Alfred Kantorowicz was a physician born in Germany in 1880 who held various academic and professional positions in dentistry in both Germany and Türkiye. Due to his Jewish heritage and political identity, Kantorowicz was forced to leave Nazi Germany and arrived in Türkiye in 1933, where he played a key role in establishing modern dental education at Istanbul University. He left Türkiye in 1950 and died in Bonn in 1962.

Early Life and Scientific Activities in Germany

Alfred Kantorowicz was born on 18 June 1880 in Posen. He began his medical studies in 1901 and completed them in 1905, earning his doctorate in dentistry in 1906. Until 1907 he worked at the Virchow Hospital and the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin. From 1907 to 1909 he served as a surgeon under Professor Garre in Bonn. His academic career began with an assistantship in 1911; in 1912 he was appointed associate professor at the University of Munich, became a full professor in 1918, and in 1923 was named ordinary professor at the University of Bonn.

Nazi Era and Exile

In 1932 Kantorowicz became the target of racist attacks due to his Jewish identity and membership in the Social Democratic Party. In 1933 he was arrested and sent to the Börgermoor and Lichtenburg concentration camps. Later that same year, upon invitation from the Republic of Türkiye, he was released from the camp and arrived in Istanbul. It is recorded that his release was secured through the personal intervention of Atatürk.

Academic Activities in Türkiye

Arriving in Istanbul on 5 November 1933, Kantorowicz became the first director of the School of Dentistry at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine. He restructured the educational curriculum and initiated surgical prosthesis applications in 1935. He also undertook external duties, providing dental treatment to Atatürk, İsmet İnönü, and Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran.

Citizenship Application and Personal Life

In 1936 he married Elsa Trapp. Although he applied for Turkish citizenship in 1945, his request was not approved. He left Türkiye in 1950 but did not sever his ties with the country; in 1957 he returned to deliver lectures at Istanbul University again.

Publications and Final Years

During his professional life in Türkiye, Kantorowicz contributed to the translation of several textbooks into Turkish. He returned to Germany in 1950 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bonn in 1955. He served as a health consultant until his death on 6 March 1962 in Bonn.