The tragedy of a woman who got her PhD at the age of 102

In a world where age often sets limits, there are extraordinary individuals who defy social norms and achieve remarkable feats.

One such person is Dr. Ingeborg Syllm-Rapoport - a woman who achieved the unprecedented feat of earning a doctorate at the age of 102. Behind her incredible achievement is a story tinged with tragedy.

Rapoport's Jewish background prevented him from defending his doctoral thesis.

Rejected because of ancestry

Ingeborg Syllm-Rapoport was born on September 2, 1912 in Germany. Her father was a businessman, her mother was of Jewish origin. It was this origin that influenced Ingeborg Syllm's life.

According to The Wall Street Journal , when she was 16, her parents divorced. Syllm-Rapoport studied medicine at the University of Hamburg and passed the state medical exam in 1937. The following year, she submitted her doctoral thesis on diphtheria.

However, Rapoport was classified by the Nazis as a "Mischling" (i.e., a person of both Jewish and Aryan ancestry), so she was not allowed to defend her thesis and was denied a medical degree.

Her thesis supervisor wrote to her privately, saying that he would have accepted the thesis "if there were no racial laws in place".

She decided to go to America to pursue a medical career.

Her thirst for knowledge and determination drove her to pursue higher education. She was forced to leave her homeland and immigrate to the United States in 1938. She practiced at medical schools in Brooklyn, New York, Baltimore, Maryland, and Akron, Ohio.

Rapoport completed her graduate studies at the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and received her medical degree. She worked as a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, then became chief of outpatient services before returning to her hometown in 1952.

Determined to take the exam, not receive an honorary doctorate

In 2015, the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hamburg decided to correct the injustice of the Nazis when they did not allow Rapoport to defend his doctoral thesis.

At first, the dean of the medical school offered her an honorary doctorate, but she insisted on having her entire dissertation, written 77 years earlier, updated to reflect new research advances in the field, orally examined. The unique doctoral defense took place at her home when she was 102 years old.

After the examination, the head of the medical department exclaimed: "Mrs. Rapoport is absolutely outstanding. Her specific knowledge of the latest developments in medicine is unbelievable."

Rapoport defends her nearly 80-year-old dissertation.

“We cannot erase the injustices that have been done, but our understanding of the past will shape our perspective for the future,” the dean said.

Syllm-Rapoport emphasized in her acceptance speech that she had made every effort to obtain a doctorate at this age not for herself but for all those who suffered injustice during the Third Reich.

"For me personally, the degree doesn't mean anything, but to support the great goal of access to history - I want to be part of that," Syllm-Rapoport told German broadcaster NDR .

The rise of Nazi Germany forced Rapoport to leave her homeland and abandon her burgeoning career. The loss of career opportunities and the devastation caused by the war cast a shadow over her life. It was not until late in life that Rapoport found the opportunity to rekindle her intellectual passions.

The inspiring story of Dr. Ingeborg Syllm-Rapoport at the age of 102 is a tragic one with a humane ending. She is a symbol of resilience, perseverance and the indomitable spirit of the human being.

Rapoport passed away on March 23, 2017, at the age of 104, but her determination to pursue her dream despite great adversity will forever inspire future generations.

(Source: Vietnamnet/Wall Street Journal)

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Source: https://vtc.vn/bi-kich-cua-cu-ba-lay-bang-tien-si-o-tuoi-102-ar784124.html