Arthur Bleier was born on December 23rd, 1874, in Vienna to Ignaz and Pauline (née Stein) Bleier. In 1892 he passed his "Matura" at the Kaiserlich-Koenigliche akademische Gymnasium in Vienna. From 1892 to 1898, he studied medicine at the Kaiserlich-Koenigliche Universitaet, Vienna. From November 1896 to the end of the summer term 1897, he studied as a studiosus medicinae at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet in Heidelberg. In June 24th, 1898, he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine. From 1900 to 1910, Arthur was a medical assistant at the Allgemeine Poliklinik Wien . In 1910, Arthur was appointed director of the newly created department of internal medicine and the laboratory at the Kaiser Franz Joseph Ambulatorium in Vienna. From 1906 onwards, Arthur was an inactive member of the Austrian Landwehr’s medical staff and was promoted every four years: from medical assistant to regiment’s physician, shortly before the outbreak of World War I. Arthur was a member of the kaiserlich-koenigliche Gesellschaft der Aerzte in Wien (since 1908) and the Herzstation (since 1931) and a decorated medical officer in World War I.
On May 3rd, 1904, Arthur married Ottilie Schnabl. Ottilie was born on November 28th, 1879 to Jacob and Emilie "Eva" (née Bloch) Schnabl. They had three children, Lisa (born 1905), Anna (born 1907), and Peter (born 1914). Anna and her husband, Hans Frey, fled Vienna in 1939 to England and then to Chicago. In 1947, Lisa lived in India and Peter in Australia. According to Arthur's obituary, Peter died six months before Arthur, i.e. approximately in August, 1950.
In 1942, Arthur and Ottilie Bleier were deported to Theresienstadt, but survived the Holocaust due to the fact that Arthur had to take care of the slave laborers' health. They returned to Vienna in 1945, and two years later they joined their daughter in Chicago. Arthur died February 2nd, 1951, and Ottilie on May 5th, 1952.
From the guide to the Arthur and Ottilie Bleier Collection, 1884-1952, (Leo Baeck Institute)
