Rahel Hirsch

In 1906, Rahel Hirsch was the first scientist to demonstrate that small solid particles – of no more than 0.1 mm – could penetrate the kidneys and pass into the urine: the previous belief had been that this was only possible with liquids.

Hirsch tried to bring attention to women's public health by raising awareness about hygiene, nutrition, and physical strengthening.

[2] As Jewish persecution by the Nazis gathered momentum, Hirsch lost her professional opportunities, culminating in the cancellation of her license to practice medicine in 1938.

Her treatment by the Nazis manifested itself in the form of depression, hallucinations and a persecution complex; as a result, she was committed to Friern Hospital in North London, where she died on 6 October 1953.

Many internal medicine textbooks refer to the “Hirsch Effekt” and the State of Israel honored her by including her in the gallery of Famous Jewish Scientists in Jerusalem.

[3] Germany issued a postage stamp in 2013 to commemorate the centenary of Rahel Hirsch being appointed as the first female professor of medicine in the Kingdom of Prussia.

[8][9] The Charité/Berlin Institute of Health's new Ambulanz-, Translations- und Innovationszentrum was topped out in July 2020 and on 19 January 2023 was named the "Rahel Hirsch Center for Translational Medicine".

The ceremony was attended by the current Mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey, as well as Charité officials and Hirsch's relatives from London.