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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Kurt Hofmeier

De Commission Historique
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Kurt Hofmeier
Prénom Kurt
Nom Hofmeier
Sexe masculin
Naissance 9 septembre 1896 (Königsberg)
Décès 27 août 1989 (Heidelberg)
Titre Dr.med.Prof.


Kurt Fritz Robert Hofmeier was born in Prussia in 1896, to Fritz Hofmeier and Paula Hofmeier (maiden name Ramm).[1] His father was a Lieutenant in the Prussian Army, and Kurt Hofmeier became a Lieutenant of the Field Artillery in the First World War, for which he earned a first and second class Iron Cross. He was part of the sanitary corps of the army, and then became the head doctor of the reserve army.[1] While studying medicine in Marburg in 1918, Hofmeier joined the student organisation Corps Hasso-Nassovia Marburg, which was a conservative student group.[2] He attended the University of Marburg for undergraduate study, then Wurzburg for postgraduate study, and then became a doctor in 1922. He became an assistant to Professor Morawitz and Professor Rietschel in Wurzburg. He became involved in the State Hygienic Institute in Frankfurt under the supervision of Professor Niesser and Professor Braun.[2]

In 1929 he married Edith Breitschuh, with whom he would later have four children.[1] Hofmeier then came to the attention of Dr Bessau, for whom he worked as an assistant in Leipzig and Berlin.[1] He then became a lecturer in the Kaiser Wilhelms University in the department of children's health. In 1930 he worked with the Reichsgesundheitsamt and in 1931 he joined the NSDAP, and in 1932 he joined the NSKK and the NS-Ärztebund.[1]

In 1934 he became the director of the Städtischen Kinderkrankenhauses und Mutterheims in Berlin.[3] He gave his inaugural lecture on 2 November 1938 on the themes of the work of paediatricians on the spiritual and physical development of children entitled “The collaboration of the paediatrician in children's psychological and physical education through natural healing in the children's clinic and the current state of the rickets issue and the fight against rickets”.[4] Dr Bessau attended this lecture and noted that he spoke well, he was quiet but clearly expressed himself and had a good critical analysis of the area. In 1938 he completed his habilitation entitled ‘Die Beurteilung der Wirksamkeit der Aktiven Immunisierung gegen Diphtherie’, and then became a lecturer in the Charité in Berlin.[1] Hofmeier was appointed as the director of the children's clinic in the Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria Haus in 1938.[5]

In 1939 the Deutsches Gesellschaft für Kinderheilkunde organised a conference in Salzburg to demonstrate the importance of paediatrics to the National Socialist cause.[6] This was set to be an event to symbolically join the cause of the Nazi government and the paediatric profession through the talks of party leaders including Leonardo Conti, and the Reich youth leader Baldur von Schirach, among others.[6] Hofmeier was supposed to take part in the event by speaking on the topic of ‘Leistungsfähigkeit des Kindes und des Jugendlichen.’[7] This event was said to be a high point, uniting the key players of paediatrics in Germany and Austria, but the event was cancelled due to the outbreak of war. The event was planned again for 1940, to coincide with Kinderkundliche Woche, incorporating demonstrations by the Hitler Youth and talks from paediatricians.[8] This reorganisation was forced to occur by the Reichsgesundheitsamt in order to prove to the population that despite the war, children's health and wellbeing was still at the core of society and medical practice. In the interim, Kurt Hofmeier and Franz Hamburger debated the renaming of the organisation from Deutsches Gesellschaft für Kinderheilkunde to Ärztliche Kinderkunde, but did not succeed in winning the approval of the Deutsches Gesellschaft für Kinderheilkunde.[6]

As part of his role as the director of the Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria Haus and the Reichsanstalt für Bekämpfung der Säuglings-und Kleinkindersterblichkeit, Hofmeier edited a monograph entitled Körperliche und geistige Erziehung der Kinder und Jugendlichen in 1939, just before his appointment in Strasbourg.[5] This work included a section by the Reichssportführer von Tschammer und Osten, and addressed the importance of nutrition and physical fitness in children’s health, as well as the importance of their ideological adherence to Nazism. He mentioned that ideology, nutrition, and physical fitness must be implemented, not only through doctors’ influence, but also by educating mothers, and advocating childhood inclusion in the Hitler Youth movements. These efforts were later reflected in campaigns in Strasbourg for increased breastfeeding rates, maternity care and counselling, as well as vaccination campaigns.[9]

In 1941 he was appointed to the role of director of the children’s clinic at the Reichsuniversität Straßburg, the largest single clinic in the hospital.[10] While in Strasbourg he received two grants for his research on children's health from the Reichsministeriums fur Wissenschaft and the Deutsches Forschungsgemeinschaft; his first grant was for a general study entitled ‘Forschungsauftrag auf dem Gebiet der Kinderheilkunde’, which took place from 1941 to 1942 with the sum of 6,000RM.[11] His second study funded by these organisations was entitled “Untersuchungen uber den Gesundheitszustand der Elsässischen Jugend” for which he was awarded 3,000 RM in September 1943.[12] He noted in his denazification document that due to damage in the war, his records of these research projects were destroyed.[2] Hofmeier was a longstanding member of the Deutschen Gesellschaft für Konstitutionsforschung, from 1941 during his time in Strasbourg, up to 1951.[13] His membership of this organisation appears to have influenced some of his publications, as the organisation dealt with nutrition, constitution, and public health. Hofmeier continued to publish his research while in Strasbourg, with a very extensive publication list including work on immunity, nutrition, contagious diseases, heredity, paralysis, constitution, rickets, diphtheria, and maternal health.[14] None of these publications listed specific patient case studies from the children’s clinic in Strasbourg. These topics can be seen in the 33 student medical theses that he supervised in the Reichsuniversität Straßburg.

The Lebensborn home “Schwarzwald” was set up in Nordrach, across the border but only approximately one hour from Strasbourg. Dr Georg Ebner of the Lebensborn home wrote to the Reichsuniversität Straßburg to request help. He asked Dr Hofmeier if he could suggest a suitable doctor from the Reichsuniversität Straßburg children’s clinic that could dedicate some time every six to eight weeks to come to Nordrach and check the health of the Lebensborn children. Hofmeier responded in May 1943 stating that he would be happy to help at the Lebensborn home, and that he would drive himself and an assistant to the home in the near future as he was ‘very interested in the establishment of the institution;’ so much so that he refused payment for his time or resources.[15] They arranged a meeting and Hofmeier brought Dr Wolfgang Kiehl with him as an assistant. Despite the request of Dr Ebner to visit every six to eight weeks, they visited Schwarzwald every four weeks indicating enthusiasm for the project that was beyond the expectation of a consultant.[16]

The account of Dr Hofmeier, sent to the Reich Ministry of Science, Education and National Education on 1 December 1944 is one of the most indicative and in depth accounts of the evacuation of the Reichsuniversität Straßburg.[17] Hofmeier stated that on 19 November the staff of the Reichsuniversität Straßburg became aware of the Allied victory outside Mulhouse, but despite this proximity, activities continued as normal in Strasbourg. On the morning of 20 November, Hofmeier spoke to General Franz Vatterodt, the commandant of Strasbourg, who told him the city was not well equipped for defence. It is clear from his account that the university and hospital occupied an important ideological position in the encroaching front lines, and so the decision was made not to evacuate patients and to continue teaching classes instead of evacuate. Despite this, Hofmeier stated that many staff members were absent at their scheduled meeting on due to their evacuation from the city. Hofmeier evacuated on 23 November 1944 by driving across the bridge to Kehl, stating that ‘We drove very slowly, as the car was heavily overloaded,’ over the bridge to Kehl, where they arrived by about 10.30am.[18] It is unknown exactly what material and files Hofmeier took with him on his escape from Strasbourg.

Hofmeier completed denazification in 1949 which provides testimonies from former colleagues as well as explaining his chronology of military service, membership of organisations, educational history, publications, and medical positions. Hofmeier was classified as a “Mitläufer”, and was described as ‘medically indispensable in paediatrics’, with no obligations to stop him practicing medicine.[19]

Dr Hofmeier applied to the University of Mainz for a job as a paediatrician in 1947.[20] While there is no formal letter declaring Hofmeier’s unsuitability for the position, his file is included in the rejected applications record in the Archives Diplomatiques conserved in the centre of La Courneuve.

His medical opinion appears to be valued in the immediate post war era, as he contributed to the Fragekasten section in the Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift in 1949, one of the biggest medical journals at the time, so it is clear the editors thought his perspective was important.[21]

His main research concerns included the impact of environment on childhood development, constitution, infection control and nutrition remained pertinent after the war, as evidenced in publications such as Deutsche Nachkriegskinder in 1954 and 10 Jahre Nachkriegskinder in 1962.[22] Both of these publications addressed issues such as intelligence testing, the impact of physical environment and social environment, childhood development, nutrition, infection control, and details on the question of childhood constitution and the impact on health. Hofmeier continued to practice as a paediatrician in Stuttgart, and published books on paediatric care after the war. The most popular of these was Alles Über Dein Kind, originally published in 1971, it went through five editions which illustrates its popularity.[23] In this book he continued to examine the importance of issues such as nutrition, fitness, environment, and mental stimulation, but he does not mention his own research on these topics.

Hofmeier wrote an unpublished memoir (undated) entitled Ein Bild Meiner Zeit; So War Es while in Stuttgart, outlining his early influences in his life, and briefly mentioned the time he spent as the head of the children's’ clinic.[24] This work largely focuses on his childhood though, and does not mention the Second World War. While Hofmeier attempted to distance himself from his wartime activities, he still had some affiliation to his former practice and position as a member of a Nazi university, as evidenced by his attendance at the last meeting of the faculty of the Reichsuniversität Straßburg in 1970 for Rektor Schmidt’s 70th birthday in Tübingen.[25]

In 1971 the Stuttgarter Nachrichten published a segment on Dr Kurt Hofmeier’s time as the director of the Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria Haus in Berlin as well as his establishment of a paediatric practice in Stuttgart from 1948.[26] It mentioned briefly that he worked in Strasbourg as the head of the paediatric clinic during the war, but does not indicate the extensive research and teaching involved, his involvement with Lebensborn, nor does it outline his period of exile in Tübingen. Hofmeier died on 27 August 1989, and his obituary in the Stuttgarter Zeitung stated that donations were to be made to SOS Kinderdorf (a non profit organization of childrens villages providing social, educational and medical facilities to impoverished children) in lieu of flowers which indicated his lifelong commitment to paediatric care.[27] In the postwar era, Hofmeier appears to have been easily able to integrate back into paediatric practice, his activities during the war in Stasbourg appear to be largely forgotten, and he never returned to academic medicine.

Biographie

Repères

Localisations

Nationalités

  • Allemand

Confessions

  • Protestant

Publications

  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Prophylaxe und Behandlung der Erkӓltungskrankheiten beim Sӓugling und Kleinkind. Medizinische Welt 8 (1937) :
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Pädiatrische Forderungen bei der Leitung der Geburt. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 66 (1940) : 1093-1095
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Erbwissenschaft und Adoption; Die Bedeutung von Krnakhaften Erbanlagen und Erbkrankheiten bei Adoptiveltern und Adoptivkindern. Die Gesundheitsfuhrung 6 (1942) :
  • Hofmeier, Kurt ; Deutschland (Deutsches Reich) ; Joppich, Gerhard ; Reichsministerium des Innern. Lehrbuch für Säuglings- und Kinderschwestern. Stuttgart : Enke, 1944
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Hautnekrose bei Scharlach. Zeitschrift für Kinderheilkunde 36 (1923) : 151-156
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Unterscheidung der echten Paratyphus-B-von den Breslau-Enteritisbakterien auf Ammonchlorid-Rhamnose-Agar. Bemerkungen zu der gleichnamigen Arbeit von Karl L. Pesch und A. Maschke in Jg. 7, Nr. 9, S. 401 dieser Wochenschrift. Klinische Wochenschrift 7 (1928) : 1692
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Untersuchungen über die Blutkonzentration. Zeitschrift für die gesamte experimentelle Medizin 35 (1923) : 191-202
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Vererbung und Immunität. Klinische Wochenschrift 16 (1937) : 329-333
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Zur Differentialdiagnose von Krӓmpfen im Kindesalter. KinderӓrztlicherPraxis 6 (1935) :
  • Hofmeier, Kurt ; Holtz, F.. Über die Wirkung von Fischleberölkonzentrat (Vitamin D₃) auf die Rachitis des Kindes. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 67 (1941) : 1237-1238
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Über die erbliche Bedingheit infektiöser Erkrankungen des Nervensystems. Monatsschrift für Kinderheilkunde 75 (1938) :
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Über spinale Kinderlӓhmung. Zeitschrift für ӓrztliche Fortbildung 34 (1937) :
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Über eine wasserlösliche Vitamin-D2-Milcheiweißverbindung. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 74 (1949) : 1245-1246
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Die englische Krankheit (Rachitis). Wesen und Bekämpfung. Berlin, Wien : Reichsgesundheitsverlag, 1944
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Die Ernährung des Kleinkindes. DMW - Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 65 (1939) : 715-717
  • Hofmeier, Kurt. Die Bedeutung der Erbanlagen für die Kinderheilkunde. Stuttgart : Ferdinand Enke, 1938
  • Hofmeier, Kurt ; Schwidder, Werner ; Müller, Friedrich. Alles über dein Kind. Auskunfts und Nachschlagewerk nach Altersstufen über den körperlich und seeliche Entwicklung, Pflege und Erziehung des Kindes fur alle Eltern, Lehrer und Erzieher. Bielefeld : Gieseking, 1970

Relations

Collègue de

Directeur de thèse de

1896-09-09T00:00:00Z
Vie privée
Naissance
1989-08-27T00:00:00Z
Vie privée
Décès
1922-01-01T00:00:00Z
Vie privée
Thèse
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Références

À propos de cette page

Rédaction : ©Ashshalvey, ©Marquart



  1. ↑ 1,0 1,1 1,2 1,3 1,4 et 1,5 UAH. Lebenslauf Dr Hofmeier, Personalakten der Dozent Dr Kurt Hofmeier Medizinische Fakultät (Geschlossen 1938-1941).
  2. ↑ 2,0 2,1 et 2,2 LA-BW StAS. Wü 13 T 2 Nr. 2133/014. Hofmeier Fragebogen. Erreur de référence : Balise <ref> incorrecte : le nom « 2778e1ec3bd411e2d125b4da43f75af14aa6d0e9 » est défini plusieurs fois avec des contenus différents.
  3. ↑ UAH. Lebenslauf Dr Hofmeier, Personalakten der Dozent Dr Kurt Hofmeier Medizinische Fakultät (Geschlossen 1938-1941). Consult Archiv für Kinderheilkunde 1936 and 1937 for articles published under Hofmeier’s direction of the institute.
  4. ↑ UAH. Lebenslauf Dr Hofmeier, Personalakten der Dozent Dr Kurt Hofmeier Medizinische Fakultät (Geschlossen 1938-1941). Original quote: ‘Die Mitarbeit des Kinderarztes bei der Geistigen und Körperlichen Erziehung des Kindes, über Natürliche Heilweisen in der Kinderklinik und der Heutige Stand der Rachitisfrage und Rachitisbekampfung’.
  5. ↑ 5,0 et 5,1 Thomas Lennert, ‘Die Entwicklung der Berliner Pädiatrie’ in Exodus von Wissenschaften aus Berlin. W. Fischer, K. Hierholzer, M. Hubenstorf, P.T. Walther und R. Winau eds. Forschungsbericht 7 der Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, (1994): pp. 529–551.
  6. ↑ 6,0 6,1 et 6,2 Eduard Seidler, Kinderärzte 1933-1945: entrechtet - geholfen - ermordet: Pediatricians - victims of persecution 1933-1945.: 112.
  7. ↑ Eduard Seidler, Kinderärzte 1933-1945: entrechtet - geholfen - ermordet : Pediatricians - victims of persecution 1933-1945 (Bonn: Bouvier, 2000).
  8. ↑ Heiner Fangerau, Sascha Topp, and Klaus Schepker, eds., Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie im Nationalsozialismus und in der Nachkriegszeit. Zur Geschichte ihrer Konsolidierung (Berlin: Springer, 2017).
  9. ↑ ADBR. 126AL77 A. Richtlinien für Säuglingsschwestern in der nachgehenden Säuglingsfürsorge (vorbeugende Familienhilfe) 1941, Ordnung des Säuglings-und Kinderpflege Berufs im Elsass..
  10. ↑ Letter 23 September 1941 from Dr Hofmeier, Personalakten der Dozent Dr Kurt Hofmeier Medizinische Fakultät (Geschlossen 1938-1941), available at Humboldt Universität Archiv Berlin..
  11. ↑ BArch. R73/11767. Letter from Reichsministeriums für Wissenschaft usw and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 5 December 1941 to Dr Hofmeier..
  12. ↑ BArch. R73/11767. Letter from Reichsministeriums für Wissenschaft usw and the Deutsche forschungsgemeinschaft 9 April 1943 to Dr Hofmeier..
  13. ↑ Gerhard Koch, Die Gesellschaft für Konstitutionsforschung Anfang und Ende 1942-1965. Die lnstitute lür Anthropologie, Rassenbiologie, Humangenetik an den deutschen Hochschulen Die Rassenpolitischen Amter der Jahre 1933-1945, Erlangen: Palm und Enke Verlag, (1985): p. 23, p. 62..
  14. ↑ For full list of Hofmeier’s publications please consult Appendix 14 in, Aisling Shalvey, History of Paediatric Treatment at the Reichsuniversität Strassburg (1941–1944). PhD Université de Strasbourg; 2021..
  15. ↑ ITS. 4.1.0/82450597. Letter from Hofmeier to Ebner, 28.05.1943. Original quote: ‘natürlich sehr für die Anlage der Anstalt interessiere.’.
  16. ↑ ITS 4.1.0/82452131..
  17. ↑ BArch. R 76 IV 27. Account of the evacuation of Strasbourg, Dr Kurt Hofmeier..
  18. ↑ BArch. R 76 IV 27. Account of the evacuation of Strasbourg, Dr Kurt Hofmeier. Original quote: Wir fuhren sehr langsam, da der Wagen stark überlastet war..
  19. ↑ LA-BW StAS. Wü 13T2133. Denazification of Dr Kurt Hofmeier. Original quote: ‚Er ist nach seinen Leistungen ärztlich als unentbehrlich in der Kinderheilkunde zu betrachten.’.
  20. ↑ AN-CAD. AC0134/4 Archives de l’Occupation Française en Allemagne et en Autriche..
  21. ↑ Kurt Hofmeier, ‘Fragekasten,’ Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift, 79 Jahrgang (1949): pp. 589-590..
  22. ↑ Wilhelm Hagen, Hans Thomae, and Anna Ronge, 10 Jahre Nachkriegskinder München: J.A. Barth, (1962). Carl Coerper and Anneliese Coerper, Deutsche Nachkriegskinder: Methoden und erste Ergebnisse der deutschen Längsschnittuntersuchungen über die körperliche und seelische Entwicklung im Schulkindalter Stuttgart: G. Thieme, (1954)..
  23. ↑ Kurt Hofmeier, Werner Schwidder, and Friedrich Müller, Alles über dein Kind: Auskunfts- und Nachschlagewerk nach Altersstufen über die körperliche und seelische Entwicklung, Pflege und Erziehung des Kindes für alle Eltern, Lehrer und Erzieher, Bielefeld: Gieseking, (1970)..
  24. ↑ LA-BW HStA. J175 BU2006. Kurt Hofmeier, Ein Bild Meiner Zeit; So War Es..
  25. ↑ Rainer Möhler, ‘Die Reichsuniversität Straßburg 1941-1944. Eine Nationalsozialistische Musteruniversität zwischen Wissenschaft, Volkstumspolitik, und Verbrechen.’: p. 811..
  26. ↑ Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 10 September 1971..
  27. ↑ Stuttgarter Zeitung, 4 September 1989..
  28. ↑ Siegmaringen Entnazifizierung.
  29. ↑ 29,0 et 29,1 Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart EA 3/150 BU941.
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