Van Swieten's "Kampf"

I recently had the opportunity to read a 1942 book on Gerard van Swieten: Gerard van Swieten: Leben, Werk und Kamp by Harm Theodorus van Heuveln (printed by Boekdrukkerij G. Keizer, Veendam). As far as I can gather, this was a thesis written to obtain a Doctorate at the Rijks-Universitet in Groningen. The little book focuses on a few aspects of van Swieten's life and work, including his work as a censor. In fact, van Heuveln has even translated some of van Swieten's stenographic notes on the books he read as a censor, and the book contains a few interesting examples in facsimile.

However there is another aspect of van Heuveln's book that becomes obvious when you read it. In particular, van Heuveln's use of the word "Kampf" gains a very specific connotation. At the beginning of a chapter called "Ursachen und Anfang van Swieten's Kampfes", it is related how Catholic Austria tried to prevent the intrusion of dangerous thoughts by censorship, and van Heuveln compares this with contemporary events: "ganz wie der National Sozialismus in unseren Zeiten vor 10. Mai 1940" (May 10th 1940 was the date of the German occupation of the Netherlands in WWII).

Later on, van Heuveln refers to van Swieten's "Unverträglichkeit gegen die Juden". Van Heuveln claims that van Swieten was opposed to the practice of Jewish physicians, and that it was on his advice that Jewish physicians were prohibited from aiding residents of Austria, Jews included. This makes van Heuveln attribute to van Swieten a "Judenhasz", i.e. hate of Jews, and allows him to create a connection to recent events, including the laws that followed contemporary person's "Kampf", the Nuremberg laws:

"Bald nach der Machtübernahme am 30. januar 1933 folgte die Einführung der Nürnberger Gesetze am 15. September 1935. Diese finden heute schon während des Weltkriegs eine schnelle Ausbreitung über ganz Europa damit den Juden für immer ins Verderben führender Einflusz auf die arische Bevölkerung zum Wohle Europas entnommen wird. Auch hierin war van Swieten uns also klar und fest vorausgegangen."

And no doubt, this is one of the reasons why van Heuveln concludes that:

"Van Swieten war also nicht nur ein hervorragender Arzt und grosser Reformator, er war der Grundleger der heutigen Heilkunde in Österreich und Gründer der später so berühmten Wiener Schule.

Dadurch war er nicht nur ein grosser Niederländer, er diente hiermit der ganzen germanischen Welt.

Als solcher verdient er in allen Zeiten gewisz volle Würdigung und Anerkennung.

Möge sein Beispiel eine Lehre sein und zur näheren Einheit führen!"

There is no mention of van Swieten's remarks on vampirism or of his role in fighting superstition, but the 65 page thesis does contain some interesting background material for those who are interested in van Swieten. Caution is however obviously required, considering the 'Germanic' bias of van Heuveln.