Our surgical heritage: the surgical school of Halle

The knowledge of the historical development of surgery including its increa sing specialization is important for our efforts to preserve the unity of s urgery. In the past distinguished surgeons essentially influenced the progr ess of surgery. The list of the directors of the surgical department of the Halle university hospital in the last 150 years with the outstanding Richa rd von Volkmann is an excellent example for this influence and will be pres ented here.