German professional associations have taken a long time to begin commemorating and publishing collective biographies of their members who were persecuted, forced to emigrate, or driven to suicide during the time of the Third Reich. One recent commemorative book was Kinderärzte 1933-1945 (see RREA 6:327), which was published in a new edition Jüdische Kinderärzte 1933-1945 (see RREA 13:260). The first edition of Kinderärzte was used as a model for the 2006 first edition of Verfolgte deutschsprachige Pharmakologen 1933-1945, which already appeared in a second edition in 2008.

A new editor added two biographies, enhanced the biographical information, and included a new extensive introduction. This introduction (pp. 1-67) accounts for almost half the book and includes seven sections about: anti-Semitism before 1933/1938; dismissal, persecution, and emigration; Jewish pharmacologists in the industry; the host countries of the emigrants (the USA leads with 43%, followed by Great Britain with 29%, and ten other countries ); science emigration; opportunism, opposition, and resistance; and the years after 1945. This introduction is closely connected to the main part of the book by means of bold printed names of the scientists mentioned in the introduction. The work includes short biographies of 71 pharmacologists from Germany, Austria, and Prague. The curriculum-vitae style allows one to learn about each of pharmacologists’ education, reasons for emigration, membership in scientific associations, and sources of the information. Unfortunately, there are no bibliographies for any of the pharmacologists included. It would have been helpful if at least the obituaries that include a bibliography had been noted. [sh/mr]

Europäische Bildungsströme: die Viadrina im Kontext der europäischen Gelehrtenrepublik der Frühen Neuzeit (1506 -1811) [European Developments in Higher Education: The Viadriana in the Context of the Republic of Scholars in Early Modern Europe,1506-1811]. Ed. Reinhard Blänkner. Schöneiche bei Berlin: Scrîpvaz-Verlag Krauskopf, 2008. 365 p. 24 cm. ISBN 978-3-931278-29-8: EUR 50 [08-1/2-253]

Many universities founded in the early modern period have celebrated multi-centennial anniversaries in this decade (2000-2010). Founded in 1506 as the state university for Brandenburg, the Viadrina was the last institution of higher learning established before the Protestant Reformation began in earnest. In 2006 the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt/Oder, Germany observed this 500th anniversary in collaboration with the Collegium Polonicum in Słubice, which lies just across the Oder River Bridge in Poland. On this occasion the two institutions held a colloquium. The 15 papers presented there are printed in this book.

The introduction presents an in-depth overview of the history of this University at the Oder River. It examines its relationship to the “big” university—the Humboldt University in Berlin. Another essay studies its relationship to Wittenberg and the historical context during the time of the Reformation. Since 1613 the Viadrina was influenced by Calvinism, which resulted in close relationships to several Dutch universities. Though the Viadrina was an important Calvinistic school, it could not compete with the university in Halle, Germany. The present proceedings are not intended to be a complete history of the Viadrina. The essays, however, are based on a large of sources that are important pieces of a complete presentation. Overall, the essays confirm that the university, according to enrollment and reputation, was never ranked among the top but rather as average. Nonetheless, students always received a solid education at the Viadrina. [mk/mr]

“... für deutsche Geschichts- und Quellenforschung”: 150 Jahre Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften [For German Historical Research: 150 Years of the Historical Commission of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences]. Ed. Lothar Gall. München: Oldenbourg, 2008. 382 p. ill. 24 cm. ISBN 978-3-486-58286-4: EUR 49.80 [08-1/2-260]

150 Jahre Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften: eine Chronik [150 Years of the Historical Commission of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences: A Chronology]. Helmut Neuhaus. München: Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008. 197 p. ill. 24 cm. ISBN 978-3-929691-12-2: EUR 10 [08-1/2-261]