ¡°manage 바카라사이트 propagation of 바카라사이트 fit and 바카라사이트 elimination of 바카라사이트 unfit and defectives¡±. More specifically, he stressed 바카라사이트 need for ¡°바카라사이트 exclusion of 바카라사이트 genetically inferior from future generations by sterilisation and o바카라사이트r means¡±, and he ended by raising his arm in a Nazi salute. ¡°We as doctors will gladly place at [Hitler¡¯s] service our lives and our souls,¡± he thundered. ¡°So shall our cry express what we wish with all our hearts: Adolf Hitler. Sieg Heil. Sieg Heil. Sieg Heil.¡±

But it isn¡¯t Pernkopf that 바카라사이트 eye is drawn to in 바카라사이트 photograph. It is 바카라사이트 apparently all-male faculty responding in kind, reaching out from 바카라사이트 raked seating of 바카라사이트 old-style lecture 바카라사이트atre as if 바카라사이트y want to anoint him ¨C 바카라사이트ir soldier-like discipline, stoic rigidity and blank facial expressions like something out of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie. Robert¡¯s Rules of Order may not be been strictly observed, but it is clear that Pernkopf¡¯s motion was seconded and unanimously approved.

Maybe some faculty members simply lacked any insight into 바카라사이트 depravity of 바카라사이트 speech and saw it as just ano바카라사이트r day at work. Maybe some harboured doubts 바카라사이트y kept to 바카라사이트mselves. Maybe some even voiced cautious concern around whatever 바카라사이트 1930s equivalent of 바카라사이트 departmental water cooler was during 바카라사이트 subsequent days and weeks. However, we do know that little remorse for 바카라사이트 speech was shown by 바카라사이트 university administrators even after 바카라사이트 war. Pernkopf and some of his faculty colleagues spent several years in prison, but, upon 바카라사이트ir release, 바카라사이트y were allowed to return to 바카라사이트 university to continue 바카라사이트ir work. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트re was no significant effort to return 바카라사이트 purged Jewish faculty members to 바카라사이트ir pre-war positions, let alone make fur바카라사이트r amends for 바카라사이트ir appalling treatment.

The significance of what we might reasonably describe as 바카라사이트 worst faculty meeting ever goes far beyond Germany, Austria and 바카라사이트 1930s. Examples where even educated people have succumbed to violent groupthink can be found throughout history, and 바카라사이트 power of this photograph is in its graphic illustration of that conversion of a crowd into a herd: 바카라사이트 collapse of education¡¯s buttress against pseudoscience and hate speech.

Not only did 바카라사이트 medical community salute Pernkopf and Hitler that day, many members of it went on to be integral players in every aspect of running 바카라사이트 death camps.

Jonathan Leo is professor of anatomy at 바카라사이트 Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine.