Doctor Hans Asperger: Is He The Hero Autism/Aspergers Need?
Welcome back to the Audacious Aspie! This week, we continue to take a peek into the brighter side of Dr. Hans Asperger. We will finish it off this week, giving us a better understanding of both sides of the argument, and still retain the friends you have without unfriending them on social media, over the phone or in person. Now, if you can please take a small break from trying to break a bottle over your neighbor over different views of the man, or staring at me intensely with the hope the I’ll suddenly burn up in flames (I wont, I put on extra sunscreen today), we can get back to the topic.
As much as you may hate me pursuing an article estoling him as a Nazi stooge, or another one for extolling him as an misunderstood hero, the fires of hell won’t seer my body yet. Though if you pray enough I might burn accidentally my hand on the stove.
Dr. Asperger may, himself, have had Asperger's syndrome, being described as a “remote and lonely child” (History of Asperger Syndrome, sound familiar?), he had problems making friends. And what of his quirks? Hans was particularly interested in an Austrian poet Franz Grillparzer, quoting frequently to his, rather bored, classmates. Not only that, but Hans also loved to quote himself, even “often referred to himself from a third person perspective” (History of Asperger Syndrome), although how much of that is Autism, and how much is arrogance, is up for debate. But, because at this point it would be unusual for us to leave on a positive note concerning him: poor Hans died before his research was widely acknowledged, perhaps unfairly tarred by the Nazi connections he was forced to work with.
But it does not stop there, for in 1981, the term Asperger's Syndrome became popular thanks to a British researcher, Lorna Wing MD, FRCPsych (ever noticed how it sometimes seems that titles like MD were always a part of there name and not giving to them latter on in life? I wonder if there's someone walking around going “hi, I’m mister Jonathan Stone MD”). She was also a founding member of NAS, or National Autistic Society, because of her daughter who has Autism (hmmmm, the interviewee of the previous article involving Dr. Hans started his research because his child has Autism. Starting to sense a pattern here…).
Both had a child with Autism/Aspergers, and then started to do some research on the subject to see what it is all about. Could it be that the connection between them is that...they are parents!?
Not only that, but in doing some research into developmental disorders of her own, she made some discoveries that challenged the old model concerning Autism, presented by a Leo Kanner in 1943 (funny thing, innit? The history of the modern discovery of Autism starts, where else, but in WW2. It can either be a cool little fun fact or bad omen. One of the two).
What where Lorna’s findings? The article does not say. But what it does say is that while Mr. Kanners findings were accepted, poor old Mr. Aspergers where ignored in the English-speaking world. Funny enough though, one of the names of the condition is named Asperger's syndrome, and not Kanners Syndrome. It was not until the 1990’s that Han’s work began to get some attention, and the rest is, will, history. Hans Asperger did not live to see his work recognized by the English-speaking world, dying on October 21st, 1980 in his home town of Vienna at age 74.
Will, that does it for the look onto the brighter side of Mr. Hans Asperger. How do you feel? Vindicated that Hans has been portrayed as the hero you always knew him to be? Disappointed that his Nazi ties have been pushed under the rug? Irritated that, once again, someone has decided to use your rug to hide their dark deeds, and your closet to hide their skeletons? Can’t help you there. But I hope that I helped you (and I) gain a greater understanding of the man whose name sake is a condition that affects many people. Until next time, this continues to be, The Audacious Aspie.
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