Laura Turnau

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Laura Turnau (born on September 23, 1882 in Vienna ; died on October 12, 1978 in Mattwil ) was a pediatrician who worked in Germany and Switzerland . She was one of the founders of the German Medical Association . In 1933 she fled Germany and ran a children's home in Switzerland, where she brought children persecuted by the National Socialists to safety.

Live and act

Laura Turnau grew up with her three siblings in Vienna. Her father was a lawyer. When she was 12 she moved to Zurich with her family . In 1901 she graduated from the Zurich Teachers' College.

From 1901 to 1907 Laura Turnau studied medicine in Zurich and Geneva . In 1907 she passed her state examination in Switzerland. From 1907 to 1914 she was an assistant doctor in various pediatric clinics in Germany. From 1914 she worked as a resident doctor in Berlin . Since she did not have a German license to practice medicine, she passed another state examination in Germany in 1931. In addition, Turnau works as a doctor in various clinics, children's homes and a municipal baby welfare office.

In 1924, Turnau founded the Association of German Doctors (now the German Association of Doctors ) together with Hermine Heusler-Edenhuizen and other doctors . Turnau was co-editor of the association's magazine until she resigned from all of her association offices in 1931. From February 1925 to November 1928 she was active on the board of the Association of Socialist Doctors . From 1930 Laura Turnau was President of the International Commission for Public Health. She worked on a draft law for a Reich Midwife Act , which was introduced in the Reichstag , but could no longer be negotiated before the National Socialists came to power .

In 1933 she gave a seminar in Switzerland and decided to stay there with her eight foster children. Since she had Jewish ancestors, she considered it too dangerous to return to Germany. Together with the nurse Hanna Kawerau she opened the “Children's Home Morgenlicht”, into which she moved with her foster children. There she gave a home to Jewish children and other children persecuted by the National Socialists. She continued to run the children's home even after the Second World War .

In 1967 Laura Turnau retired. In a retirement home in Thurgau she wrote her autobiography, which was published in 1971 in the newsletter of the German Medical Association. She died at the age of 96.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The socialist doctor , 1st vol. (1925), issue 1 (March), p. 5 digitized
  2. ^ The socialist doctor, 4th vol. (1928), issue 3–4 (December), p. 39 digitized

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Turnau, Laura
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Pediatrician
DATE OF BIRTH September 23, 1882
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH October 12, 1978
Place of death Mattwil ( Switzerland )