Kleine Zeitung, November 6, 2019
German original: https://www.kleinezeitung.at/international/5717479/Nobelpreistraeger_Eric-Kandel-erhielt-den-Goldenen-Rathausmann
Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel celebrated his 90th birthday in Vienna, where he was honored by the City of Vienna and the General Medical Council.
Nobel Laureate in Medicine Eric Kandel was awarded the Goldener Rathausmann (“Golden Man of City Hall”) by Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ). The gift was handed to the neurobiologist, who had had to flee from the NS regime to the United States on the occasion of a small reception at the mayor’s office. It helps to propitiate him with the city even more, Kandell assured.
The Nobel Laureate celebrates his 90th birthday tomorrow, Thursday. On this occasion the jubilarian, who was traveling with his wife and daughter, was invited to City Hall. It is not his first visit during which he was honored. In 2009, he was already named a Honorary Citizen of Vienna – the highest possible honor, Mayor Ludwig affirmed today. With the Goldener Rathausmann he wanted to thank Eric Kandell one more time for his accomplishments – and for the fact that he remained connected with Vienna despite his “very negative memories.”
“Why Didn’t You Bring Back More Jews?”
Ludwig assured that it is a strong concern for the city to remember the time of National Socialism. In addition, he referred to the support of the Jewish Community Vienna. Eric Kandel also asked the mayor about the time immediately following the end of the Nazi dictatorship: “Why did you not bring back more Jews like Germany?” This was indeed a failure in the years following the end of World War II, Ludwig attested. And it is probably connected to the fact that Austria has regarded itself as the first victim of National Socialism for a long time. Only later did the mayors Leopold Gratz and Helmut Zilk, in cooperation with the Jewish Welcome Service, enable many displaced persons to visit Austria.
The younger generation has learned from history and has drawn their conclusions accordingly. However, “one has to be careful,” warned the mayor. Right-wing groups are active again in Austria and in Germany alike.
Such recognitions are very important to him, Kandel declared. Vienna becomes a little bit of home again, things are moving in the right direction: “I love Vienna more.” If he is now reconciled with the city? “It begins.” A return to Vienna to live here again was never an issue, however. The United States and New York have been good to him, he emphasized. Kandel travelled to America as a nine-year old together with his 14 year-old brother: “ I did not have any problems, my brother got seasick.”
Kandel, whose research is devoted to memory and the brain, studied medicine beginning in 1952 and was trained as a psychiatrist. In 1974, he joined Columbia University, where he founded the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior. He is still a professor at Columbia and a senior Scientist with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He still loves to work, he assured: “Practice is best for the brain. I go to work five days a week.”
In the afternoon, the celebrations continued for Kandel: The General Medical Council Vienna conferred its highest honor to the physician, the “Grand Decoration with Ribbon.” This is an “expression of the deep attachment to Eric Kandel and in honor of his extraordinary merits and services in brain science,” the association said beforehand.
Tomorrow, on Thursday, it will be “Happy Birthday Eric” from the University of Vienna and the Medical University Vienna. Both universities organize a Fest für Eric Kandel, which will take place in the presence of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, and former Federal President Heinz Fischer. The laudation will be held by the President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Anton Zeilinger. On Sunday (November 10), Kandell will take part in the third Egon Schiele Symposium at Leopold Museum, where he will speak on “The Age of Insight: The Origins of Modernist Thought.”