Hans Asperger: the rediscovered maestro. The scientific journey and human tale of one of the most important figures in child neuropsychiatry
Franco Nardocci
Professionals and researchers’ interest in the original work of Asperger on «autistic psychopathy», published in 1944, has never been particularly high, despite the fact that «Asperger’s Syndrome» diagnoses are becoming more and more common. Asperger’s original article not only responds to documentary interest in the historical development of the concept of autism, but it also enables us to discover the originality of Asperger’s thought, who right back in the 30’s defined autism disorder as an expression of a biologically determined, specific cluster of syndromes, to be tackled with strategies aimed at an educational and pedagogical approach. We can also trace in the work reflections of the terrible historical period that Asperger lived through, at the height of Nazism, and identify in him notions which encourage a better understanding of his ethical integrity reflected in his clinical and scientific endeavours. The overall features of his scientific profile place him, albeit belatedly, among the «maestros» who have left a lasting mark on the history of autism.
Keywords
Autism, natural history and social history, Asperger, autistic psychopathy, autistic spectrum, eugenics, curative pedagogy.