In December 1895, the Minister of Education and Religion, Gyula Wlassics, issued a law allowing women to study at Eötvös Loránd University. Sarolta Steinberger utilized this legislative shift to pursue a career in medicine, becoming the first woman to qualify as a physician within Hungary by 1900.
Early Education and Qualifications
Born in 1875 in Vilok, Steinberger came from an affluent Jewish family. Her initial schooling occurred in private institutions, followed by further education in Kolozsvár. After the 1895 decree opened university doors to women, she enrolled at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. Following her qualification, she dedicated two years to specialized study in gynecology abroad to gain international clinical experience.
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Upon returning to Hungary, Steinberger joined the Feminist Guild and actively contributed to public discourse, publishing a series titled The History of Doctors in 1902. Her professional life included a tenure at the Tauffer clinic, an institution established by William Tauffer in 1888. A significant regulatory hurdle was removed in 1913, when legislation was amended to permit women physicians to practice without the mandatory supervision of a male doctor.
Administrative Career and Retirement
Steinberger took on leadership roles within the medical infrastructure, eventually becoming the director of the National Social Insurance Institute in 1928. She maintained this position until 1944, at which point anti-Jewish legislation barred her from continued professional activity. She retired shortly thereafter and spent her final years in Pesthidegkút, passing away in 1965. She is interred at the Kozma Street Jewish Cemetery in Budapest.
Fast facts
- Born: 1875, Vilok
- Died: 1965, Pesthidegkút
- Education: Eötvös Loránd University
- Profession: Physician, gynecologist
- Burial: Kozma Street Jewish Cemetery
- Primary field of work: Gynaecology
- Citizenship: Hungary
Questions readers ask
Was Sarolta Steinberger the first female doctor in Hungary?
She was the first woman to qualify as a doctor at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, an achievement reported by the Sunday News in 1900.
What medical specialty did she practice?
She specialized in gynecology and served at the Tauffer clinic in Budapest.
Achievements
- Fields: gynaecology
