Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm

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Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm (born April 29, 1908 in Friedenau near Berlin ; † August 3, 2001 in Berlin) was a German specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery , university professor and medical historian . In particular, The History of Dentistry and the Lexicon of Dentistry are firmly associated with his name.

Life

Walter Hoffmann, son of the businessman Karl Hoffmann and his wife Anna (née Axthelm), first attended the Friedenau grammar school , and then , after the one-year-old , the Helmholtz secondary school. After graduating from high school in 1927, he studied dentistry in Freiburg im Breisgau and Berlin until 1931 . On May 15, 1931 he received his doctorate under Franz Blumenthal at the "University Dermatology Clinic in Berlin" with a thesis "On the involvement of the mucous membrane in skin tuberculosis". med. dent. This was followed by a period as a dental assistant in the years 1931–1933 and in 1933 he took over a dental practice in Perleberg, which "had become free through death." In 1935 he married the dentist Gerda Hemmerling, who died of a pulmonary embolism in 1938 after the birth of daughter Gisela. During a vacation trip, he was represented in his practice by Irmtraut Milisch ("Irmlein"), a young colleague with a doctorate, whom he only met personally after his return and married on May 17, 1939. After a mail item for him had been misdirected to one of the many Hoffmanns in town, he independently changed his surname in 1939. To distinguish himself from other bearers of the name, he extended his surname to include his mother's maiden name and called himself Hoffmann-Axthelm. The name change was not officially approved until June 1952. At the end of 1939 he was called up for military service. From 1940 to 1945 he was a war dentist in the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of the Reserve Hospital 122 in Berlin, Görden , Itzehoe and Hamburg under Karl Schuchardt , who was chosen by the Nazi celebrities as the practitioner. From 1943 to 1944 a partial course of medicine followed.

In his review of the “ seizure of power 50 years ago” in 1983, he wrote that he did not succumb to the “general rush of enthusiasm” and “asked himself more than once: Why aren't you doing it?” Because of his refusal to apply for membership In the NSDAP, he had been relieved of the honor in writing to "look into the mouths of the men of the National Socialist Motor Vehicle Corps (NSKK) in serial examinations together with our family doctor, which I had done 2-3 times." In an assessment by Stefan Paprotka It is said about Hoffmann Axthelm that he personally always refused to retrospectively assess people from his private and professional environment in the period from 1933 to 1945 and to criticize them because, like them, he carried out his mission as an agent, especially as the standard dentist of the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK), a paramilitary sub-organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party ei (NSDAP), with a deep conviction of the necessity of the related tasks. “It is not difficult to recognize one's pride in having been there and having fulfilled one's task and duty. His loyalty and determination, his sense of duty and his military obedience as well as the resulting submission to National Socialism and its use by the system ultimately made Hoffmann-Axthelm an accomplice.

Through Schuchardt's mediation, Hoffmann-Axthelm was an assistant doctor in the former hospital department in Hamburg and Lübeck from 1945-1948, and in 1948 an assistant doctor at the Northwest German Jaw Clinic. On August 21, 1948 he returned to Perleberg because his wife Irmtraut (* 1913) and his four children could not find a place to live in Hamburg. Wolfgang Rosenthal , who had taken over the management of the surgical department of the university clinic and polyclinic for dental, oral and maxillary diseases at the Charité from Georg Axhausen in 1950 , offered Hoffmann-Axthelm a senior physician position. Hoffmann-Axthelm explained that his predecessor, with a practice and apartment in West Berlin, did not show up in the East Zone on November 16, 1950, and thus caused a certain emergency that led to Hoffmann-Axthelm's suspension on November 19.

Like Drum the quintessence , Hoffmann-Axthelm was in charge of the journal Deutsche Stomatologie, founded in 1951 by Wolfgang Rosenthal and published since then . From 1951 Hoffmann Axthelm continued his medical studies at the Charité and received his doctorate in 1953. med. The subject of his dissertation was a study of dental fluorosis in Berggießhübel, which was first discovered there by a dentist from Pirna. The fact that she didn't want to deal with the subject herself earned her a malicious comment by Walter Drum . In 1954 he completed his habilitation ("Dr. med. Habil."), Was appointed lecturer and was appointed professor with a teaching position at the University of Jena, which he refused. In his 1954 work on the influence of "chronically administered fluorine on the organism" and in a lecture at the ORCA congress in Geneva in May 1955, he referred to earlier work by the British doctor Leo Spira, who referred to a disease that has become known as Spira syndrome attributed chronic fluoride poisoning. Some of these investigations were based on a questionnaire. Executed in a similar form in Berggießhübel, Spira's result was not confirmed there. Hoffmann-Axthelm's action then inspired Heinrich Hornung to launch a character assassination campaign against the American allergist George Waldbott, who described chronic fluoride poisoning as a result of drinking water fluoridation, but who, according to Hornung, was based solely on suggestive questions on a questionnaire.

In 1959, Hoffmann-Axthelm, head of the surgical department of the university clinic and polyclinic for dental, oral and maxillary diseases at the Berlin Charité, wrote a summary of his investigations into fluorine problems and was appointed professor with a teaching position for dentistry, oral and maxillofacial medicine . Despite being monitored by the State Security Service, he was able to plan the move from the "system of coercion, fear and lies" to West Germany, initially West Berlin, for himself and his family, while he was still working in the Soviet occupation zone. After August 13, 1961, he did not return to East Berlin. From 1962–1963 he worked at the West German jaw clinic in Düsseldorf. He took up his further field of interest in 1964 as an assistant and lecturer at the Institute for the History of Medicine at the Free University of Berlin . He received an official teaching position for the history of dentistry here in 1965. From 1967 to 1978 he was chairman of the Association for the History of Berlin . In 1970 he completed his habilitation in the history of medicine , in 1971 he was appointed professor and he became managing director of the Institute for the History of Medicine, in 1973 he retired, where he continued his work as director until 1977.

In 1973 Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm published his book The History of Dentistry , which was regarded as a standard work. Like many developments after the First World War, the time of National Socialism was not mentioned in it (not even in the new edition published in 1985). In his post-war articles in the Zahnärztliche Mitteilungen (ZM) and in his autobiography there is a lack of clear text regarding the role of dentists in National Socialism. At first, the students felt obliged to their teachers or role models - a silence that also corresponded to the needs of the German post-war society. Systematic research into the medical crimes committed under National Socialism did not begin until the end of the 20th century.

In addition, the pioneer of local dental anesthesia , the Jewish dentist Hans Moral, was neither mentioned by Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm in his standard work The History of Dentistry (1973) nor in the widespread encyclopedia of dentistry (1974) How many Jewish victims of National Socialism were Hans Morality and its merits were ignored in Germany until the beginning of the 21st century. On the other hand, Hoffmann-Axthelm mentions in his historical work himself of his own investigations on the fluoride problem, which were significant for his career, only marginally his work from 1959 as studies relevant for caries prophylaxis , with which "similarly clear in natural fluoride areas Findings such as could be obtained in North America. "

Publications (selection)

  • About caries prophylaxis in childhood with special consideration of fluorine medication. German Stomatol. 4 (1954) 87
  • Textbook for dental assistants . JA Barth, Leipzig 1954 (and numerous other editions).
  • with Wolfgang Rosenthal: Dental caries and their socio-hygienic significance. Report on the conference of the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin on May 14th and 15th, 1954 , VEB Verlag Volk und Gesundheit, Berlin, 1955
  • Investigations on the fluorine problem with special consideration of the prevention of caries. Meusser Collection, edited by Eugen Wannenmacher, Johann Ambrosius Barth Verlag, Leipzig 1959
  • Prehistory and history of the Berlin Dental University Institute . Aulis Verlag Deubner, Cologne 1965.
  • The history of dentistry . Die Quintessenz , Berlin 1973 (2nd, extended edition 1985, and further editions, ISBN 3-87652-160-2 ).
  • Dentistry Lexicon . Quintessenz Verlag, Berlin 1974; 3rd edition ibid 1983 (and other editions, ISBN 3-87652-609-4 ).
  • Chronicle between East and West at the same time the report of his own life 1908–1989. Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm. Freiburg 1990.
  • with Hans-Joachim Neumann , Gerhard Pfeifer and Robert Stiebitz: The history of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Quintessenz, Berlin 1995, ISBN 3-87652-077-0 .

Foundation, endowment

The Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm Foundation Perleberg is named after him and was founded by his son, the architecture critic and urban planner Dieter Hoffmann-Axthelm .

Honors

  • 1971 Leopold Julius Pagel Medal from the Berlin Society for the History of Medicine
  • 1978 Honorary Chairman of the Association for the History of Berlin
  • 1982 Paul Diepgen Medal from the Berlin Society for the History of Medicine
  • 1985 Honorary Member of the American Academy of the History of Dentistry
  • 1985 Medal of the university coat of arms of the Free University of Berlin
  • 1989 honorary member of the German Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

literature

  • Lothar Büttner: Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm. Oral surgeon and medical historian. Dissertation, FU Berlin, 1990.
  • Stefan Paprotka: Walter Hoffmann Axthelm. From NSKK standard dentist to medical historian. LIT Verlag Dr. W. Hopf, Berlin 2018.
  • Wolfgang Kirchhoff, Caris-Petra Heidel: … totally finished with National Socialism? The never-ending story of dentistry under National Socialism. Mabuse Verlag, Frankfurt 2016, pp. 379–380.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary , Ancestry.com. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  2. ^ A b Walter Hoffmann: About the involvement of the mucous membrane in skin tuberculosis. Inaugural dissertation to obtain a dental doctorate from the medical faculty at the Friedrich Wilhelms University in Berlin. Speaker: Prof. Dr. Ms. Blumenthal, co-referee: Go. Medical Council Prof. Dr. His. Promotion day: May 15, 1931.
  3. ^ Alfred Bürkner: Friedenau - streets, houses, people . Stapp-Verlag, Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-87776-065-1 , p. 124.
  4. a b c d e W. Hoffmann-Axthelm: Chronicle between East and West ...
  5. S. Paprotka: Walter Hoffmann Axthelm. From NSKK standard dentist to medical historian. LIT Verlag, Berlin, 2018, p. 1 and p. 2, footnote 1.
  6. ^ Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm: "Seizure of power" 50 years ago: an extremely unpleasant anniversary. In: Zahnärztliche Mitteilungen , Volume 73, 1983, p. 2499.
  7. Stefan Paprotka: Walter Hoffmann Axthelm: From NSKK standard dentist to medical historian . LIT Verlag Münster, 2018, ISBN 978-3-643-14107-1 , pp. 82–85.
  8. see e.g. B. Imprint on title page Deutsche Stomatologie. Volume 5, No. 1, 1955.
  9. Stefan Paprotka: Walter Hoffmann Axthelm. From NSKK standard dentist to medical historian. .LIT Verlag, Berlin 2018, p. 64.
  10. F. Blankenstein: 110 Years of the Dental Institute Berlin 1884-1994. Festschrift. Quintessence, 1994.
  11. W. Hoffmann-Axthelm, R. Wohinz: First observations on the occurrence of dental fluorosis in Germany (with commentary by editor Walter Drum). Quintessenz (August 1952), Paper 221
  12. W. Hoffmann-Axthelm: Observations on the influence of fluorine on tooth enamel and thyroid . German Dental Journal 8 (1953) 757
  13. ^ A b W. Hoffmann-Axthelm: Further observations on the influence of chronically supplied fluorine on the organism. DZZ 9 (1954) 358
  14. Communications and reports. Berlin. ZWR 9 (1954) 315
  15. University News . In: Dental communications. Volume 43, 1955, p. 136.
  16. University News . In: Dental communications. Volume 43, 1955, p. 867.
  17. Leo Spira: The Drama of Fluorine: Arch Enemy of Mankind. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1953
  18. L. Spira: Chronic Fluorine Poisoning (Fluorosis) Signs and Symptoms. Edinb. Med. J. 49: No. 11 (1942) 707
  19. ^ W. Hoffmann-Axthelm: Fluorine and organism. Swiss Monthly Bulletin for Dentistry. 65 (1955) 729
  20. H. Hornung: Fluoridation: Observations of a German Professor and Public Health Officer. J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 53 (1956) 325
  21. ^ G. Waldbott: The Reader Comments. Waldbott presents his views on fluoridation. J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 55 (1957) 873
  22. KM Hartlmaier: On the trail of caries. Spotlights on the ORCA Congress. Dental Message. 48-50: No. 15 (1960) 662
  23. ^ G. Waldbott: A Struggle with Titans. Carlton Press. New York 1965; P. 229
  24. W. Hoffmann-Axthelm: Investigations on the fluorine problem with special consideration of the prevention of caries. Meusser Collection, edited by Eugen Wannenmacher, Johann Ambrosius Barth Verlag, Leipzig 1959
  25. Short messages. German Stomatol. 9 (1959) 722
  26. F. Blankenstein: 110 years ... p. 61 f.
  27. B. Kanther: School dentist Hans Joachim Tholuck (1888–1972) and the Frankfurt system of school dental care (= treatises on the history of medicine and natural sciences. Issue 83). Matthiesen Verlag, Husum 1998, p. 297.
  28. ^ The first teaching position for the history of dentistry. In: Zahnärztl. Message. 55, 1965, p. 683.
  29. ^ Announcements from the Association for the History of Berlin (PDF) New series No. 9; July 1, 1967, p. 116. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  30. ^ Lothar Büttner: Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm: Oral surgeon and medical historian 1990. Med. Dent. Diss. Berlin, pp. 11-20.
  31. Stefan Paprotka: Walter Hoffmann Axthelm - Helpers of Power He knew what he was doing. In: ZM , Heft 7, April 1, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  32. ^ Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm: History of dentistry. Berlin 1973, 2nd edition 1985, Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm: The history of dentistry . Quintessence, 1985, ISBN 978-3-87652-160-2 .
  33. Stefan Paprotka: Walter Hoffmann Axthelm: From NSKK standard dentist to medical historian . LIT Verlag Münster, 2018, ISBN 978-3-643-14107-1 , p. 1.
  34. The History of Dentistry. Quintessenz Verlag , Berlin 1973, ISBN 3-87652-160-2 .
  35. ^ Lexicon of Dentistry. Quintessenz Verlag, Berlin 1974, ISBN 3-87652-609-4 .
  36. Dominik Groß : Hans Moral - co-inventor of local anesthesia . In: Dental communications . Issue 8, 2017, pp. 56–58.
  37. ^ W. Hoffmann-Axthelm: The history of dentistry. P. 311
  38. ^ History , Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm Foundation Perleberg. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  39. Foundation House , Großer Markt 15, Perleberg. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  40. a b c d e Lothar Büttner: Walter Hoffmann-Axthelm oral surgeon and medical historian ...
  41. Honorary Members. ( Memento of the original from July 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. German Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Retrieved July 3, 2015. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.dgmkg-freiburg.de