Oktavia Aigner-Rollett

Doctor against all odds

„A clever woman is a thorn in the side of many stupid men.“

Just 100 years ago, there was a widespread prejudice that women did not have the intellectual capacity to study, let alone pursue an academic career. Oktavia Rollett defied this prejudice with willpower and intellect. After completing her education at the Girls’ Lyceum and Teacher Training Institute for Women in Graz, she took her school-leaving examination in 1900 as the first woman from Graz to attend the Akademisches Gymnasium as an external student. In the same year, women were admitted to study medicine in Austria.

Despite initial resistance from her father, physiologist and university professor Alexander Rollett, Oktavia began studying medicine at the University of Graz in the winter semester of 1900/1901, graduating with honours in 1905. This made her the second female doctor to obtain a doctorate in Graz, shortly after Maria Schuhmeister. Other doctorates in philosophy and chemistry failed during the dissertation stage due to resistance from the professors. In 1906, Ms. Rollett was the first female doctor to work at the General Hospital in Graz (Paulustor) as an unpaid assistant doctor. Since she was denied a paid position there, she moved to the privately run Anna Children’s Hospital, where she worked as Austria’s first female junior doctor. In 1907, she opened her own practice at Humboldtstraße 17, which was particularly appreciated by women. Until 1915, she remained the only female general practitioner in Graz. During the First World War, she treated destitute patients free of charge.

In 1908, Oktavia Rollett married the physician Walter Aigner, with whom she had three sons. Even during her marriage, she continued to work not only in her practice, but also as a teacher, school doctor and hospital doctor, as well as volunteering in various women’s associations, including as Honorary President of the International Confederation of Business and Professional Women. In 1935, she was awarded the title of Medical Councillor. In 1955, she was the first woman to receive the Golden Doctorate Diploma, which is awarded for outstanding professional achievements to graduates of the University of Graz who completed their doctoral studies 50 years ago.