The beginnings of Acta Neurochirurgica and the work of Fritz Loew, chief editor from 1958 - 1997. An historical vignette.

ABSTRACT

Acta Neurochirurgica was founded in 1950, in the difficult time after World War II, by Mario Milletti (Bologna) and Wolfram Sorgo (Innsbruck), and published by Springer press, Vienna. From the beginning the new journal was conceived as an international journal with an impressive list of outstanding neurosurgeons in the editorial board. Only a few years later the issues appeared at irregular intervals due to individual problems of both editors. Wilhelm Tönnis took the initiative to keep the journal alive, when he asked-in consent with Springer press-his staff member Fritz Loew to continue the editorial work and to assemble a new prestigious editorial board. Loew succeeded with both tasks and remained editor-in-chief for nearly 38 years. Initially, all papers were published in the native languages of the authors English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. With ongoing time the journal accepted manuscripts in English only. The slow progress of this process exemplifies the slow integration of the European countries. In 1971, at the founding meeting of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) in Prague, Acta Neurochirurgica became the official organ of the EANS. Right from the beginning of Acta Neurochirurgica, Supplement volumes were added. Also, the book series Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery is an offspring of Acta Neurochirurgica. Acta Neurochirurgica has become one of the most important neurosurgical journals worldwide. This historical sketch is based on an interview with Fritz Loew, now 91 years old, to which data from the available literature and the Archives of German Neurosurgery, as well as personal information by several colleagues were added.