[Dangerous liasions - Swedish-German contacts in Nazi medicine 1933-1945].
Sweden and Germany have developed extensive scientific, economical and cultural contacts since many centuries. During the nazi period in Germany 1933-1945 several Swedish physicians, although still a minority, were influences by the ideology of nazi medicine, often following an outspoken admiration for German science and culture in the first place. THe most prominent representative of Swedish nazi-oriented physicians was Ake Berglund (1898-1976), Alsten, Stockholm. He was working as a general practitioner and became the writer of several papers and pamphlets on questions related to the development in Germany and issues of public health. His interest in social medicine was combined with the ideology of racial biology and selection on health grounds. DUring the war years, Berglund was active in different nazi organisations and therefore under surveillance by the Swedish security police, which resulted in several classified reports on his political activities. In 1954, Berglund tried to defend an academic thesis on his ideological visions of a social medicine serving the race and the people. This thesis was however rejected by the Board of Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, due to shortcomings and ideological biases. In retrospect it seems as if Ake Berglund was a complicated man and physician travelling a hard road on his way to nazi political ideology, marked by problems and heated debates with political antagonists. At the end of his life, Berglund turned into a Christian believer, and defended things that might not have been the case during his earlier years. Further studies will explore other Swedish-German contacts in medicine during this period.
Nilsson
Peter M
PM
Department of Medical History, University of Lund.
D005194:Family Practice / Q000266:history; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D028683:National Socialism / Q000266:history*; D012936:Social Medicine / Q000266:history*; D013548:Sweden