Racial-related, Names Of Two 19th Century Swedish Professors Removed From Streets, Laboratories And Halls

Karolinska Institutet Swedia. (Wikimedia Commons / Oscar Franzén)

JAKARTA - An institute in Sweden has canceled awards for two prominent professors, removing their names from street names, laboratories, and halls because they are racially related.

Father and son of 19th-century scientists Anders and Gustaf Retzius, long been lauded for their contributions to the study of anatomy and histology. However, their legacy has been marred by an interest in racial studies.

The Karolinska Institute, Sweden's leading medical research institute, has decided to rename the street, laboratory, and hall after the famous 19th-century professor Anders Retzius and his son Gustaf.

The stated reason behind the name change was their interest in racial biology, which supposedly reflects a set of values that the institute no longer supports. The institute explained that its firm belief is that all people have the same values.

A 23-time Nobel Prize nominee, histology professor Gustaf Retzius has been lauded for his contributions to the histology of sensory organs and the nervous system, but is also known for his interest in a branch of racial studies that is currently dismissed as "scientific racism", citing Sputnik News November 3.

His father Anders Retzius, a professor of anatomy and supervisor at the Karlinska Institute, is credited with a number of anatomical discoveries, including the cranial index.

However, both father and son view the Nordic race as the pinnacle of mankind and are known for studying the Finnish skull, which in recent years has become a hot issue between the two countries, to prove their point.

"It is difficult to find the right balance. The stories behind the names are valuable because they can inspire discussion, but one should also not praise what Retzius did. This is a difficult decision to make, but I think it is necessary," explained the Chancellor of the Institute. Karolinska Ole Petter Ottersen to national broadcaster SVT.

However, the statue of father and son will remain, but will be removed.

"We'll be relocating and re-contextualizing the statues, in a context where you see what they do with their views on racial biology," Ottersen explains.

When asked whether the name change would be more relevant in the future, the chancellor confirmed that his remarks would not be the last and welcomed positive discussions.

The Solna-based Karolinska Institute is a research-led medical university, also known to host the Nobel Assembly which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Last year, dozens of memorials and statues seen as tributes to slave traders, colonists and racists were renamed or taken down, amid the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the western world, despite initially opposing police brutality in the United States.

While protesters during riots in the US targeted over statues of the Confederates and other Columbus, instances of the removal of the Founding Fathers are not uncommon. Recently, the NYC Council decided to remove the statue of Thomas Jefferson, citing his history as a slave owner.