University of Freiburg Faculty of Medicine - History

History

The Faculty of Medicine was one of the original four faculties constituting the University of Freiburg when it was founded in 1457. At first, the faculty consisted of only a single professor and few students. Medical education in the early modern era was mainly marked by theory and the reading of texts from classical and Arabic works that had been translated to Latin. As was common at the time, little emphasis was placed on patient care and bedside teaching in the curriculum and academic medicine shared the health care market with other professions such as barber surgeons, midwives, and lithtomists. During the period of enlightened absolutism, a new interest by the state in philanthropy saw the founding of several secular hospitals, a development which also revolutionized the medical curricula. Clinical classes were introduced and the university's first own clinic was founded in 1751.

The 19th century marked the dawn of modern scientific medicine, a development that was also very present in Freiburg. At the time, German universities were leading in the sciences, attracting talent from across the globe. This held true for Freiburg as well, as the university and, in particular, its medical faculty, were home to famous scientists and physicians. At the start of the 20th century, the Faculty of Medicine possessed a number of clinics spread out over Freiburg. Plans to merge these clinics into a main building complex were delayed by the onset of World War I. After the war, the clinics were merged at one location to form the University Medical Center, a set of buildings that still form the main campus today. During the Weimar Republic, Freiburg was able to maintain its reputation despite the turbulent times, mending ties with the international academic community. During the Third Reich, the university and its faculties participated in the expulsion of Jewish faculty members and students and most department chairs offered their services to the regime. The pathologist Franz Büchner formed a notable exception when publicly speaking out against the Nazi euthanasia program, the only known protest of a prominent physician against the program.

During World War II, the University Medical Center was badly damaged in a British bombing raid in 1944. After the end of the war, the medical faculty was confronted with the tedious task of reconstruction. The Medical Center was rebuilt and expanded. The second half of the 20th century saw the re-establishment of Freiburg as a leading center for university medicine in Europe as investments in research and the development of novel therapies fueled the Medical Centers growth. Today, the Faculty of Medicine is one of Germany's most popular medical schools.