Felicitas Seebacher:
Communicating Politics in the Dissecting Room The Influence of Medical Students and Physicians from Prague Charles-Ferdinand University on the Liberal Model of Human Progress at Vienna University

Abstract

In the first decades of the 19th century, universities in the Habsburg Monarchy were supervised by the government and patronized by the state. The philosopher Bernard Bolzano, professor at the University of Prague, had to leave, as he had incited liberal ideas among students. Due to the lack of career prospects in Bohemia or Moravia, quite a few of them left Prague for Vienna. Believing in the ideals of liberty and equality, especially medical students and young physicians developed a strong oppositional attitude against the government and its university system. In order to put down important liberal ideas in society, the Prague Community in Vienna was deeply involved in the Doctors’ Revolution of 1848. With the university reforms of 1849, a reform process was initiated towards political participation and a modern civil society.

Language: english

Keywords: ideals of liberalism; education; value order; science-based medicine; medical students; political professors; revolution 1848; university reform; modern civil society