Hans Asperger Biography

Johann "Hans" Friedrich Karl Asperger (/ˈæspərɡər/; German: [hans ˈaspɛʁɡɐ], 18 February 1906 – 21 October 1980) was an Austrian pediatrician, medical theorist, and medical professor. He is best known for his early studies on mental disorders, especially in children. His work was largely unnoticed during his lifetime except for a few accolades in Vienna, and his studies on psychological disorders only acquired world renown posthumously. He wrote over 300 publications, mostly concerning a condition he termed autistic psychopathy (AP). There was a resurgence of interest in his work beginning in the 1980s, and due to his earlier work on autism spectrum disorders, Asperger syndrome (AS), was named after him. Both Asperger's original paediatric diagnosis of AP and the eponymous diagnosis of AS that was named after him several decades later have been controversial. Hans Asperger aided Nazi child euthanasia who was responsible for the killing of 5000 disabled children.