Ernst Gräfenberg facts for kids

Ernst Gräfenberg (born September 26, 1881 – died October 28, 1957) was a German doctor and scientist. He is known for his important work in women's health and medicine.

Ernst's Medical Career

Ernst Gräfenberg studied medicine in the cities of Göttingen and Munich in Germany. He earned his doctorate degree on March 10, 1905. He first worked as an eye doctor at the university in Würzburg. Later, he moved to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Kiel. This is where he started focusing on women's health.

Early Research and Success

At Kiel, Gräfenberg wrote papers about how cancer can spread in the body. He also studied how a fertilized egg attaches itself inside the body. In 1910, he became a gynecologist in Berlin. By 1920, he was very successful and had his own office. He also became the chief gynecologist at a hospital in Britz, a part of Berlin. He began scientific studies about how the human body works in terms of reproduction at Berlin University.

World War I and Later Challenges

During the First World War, Ernst Gräfenberg served as a medical officer. He continued to publish his research, mostly about women's bodies.

When the Nazis came to power in Germany, Gräfenberg, who was Jewish, faced difficulties. In 1933, he was forced to leave his job as head of the gynecology department. In 1934, a friend tried to convince him to leave Nazi Germany. However, Gräfenberg believed he would be safe because he treated many important people. Sadly, he was wrong.

In 1937, he was arrested and later imprisoned. He was held in the Brandenburg-Görden Prison until August 15, 1940. A famous American woman named Margaret Sanger helped him get out of prison. After his release, he moved to the United States and started a new medical practice in New York City. The German writer Erich Maria Remarque was one of the people who helped Gräfenberg begin his new life in the U.S.

About Ernst's Life

Ernst Gräfenberg was born in Adelebsen, a town near Göttingen in Germany. His father, Salomon Gräfenberg, owned a business that sold iron goods. His father was also a leader in the Jewish community in Adelebsen for many years. In 1893, Ernst's family moved to Göttingen. There, Ernst attended a local high school called the Gymnasium.

Ernst Gräfenberg was briefly married to a writer named Rosie Waldeck. He passed away quietly on October 28, 1957, in New York City. He was buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery. An obituary, which is a notice about someone's death, was published in a Jewish newspaper called Aufbau.