Nazi ties at Zurich's Burghölzli: Psychiatrists lost posts due to Jewish heritage
A new historical investigation reveals that two prominent psychiatrists at Zurich's Burghölzli clinic, including Eugen Bleuler's son Manfred Bleuler, were forced to resign in the 1930s due to their Jewish ancestry. The research, published in the NZZ, documents how antisemitic policies at the University of Zurich led to the dismissal of Jewish doctors, paralleling Nazi Germany's racial laws. The Burghölzli clinic, once a world-renowned psychiatric institution, had a significant number of Jewish staff who were systematically purged. The article also explores Adolf Hitler's 1923 fundraising trip to Switzerland, which marked the beginning of a fateful relationship with the future dictator. The five-episode series examines forgotten aspects of Swiss complicity with Nazism.
Key facts
- Two psychiatrists at Zurich's Burghölzli clinic lost their positions due to Jewish heritage
- Manfred Bleuler, son of Eugen Bleuler, was among those forced to resign
- The dismissals occurred in the 1930s
- Antisemitic policies at the University of Zurich mirrored Nazi racial laws
- Burghölzli clinic had a significant number of Jewish staff who were purged
- Adolf Hitler traveled to Switzerland in 1923 to raise funds for his coup
- The NZZ published a five-episode series on Swiss-Nazi relations
- The research highlights forgotten Swiss complicity with Nazism
Entities
Institutions
- Burghölzli clinic
- University of Zurich
- NZZ
Locations
- Zurich
- Switzerland