Victor Goerttler (1897-1982) – Life and Work The purpose of this paper was to reconstruct and analyse the complete personal and professional life of VICTOR GOERTTLER, as well as his expert contributions to veterinary science especially in the field of animal disease control, food safety and reproduction monitoring. This work is mainly based on information gathered from the University Archive in Jena [Universitärsarchiv Jena], the Thuringian Central State Archiv Weimar [Thüringisches Hauptstaatsarchiv], the Stasi Documents Archive in Gera [Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv] and the Federal Archive in Berlin [Bundesarchiv]. Furthermore, these sources have been complemented by interviews, documents, and photos of contemporary witnesses from GOERTTLER’s family, his former staff and their descendants, a former student, one of his neighbours as well as secondary literature. The first part of this thesis focuses on GOERTTLER’s personal and professional life. It illustrates his family history as well as his journey through veterinary medicine during a changing political background; from his start as a young assistant to his final position as the director of the three veterinary institutes in Jena. GOERTTLER’s political attitude and his personal interest are also considered precisely. The second part of the thesis is based on GOERTTLER’s extensive bibliography, where his main fields of research are identified and studied in more detail. Discussed is also an aesthetic book written by himself which was very close to his heart. VICTOR GOERTTLER, born in 1897 in Sondershausen/Thuringia, studied veterinary medicine from 1919-1922 in Gießen and Munich. He received his doctorate degree in Gießen in 1923 elaborating the diagnostic of blackleg. He made his first steps into the professional world in the Veterinary Institute [Veterinäranstalt] in Jena, progressing into the vaccine industry and the leading Veterinary Medicine Investigation office [Staatliches Veterinäruntersuchungsamt] in Potsdam, where he deepened his bacteriological expertise. Further career positions followed as a state veterinary officer in Göttingen and the appointment into the Reich- and Prussian Ministry of the Interior [Reichs- und Preußisches Ministerium des Innern] under Reichsleader of veterinarians [Reichstierärzteführer] FRIEDRICH WEBER. GOERTTLER habilitated in 1937 at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Berlin due to his continuous scientific publications. At the same time, he was editorial director of three specialist journals, including the German Veterinary Journal [Deutsches Tierärzteblatt]. In 1938 he received a professorship for veterinary science at Jena University; connected to this position was the management of the Veterinary Institute and the Animal Epidemic Office [Tierseuchenstelle] (later Veterinary Medicine Investigation and Animal Health Office [Veterinäruntersuchungs-und Tiergesundheitsamt]). GOERTTLER managed these institutions successfully through the turbulent times of 2nd World War. After World War II, he was the only remaining professor of the Faculty of Agriculture in Jena. After a seven-month period of rebuilding the agricultural institutions, he was removed from his position due to his NSDAP-membership (1933-1945). A protracted de-Nazification process finally led into the cancellation of the elimination resolution and GOERTTLER’s reinstatement into his previous position. In 1953 he became the founding Dean of the Agricultural Faculty of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität in Jena. One year later his impressive life work in Jena cumulated by introducing the new Institute for Bacterial Animal Disease Research [ Institut für bakterielle Tierseuchenforschung, ITSF] of the German Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Berlin [Akademie der Landwirtschaftswissenschaften zu Berlin] in 1954. GOERTTLER’s extensive work in the field of animal epidemic research (including bacteriology and serology), food hygiene, reproduction monitoring, and bovine and human tuberculosis, led to diverse manuals and more than 200 publications in veterinary, agricultural and human medical journals, and reference works. GOERTTLER’s papers typically had a high topicality as well as a high practical relevance. The Reproduction Monitoring Program in Thuringia established in the mid-1930s and then successfully further developed by GOERTTLER has been a pioneer beyond borders. His work gathered far-reached recognition resulting in academic appointments, awards and memberships like the National Award of the GDR [Nationalpreis der DDR] third class, the Patriotic Order of Merit [Vaterländische Verdienstorden] in bronze, the membership of the German Academy of Agricultural Science, German Academy of Natural Science Leopoldina and two honorary doctorates. In the final discussion, key aspects are placed in the general context and discussed in depth. The author concludes that GOERTTLER’s opportune behaviour towards the NS-Regime could be mostly explained by his fear for a possible detrimental effect to his career. For a long time, GOERTTLER was a very career-minded character. From the mid-1950s and due to his strengthened academic position from the mid 1950 onwards he repeatedly challenged the GDR-Regime with criticism. This, and his outstanding position in the veterinary system of the GDR, made him a target for investigation by the East German security service, the so-called Stasi (1963-1965). Up to the present time, GOERTTLER is well-known as an expert in the field of animal epidemic research and reproduction. Less well known is that he also had a further focus on consumer health protection and zoonosis research. These aspects made him a veterinary pioneer in Public Health, long before this term was established. Goerttler’s scientific heritage does not only continue to live in his work and students. The Jena site, of the “Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut” has replaced the Institute for Bacterial Animal Disease Research originally founded by GOERTTLER. This veterinary research centre in Jena is the lasting legacy of a man, who was not only an outstanding veterinarian and scientist. Goerttler was also able to identify early challenges, to maximize synergy effects, and to integrate theory and practice. Despite his success, GOERTTLER retained a high level of self-criticism.weiterlesen