University Institute of Legal Medicine in Berlin celebrates its 175th anniversary

• Published in: Forensic science, medicine, and pathology medicine, and pathology, 2008-01, Vol.4 (4), p.262-266
• Main Authors: Geserick, Gunther, Vendura, Klaus, Wirth, Ingo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Berlin; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Forensic Medicine; Forensic Medicine - history; Fossickings; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pathology; Universities - history
• ISSN: 1547-769X; 1556-2891
• DOI: 10.1007/s12024-008-9051-y

The University Institute of Legal Medicine of the University Hospital Charité in Berlin is the oldest faculty in Germany. On February 11, 1833 it was founded as a „Praktische Unterrichtsanstalt für Staatsarzneikunde (Practice-oriented School of Public Health and Medicine)“ at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität (founded in 1810) and in 1886 it received its own building in Berlin-Mitte. Starting with Wilhelm Wagner, Johann Ludwig Casper, Fritz Strassmann, and their successors established the Berlin School of Legal Medicine, which has been playing an important role for the subject’s progress in the German-speaking area until today. Regardless of the accepted scientific achievements, the institute fell victim to the Berlin policy of austerity after 2003 leading to staff reduction and the closure of the historical location. Since the new appointment to the chair in 2007 and the junction of the subject in Berlin-Moabit there is now the chance for a new impetus of forensic medicine in the German capital.