Professor Karl Wilhelm von Zehender (1819 – 1916) - First University Professor for Ophthalmology and Co-founder of the Eye Clinic in Rostock

Stave J., Guthoff R.,
Universität Rostock, Augenklinik (Rostock)

The Grand-ducal University Eye Department in Rostock was solemnly inaugurated 16 May 1892. According to many years lasting studies in Europe and efforts to build this clinic, construction plans were drafted by Professor Karl Wilhelm Zehender , but outlined from „Grossherzoglich- Mecklenburgisch-Schwerinsche Medicinalcommission " and Landbaumeister Schlosser in winter 1888/89. Professor v. Zehender, who originated from a very old Swiss family, was born in Bremen, 21 May 1819. He studied medicine in Goettingen, Jena, Prague, Paris and Vienna. During this time developed a lifelong lasting friendship to Albrecht v. Graefe. 1856 he took over the medical care for the hereditary duke Georg von Mecklenburg-Strelitz and published the "Correspondenzblatt für Aerzte im Grossherzoglichen Mecklenburg-Strelitz". 1857, during a conference in Heidelberg, his initiative led in the long run to the establishment of the "Heidelberger Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft", the forerunner of the "Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft", which was founded in 1920. 1863 appeared the first edition of " Klinische Monatsblaetter für Augenheilkunde "as periodical; the cover page bore its name as founder of the magazine. In 1866, after the death of the hereditary duke and a professorship in his hometown Berne, he became honorary professor of the Rostock University, and from 1869 on he chaired the clinic as a ordinary professor. After all his efforts to build his own hospital had failed, he demonstratively and finally resigned of his professorship in 1889. He went to Munich and became editor of the " Klinische Monatsblaetter für Augenheilkunde”. In 1907 he moved via Eutin to Warnemuende. There the nestor of world ophthalmologists died in the age of 98. His burial place without grave stone is situated in today's landscape park “Stephan Jantzen”. So far all efforts of the author and of the Rostock University Eye Department taken after1998 to create a worthy note to this exceptional ophthalmologist in the Baltic Sea resort Warnemuende have been, also for financial reasons, without any success.

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