Georg Hartog Gerson
Encyclopedia
Georg Hartog Gerson was a medical doctor and surgeon in the King's German Legion
during the Napoleonic Wars.
Dr. Gerson was born in Hamburg
. He came from a family of doctors who had been living and working in Hamburg and Altona
since the 17th century. His grandfather was the principal of the Jewish hospital in Altona, his father and elder brothers were also medical doctors. After his education at home, he visited the secondary grammar school (Gymnasium) and specialised in the classical languages and natural sciences (especially in botany). He studied from 1805 at the university of Berlin
and from 1809 at the university of Göttingen
. Here he got his medical doctorate on April 7, 1810. He habilitated in Hamburg in 1811 and then joined the King's German Legion as hospital mate.
, in Southern France, the Lowlands and at the Battle of Waterloo
.
A rare eagerness was seen in the assistant surgeon Gerson of this 5th line battalion, who not only stayed in the carree during the fiercest of fighting, dressing with fervour and skill the wounded of his battalion, but also caring for those of the neighbouring Hanoverian troops. In this way he saved the live of many brave men, voluntary exposing his own life, he rightly gained the admiration of every eyewitness, and Colonel von Ompteda, commander of the brigade, shortly before the charge which cost his life, expressed his great appreciation publicly.
After the battle Gerson was in charge of the Hôpital de la Gendàmerie in Brussels
.
. There his memorial can still be seen today. The inscription on one side reads:
Mitissimus Aggressor — Acerrimus Defensor (a mild aggressor — a sharp defender).
His uniform jacket, that he (presumably) wore at the battle of Waterloo is in the hamburgmuseum
, the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte ( Museum for the History of Hamburg). It is believed to be the only jacket of a surgeon of the British/allied forces from the Napoleonic times, still in existence.
King's German Legion
The King's German Legion was a British Army unit of expatriate German personnel, 1803–16. The Legion achieved the distinction of being the only German force to fight without interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars....
during the Napoleonic Wars.
Dr. Gerson was born in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. He came from a family of doctors who had been living and working in Hamburg and Altona
Altona, Hamburg
Altona is the westernmost urban borough of the German city state of Hamburg, on the right bank of the Elbe river. From 1640 to 1864 Altona was under the administration of the Danish monarchy. Altona was an independent city until 1937...
since the 17th century. His grandfather was the principal of the Jewish hospital in Altona, his father and elder brothers were also medical doctors. After his education at home, he visited the secondary grammar school (Gymnasium) and specialised in the classical languages and natural sciences (especially in botany). He studied from 1805 at the university of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and from 1809 at the university of Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
. Here he got his medical doctorate on April 7, 1810. He habilitated in Hamburg in 1811 and then joined the King's German Legion as hospital mate.
Military career
As soon as August 12, 1811 he was proposed for the position of Assistant Surgeon and received this commission on September 6, 1811 for the 5th Line Battalion, King's German Legion. He saw action in the PeninsulaPeninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, in Southern France, the Lowlands and at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
.
A rare eagerness was seen in the assistant surgeon Gerson of this 5th line battalion, who not only stayed in the carree during the fiercest of fighting, dressing with fervour and skill the wounded of his battalion, but also caring for those of the neighbouring Hanoverian troops. In this way he saved the live of many brave men, voluntary exposing his own life, he rightly gained the admiration of every eyewitness, and Colonel von Ompteda, commander of the brigade, shortly before the charge which cost his life, expressed his great appreciation publicly.
After the battle Gerson was in charge of the Hôpital de la Gendàmerie in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
Civilian career
After the legion was dissolved in 1816 he returned to Hamburg and was in the beginning mainly working as an author, but his surgery was expanding quickly and he gained a reputation as doctor and surgeon. In 1833 he was appointed as teacher for anatomy at the medical-surgery school and worked also from time to time as chief surgeon at the Allgemeine Krankenhaus. In 1839 he became sick with a chronicle disease which led to his sudden death on December 3, 1844 in Hamburg. His graveside was in the Jewish cemetery the Grindelfriedhof. In the time of the Third Reich the cemetery was dissolved and the dead were reburied with their gravestones in the Jewish Cemetery OhlsdorfOhlsdorf Cemetery
-External links:* *...
. There his memorial can still be seen today. The inscription on one side reads:
Mitissimus Aggressor — Acerrimus Defensor (a mild aggressor — a sharp defender).
His uniform jacket, that he (presumably) wore at the battle of Waterloo is in the hamburgmuseum
Hamburgmuseum
The hamburgmuseum , also known as Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte , is a history museum located in the city of Hamburg in northern Germany. The museum was established at its current location in 1922, although its parent organization was started in 1839. The museum was named hamburgmuseum in 2006...
, the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte ( Museum for the History of Hamburg). It is believed to be the only jacket of a surgeon of the British/allied forces from the Napoleonic times, still in existence.
Publications
- Magazin der ausländischen Litteratur der gesammten Heilkunde (Editor 1817–19 and 1821–35, Hamburg) (de)
- De forma corneae oculi humani (Dissertation, Göttingen 1810) (Latin)
- Über den Hospitalbrand nach eigenen, während des spanischen Befreiungskrieges und in Belgien gemachten Erfahrungen (Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg 1817) (de)
Literature in German and English
- http://kvk.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de/hylib-bin/kvk/nph-kvk2.cgi?maske=kvk-last&title=UB+Karlsruhe%3A+Karlsruher+Virtueller+Katalog+KVK+%3A+Ergebnisanzeige&header=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de%2Fkvk%2Fkvk%2Fkvk-header_de_2006_11.html&spacer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de%2Fkvk%2Fkvk%2Fkvk-spacer_de_2006_11.html&footer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de%2Fkvk%2Fkvk%2Fkvk-footer_de_2006_11.html&css=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ubka.uni-karlsruhe.de%2Fkvk%2Fkvk%2Fkvk-neu2.css&input-charset=utf-8&kvk-session=7T2WK7IN&ALL=%22Georg+Hartog+Gerson%22&TI=&PY=&AU=&SB=&CI=&SS=&ST=&PU=&VERBUENDE=&kataloge=SWB&kataloge=BVB&kataloge=NRW&kataloge=HEBIS&kataloge=HEBIS_RETRO&kataloge=KOBV&kataloge=GBV&kataloge=DDB&kataloge=STABI_BERLIN&kataloge=TIB&kataloge=OEVK_GBV&kataloge=VD16&kataloge=VD17&kataloge=ZDB&OESTERREICH=&kataloge=BIBOPAC&kataloge=LBOE&kataloge=OENB_1501&kataloge=OENB_1930&kataloge=OENB_1992&SCHWEIZ=&kataloge=HELVETICAT&kataloge=BASEL&kataloge=ZUERICH&kataloge=ETH&kataloge=VKCH_RERO&kataloge=COPAC&kataloge=BL&kataloge=LOC_DIREKT&kataloge=NLM&target=_blank&Timeout=120Literatur von und über Georg Hartog Gerson im Karlsruher Virtuellen Katalog] (de)
- Beamish, N.Ludlow: History of the King's German Legion, 2 Vol. 1832 and 1837. (reprint) Naval & Military Press, Dallington, East Sussex, 1997, 2 Volumes ISBN 0-952201-10-0
- Beamish, N.Ludlow: Geschichte der Königlich Deutschen Legion Band 2 1837 ('Google books' page 387f )
- Führer durch das Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte (Guide through the Museum for Hamburg’s History) (de)
- Michael, J.: Geschichte des ärztlichen Vereins und seiner Mitglieder, Hamburg 1896 (de)
- Schröder: Lexikon hamburgischer Schriftsteller 1854 (de)
External links
- King's German Legion (de)