"Social Darwinism, a belief based on the teachings of Charles Darwin, spread throughout Europe during the 19th century.
It concluded the Aryan race was “superior and its purification was seen as the only means to prevent the degeneration of society.” At the medical school where Pernkoph was dean, he soon applied Darwinism to the school’s administration.
The result was “The Medical Faculty of Vienna suffered more than any other European faculty from ‘race hygiene.’ Within weeks of the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938, 153 of the faculty’s 197 members were dismissed. By far the most frequent reason for dismissal was Jewish origin.” Importantly, the “relationship between Viennese Jews and non-Jews had been relatively unproblematic until the late 19th century, when the ideas associated with social Darwinism began to spread and combine with overt anti-Semitism.” CEH
The result was “The Medical Faculty of Vienna suffered more than any other European faculty from ‘race hygiene.’ Within weeks of the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938, 153 of the faculty’s 197 members were dismissed. By far the most frequent reason for dismissal was Jewish origin.” Importantly, the “relationship between Viennese Jews and non-Jews had been relatively unproblematic until the late 19th century, when the ideas associated with social Darwinism began to spread and combine with overt anti-Semitism.” CEH
