Doctor Bloch's Office, Linz

Doctor Eduard Bloch, ethnic Jew, settled in Linz in 1899. Two years later he had opened his own practice, at 12 Landstrasse, and lived here with his family for many years afterwards. The doctor enjoyed great respect from his patients, and was prepared to visit those in need even at night.

His first encounter with Hitler took place in 1904 when Adolf, then a young boy, fell seriously ill in the lungs and was bedridden. Later, however, Dr. Bloch denied having treated Hitler for anything but minor ailments, and described him as neither robust nor sickly. At some point, he even stated that Hitler had never suffered from any illness at all.

Nonetheless, it is a known fact that Dr. Bloch did treat Hitler's mother Klara who was diagnosed with breast cancer and eventually died on December 21, 1907. Because of the family poor economic situation, Dr. Bloch charged the Hitlers minimal fees and sometimes even waived them completely – for which Adolf, then 18, granted him his "everlasting gratitude".

In 1938, following Germany's Anschluss of Austria, Dr. Bloch lost his practice and was forced to close the office. Out of despair, the old doctor then resorted to writing a few letters to his former patient, which, for the goodwill of faith, did reach Adolf Hitler. As an act of exceptional attitude, Führer ordered the Gestapo (Secret State Police of Nazi Germany) to protect Dr. Bloch, his family, and all his possessions.

Dr. Bloch with the relatives emigrated to the U.S. in 1940, where he died five years later. In his memoirs, the doctor characterized Adolf Hitler as an extremely polite and educated young man, who loved his mother dearly and who was idolized by her in return.

Today Dr. Bloch's former office building houses a shopping arcade.