Eduard Bloch - Hitler Family Doctor

Hitler Family Doctor

The first member of the Hitler family Bloch was to see was Adolf Hitler. In 1904, Hitler had become seriously ill and was bedridden due to a serious lung ailment. Due to this, he was allowed to abandon his school career and return home. However, after checking Hitler's files Bloch later maintained that he had treated the youth for only minor ailments, cold, or tonsilitis and that Hitler had been neither robust nor sickly. He also stated that Hitler did not have any illness whatsoever, let alone a lung disease.

In 1907 Hitler's mother, Klara Hitler was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died on December 21 after intense suffering that required daily medication usually given by Bloch. Because of the poor economic situation of the Hitler family at that time, Bloch had been working for reduced prices, sometimes taking no money at all. The then 18 year old Hitler granted him his "everlasting gratitude" for this ("Ich werde Ihnen ewig dankbar sein"). This showed in 1908 when Hitler wrote Bloch a postcard assuring him of his gratitude. Young Hitler expressed his gratitude and reverence to Bloch with handmade gifts, for example, a large wall painting which according to Bloch's daughter Gertrude (Trude) Kren (*1903 in Austria, +1992 in USA) was lost in the course of time. Even in 1937, Hitler inquired about Bloch's well-being and called him an "Edeljude" (noble Jew).

Bloch also apparently had a special fondness for the Hitler family which was to serve him well in the future.

Read more about this topic:  Eduard Bloch

Famous quotes containing the words hitler, family and/or doctor:

    The art of leadership ... consists in consolidating the attention of the people against a single adversary and taking care that nothing will split up that attention.... The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to one category.
    —Adolf Hitler (1889–1945)

    I duly acknowledge that I have gone through a long life, with fewer circumstances of affliction than are the lot of most men. Uninterrupted health, a competence for every reasonable want, usefulness to my fellow-citizens, a good portion of their esteem, no complaint against the world which has sufficiently honored me, and above all, a family which has blessed me by their affections, and never by their conduct given me a moment’s pain.
    Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

    One teacher should not talk about another, nor should a doctor discuss a colleague.
    Chinese proverb.