Otto Walkhoff (1860–1934) – Model scientist and early National Socialist

Introduction: Otto Walkhoff is considered one of the most important dentists of the early 20th century. But while he gained lasting fame as the eponym of scientific developments ("Walkhoff-Paste", "Walkhoff-Aufreiber"), the knowledge about his personality and the background of his retirement is rather fragmentary. His relationship to National Socialism has received even less attention. The present contribution takes the existing gaps in research as an opportunity for a synoptic analysis of Walkhoff's life and work. Material and methods: Archival files, an autobiographical writing by Walkhoff (1934) and the "History of the Walkhoff Family" published in 1939 are the basis of this study. In addition, a comprehensive re-analysis of secondary sources (doctoral theses, specialist essays, eulogies, necrologists) on Walkhoff and his environment was carried out. Results: Walkhoff was a pioneer in dental radiology and endodontics and the doyen of the dental doctorate. On the other hand, he was in clinches with colleagues and authorities for decades, which ultimately led to his forced early retirement. In political terms, Walkhoff joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) at an unusually early stage (1929). Discussion and conclusion: Walkhoff was exceptionally well recognised in his field, but highly controversial as a personality. He joined the NSDAP at a time when it was neither politically opportune nor career-enhancing. He remained faithful to Nazi ideology until his death, and in 1934 – and thus one year after the change of power – he explicitly positioned himself as a supporter of Hitler. At the same time, he placed himself at a critical distance from two democratic parties, the BVB and SPD, which both were dissolved in 1933. Keywords: DGZMK, NSDAP, National Socialism, radiology, tooth preservation