Emil Knauer

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Emil Knauer (27 February 1867 – 11 May 1935) was an Austrian gynecologist and obstetrician. He was born in Preßburg (now Bratislava) in Austria-Hungary and died in Graz, Austria. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna, where he trained in pathology and internal medicine and earned his doctorate in 1891. He worked at Theodor Billroth’s surgical clinic and later at the II University Women’s Hospital, where he qualified in obstetrics and gynecology in 1901.

In 1903, Knauer became a professor at the University of Graz, where he expanded the university’s women’s clinic and led it for almost 32 years. He played a key role in the early development of gynecological endocrinology. His research showed that hormonal control influences sexual function and that the ovaries produce a substance with internal secretory effects. He conducted ovarian transplantation experiments in rabbits, work that was later confirmed by Josef Halban and Ludwig Fraenkel. Because of these contributions, Knauer is considered a pioneer in gynecological endocrinology.

Knauer taught several notable students, including Paul Mathes, Hermann Knaus, and Hans Zacherl. He was married and had eight children. He published works on ovarian transplantation in the late 1890s and 1900.