Andreas Rett (2 January 1924 – 25 April 1997) was an Austrian

neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...

and author. He is famous for his research on

neurodevelopmental disorder Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of mental conditions negatively affecting the development of the nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. According to the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manu ...

s, particularly for his description of

Rett syndrome Rett syndrome (RTT) is a genetic disorder that typically becomes apparent after 6–18 months of age and almost exclusively in girls. Symptoms include impairments in language and coordination, and repetitive movements. Those affected often h ...

, which was named after him, and for pioneering treatment based on the belief that disabled children also have a right to fulfillment of their physical, emotional, and psychological needs. He received many awards, including the

Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria. It is divided into 15 classes and is the highest award in the Austrian national honours system. History The Decoration of Hono ...

Biography

Rett was born in

Fürth Fürth (; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ; ) is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Bavaria, Germany, in the administrative division (''Regierungsbezirk'') of Middle Franconia. It is the Franconia#Towns and cities, s ...

, Germany and went to school in

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

, Austria. His father owned a cleaning services company and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but Andreas Rett instead chose to study medicine, resulting in his father disinheriting him. He graduated as a

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

in 1949. He then trained in paediatrics, and in 1955 he was appointed head of the facility for children with Down Syndrome at a home for the aged in Lainz, Vienna. In 1963 he built up a factory, in which neurologically sick youngsters could work. His belief was that disabled children also do have a right to fulfillment of their physical, emotional, and psychological needs. Rett's academic career began in 1967, when he was appointed as lecturer in neurology and pediatrics at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

, in 1973 being promoted to the rank of associate professor. In 1966 he published the first description of

in 22 girls, after first observing hand-wringing gestures in two girls in his waiting room. From 1967 he was also head of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Research in Brain Disordered Children. He has published more than 250 articles.

Membership in Nazi Party

After Rett's death, he received criticism for having been listed as a member of the Hitler Jugend and the Nazi Party as a child and young adult. Andreas Rett was nine years old when the Nazis came to power in Germany and 21 years old at the time of the regime's demise. In recent years he has also been criticized for using research data derived from the Nazi program of

Action T4 (German, ) was a campaign of Homicide#By state actors, mass murder by involuntary euthanasia which targeted Disability, people with disabilities and the mentally ill in Nazi Germany. The term was first used in post-WWII, war trials against d ...

, which was the name given to the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of people, including of children, under the guise of medical

euthanasia Euthanasia (from : + ) is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different Legality of euthanasia, euthanasia laws. The British House of Lords Select committee (United Kingdom), se ...

. Although there is no evidence Rett was directly involved in Action T4, his membership in the Nazi Party is notable given that other wartime figures whose history has come under re-examination, such as Austrian physician

Hans Asperger Johann Friedrich Karl Asperger (, ; 18 February 1906 – 21 October 1980) was an Austrian physician. Noted for his early studies on atypical neurology, specifically in children, he is the namesake of the former autism spectrum disorder Asperger ...

, never joined the party.

Decorations and awards

* 1958: Karl Renner Prize * 1976:

Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art" was established by the National C ...

* 1982: Paracelsus Ring of Villach * 1988: City of Vienna Prize for Medical Sciences * 1989:

* 2002: Andreas Rett Park in

Hietzing Hietzing () is the 13th Districts of Vienna, district of Vienna (). It is located west of the central districts, west of Meidling. Hietzing is a heavily populated urban area with many residential buildings, but also contains large areas of the Vi ...

(Vienna)

References

External links

Andreas Rett by whonamedit.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rett, Andreas 1924 births 1997 deaths 20th-century Austrian physicians People from Fürth Austrian male writers Austrian medical writers Austrian Nazis Austrian neurologists University of Innsbruck alumni Academic staff of the University of Vienna Aktion T4 Recipients of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class Recipients of the Grand Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria Physicians in the Nazi Party