Eugen Bircher
Encyclopedia
Eugen Bircher was a Swiss
politician (member of parliament 1942 -1955) and military leader who became associated with a pro-German
position in the inter-war years.
he was a leading promoter of Swiss armement and prepardness between 1934 and 1939. Bircher published al lot of medical, political and military books and articles.
An opponent of immigration
he formed during "Landesgeneralstreik" the Schweizerischer Vaterländischer Verband, SVV in 1918 as a militia and semi-secret society to support his viewpoint. The group became influential amongst army officers in the years following the First World War. The position as Leader of SVV was booseted by Bircher's spells as President of the Swiss Officers Society (1931-7) and editor of the official Swiss Army newspaper (1934-42). An influential figure in society, Bircher numbered the federal councellors Marcel Pilet-Golaz
, Giuseppe Motta
, Eduard von Steiger
, Philipp Etter
, Walther Stampfli and Ernst Wetter
amongst his close political associates.
Bircher sought a close relationship between Switzerland and Nazi Germany
and it has even been alleged that he funded Adolf Hitler
in his early years (although no conclusive evidence has as yet been provided), and his biographer rejects this claim outright. He also organized medical corps for the Eastern Front
on the pretext of anti-communism
.
(Chief Surgeon 1917 - 1932, Director 1932/34 of "Kantonsspital Aarau") by trade and in the 1920s published several ground-breaking papers detailing arthroscopy
procedures on the knee
. Bircher is often considered the inventor of arthroscopy of the knee, although the Japanese surgeon Masaki Watanabe receives primary credit for using arthroscopy for interventional surgery. After diagnosing torn tissue through arthroscopy, Bircher used open surgery to remove or repair the damaged tissue. Initially, he used an electric Jacobaeus thoracolaparoscope for his diagnostic procedures, but later developed a double-contrast approach to improve visibility. Bircher gave up endoscopy in 1930, and his work was largely neglected for several decades.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
politician (member of parliament 1942 -1955) and military leader who became associated with a pro-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
position in the inter-war years.
Military and political career
Bircher came to prominence in the army where he rose to the rank of colonel, the highest used in Switzerland in peacetime. In 1934 he was promoted to Major General (Commander of 4., later 5. Division). Together with Federal Councelor Rudolf MingerRudolf Minger
Rudolf Minger was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council . He also was a farmer all his life....
he was a leading promoter of Swiss armement and prepardness between 1934 and 1939. Bircher published al lot of medical, political and military books and articles.
An opponent of immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
he formed during "Landesgeneralstreik" the Schweizerischer Vaterländischer Verband, SVV in 1918 as a militia and semi-secret society to support his viewpoint. The group became influential amongst army officers in the years following the First World War. The position as Leader of SVV was booseted by Bircher's spells as President of the Swiss Officers Society (1931-7) and editor of the official Swiss Army newspaper (1934-42). An influential figure in society, Bircher numbered the federal councellors Marcel Pilet-Golaz
Marcel Pilet-Golaz
Marcel Pilet-Golaz was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on December 13, 1928 and handed over office on December 31, 1944...
, Giuseppe Motta
Giuseppe Motta
Giuseppe Motta was a Swiss politician, member of the Swiss Federal Council and President of the League of Nations .-Commemoration:...
, Eduard von Steiger
Eduard von Steiger
Eduard von Steiger was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council .He was elected to the Federal Council on December 10, 1940 and handed over office on December 31, 1951...
, Philipp Etter
Philipp Etter
Philipp Etter was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on 28 March 1934 and handed over office on 31 December 1959...
, Walther Stampfli and Ernst Wetter
Ernst Wetter
Ernst Wetter was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 15 December 1938 and handed over office on 31 December 1943. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party....
amongst his close political associates.
Bircher sought a close relationship between Switzerland and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
and it has even been alleged that he funded Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in his early years (although no conclusive evidence has as yet been provided), and his biographer rejects this claim outright. He also organized medical corps for the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
on the pretext of anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
.
Medical career
Bircher was a physicianPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
(Chief Surgeon 1917 - 1932, Director 1932/34 of "Kantonsspital Aarau") by trade and in the 1920s published several ground-breaking papers detailing arthroscopy
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage of the interior of a joint is performed using an arthroscope, a type of endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision...
procedures on the knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
. Bircher is often considered the inventor of arthroscopy of the knee, although the Japanese surgeon Masaki Watanabe receives primary credit for using arthroscopy for interventional surgery. After diagnosing torn tissue through arthroscopy, Bircher used open surgery to remove or repair the damaged tissue. Initially, he used an electric Jacobaeus thoracolaparoscope for his diagnostic procedures, but later developed a double-contrast approach to improve visibility. Bircher gave up endoscopy in 1930, and his work was largely neglected for several decades.