The tragic life of Hans Joachim Scherer (1906-1945), brilliant neuropathologist and victim of political arbitrariness, envy, vindictiveness, and calumny

M. Scherer, J. Berciano
Neurosciences and History 2022;10(3):101-125

Type of article: REVIEW

AUTHORS

M. Scherer, J. Berciano^1
1Professor emeritus ad honorem, University of Cantabria, University Hospital “Marqués de Valdecilla (IDIVAL)”, “Biomedical Research Network on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)”, Santander, Spain.

ABSTRACT

Introduction. In 1997, a first biography of the neuropathologist Hans Joachim Scherer, written in German, was published by Jürgen Peiffer. Unfortunately, he relied on a biographical note on Scherer, divulged 10 years earlier as a typescript, by Klaus Joachim Zülch. In doing so, Peiffer published misleading information which damaged Scherer’s reputation.

Development. In a careful analysis of Peiffer’ s text, these mistakes are pointed out and corrected. After that, a circumstantial description of Scherer’ s life, based on documented facts, is given. Particularly in the Belgian period from October 1933 until January 1942, for which Peiffer admitted having encountered many lacunae and also incongruities, new and unexpected knowledge is revealed. Finally, we discuss how Scherer became the victim of envy and slander, and why he was ordered to go back to Germany after the invasion of Belgium by the Nazis.

Conclusions. The study of Hans Joachim Scherer’s life shows how easily somebody can be unjustly accused of crime and be defamed, because his first biography was published without the so necessary caution concerning the sources of information. Therefore, the present paper should be considered as a plea for more circumspection and accuracy in biographical notes and data in general.

KEYWORDS

Hans Joachim Scherer, Ludo van Bogaert, Viktor von Weizsäcker, Hugo Spatz, Klaus Joachim Zülch, Jürgen Peiffer, Nazism

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Appendix I-V

Neurosciences and History 2022;10(3):101-125