Hans Asperger

Johann Friedrich Karl Asperger (/ˈæspɜːrɡər/; German: [ˈhans ˈaspɛɐ̯ɡɐ]; 18 February 1906 – 21 October 1980) was an Austrian physician. Noted for his early studies on atypical neurology, specifically in children, he is the namesake of the autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome. He wrote more than 300 publications on psychological disorders that posthumously acquired international renown in the 1980s. His diagnosis of autism, which he termed "autistic psychopathy", garnered controversy.

Further controversy arose in the late 2010s over allegations that Asperger referred children to the Am Spiegelgrund children's clinic in Vienna during the Nazi period. The clinic was responsible for murdering hundreds of disabled children deemed to be "unworthy of life" as part of the Third Reich's child euthanasia programs (as part of the T4 Programme), although subsequent peer-reviewed studies indicate that there is no evidence that Asperger was aware of or intentionally involved in the child euthanasia program. A 2022 study by Ernst Tatzer, Werner Maleczek, and Franz Waldhauser examined original clinical records and referral practices in Vienna and concluded that there is no evidence that Hans Asperger was aware of the child euthanasia programme at the time of specific referrals to Am Spiegelgrund, nor any indication that he knowingly participated in such activities.

A 2024 study by Klaus Schepker and Christine Freitag confirms that Hans Asperger did not violate professional medical ethics during the Nazi period, did not participate in or recommend child euthanasia, and that fatal decisions were made exclusively by other physicians responsible for patient transfers and reporting. The analysis provides a detailed reconstruction of patient transfers and diagnoses.

A further study published in 2025 by Ernst Tatzer and Werner Maleczek re-examined Hans Asperger's involvement in the Gugging Commission. The authors state that no evidence indicates that Asperger was aware of the covert homicidal objectives associated with the operation later known as Aktion Jekelius, noting that these objectives were not part of the information officially conveyed to commission members.