Hans Asperger | |
|---|---|
 Asperger in the 1940s | |
| Born | Johann Friedrich Karl Asperger 18 February 1906 |
| Died | 21 October 1980 (aged 74) Vienna, Austria |
| Education | University of Vienna |
| Known for | Writing on "autistic psychopathy" Eponym of Asperger syndrome |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Physician |
| Institutions | University Children's Hospital, Vienna |
| Sub-specialties | Pediatrics |
| Research | Autism |
Johann Friedrich Karl Asperger (/ˈæspɜːrɡər/, German: [hans ˈʔaspɛɐ̯ɡɐ]; 18 February 1906 – 21 October 1980[1]) was an Austrian physician. Noted for his early studies on atypical neurology, specifically in children, he is the namesake of the former autism spectrum disorder Asperger syndrome. He wrote more than 300 publications on psychological disorders that posthumously acquired international renown in the 1980s. His diagnosis of autism, which he termed "autistic psychopathy," garnered controversy. Further controversy arose in the late 2010s over allegations that Asperger referred children to the Am Spiegelgrund children's clinic in Vienna during the Nazi period. The clinic was responsible for murdering hundreds of disabled children, although the extent of Asperger's knowledge of this fact and his intentions in referring patients to the clinic remains unknown.[2][3]