Rudolf Pöch

Rudolf Pöch (17 April 1870, Tarnopol, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria – 4 March 1921, Innsbruck) was an Austrian medical doctor, anthropologist, and ethnologist. Pöch is also known as a pioneer in photography, cinematography, and audio engineering. He can be regarded as a founding father of the Institute for Anthropology and Ethnography at the University of Vienna. His work in anthropology has been labelled as "one of the darkest chapters of anthropology" by Katarina Matiasek. In the 21st century, the extensive collection of human bones and other remains that he brought to Vienna from his various expeditions has been a focal point of efforts towards the repatriation and reburial of human remains.

Biography Rudolf Pöch studied medicine at the University of Vienna, graduating in 1895. He subsequently worked as assistant medical doctor in Vienna. He also received training in photography from Josef Maria Eder, such that his medical career involved the use of imagery. He was also tasked with photographic documentation of the Plague in Bombay, and when some hospital personnel became infected with the Yersinia pestis bacteria in Vienna in 1898, his intervention helped treat them and prevent a further spread of the illness. He was also involved in the international movement against alcoholism. In 1900-1901, he moved to Berlin and studied ethnology and anthropology under Felix von Luschan.

His work for the Ethnological Museum in Berlin inspired Pöch to undertake an expedition to German New Guinea (1901–1906), where he was the first to find scientific evidence for the existence of pygmies, whom he subjected to extensive measurements and recording procedures. Pöchs technical equipment is especially noteworthy. It included a photo camera, a cine camera and a phonograph, which enabled Pöch to take pictures, video and audio documents of the indigenous population.

His 72 recordings of songs, instrumental music and narratives in Papuan languages were seen as a sensation at the time. He also brought home some human remains of dozens of Aborigines.

In 1913, Pöch was appointed as Extraordinary Professor for anthropology and ethnography at the University of Vienna. In 1915, he completed his PhD at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München with a study of skulls of indigenous peoples of New South Wales.

Data collection methods and the acquisition of human remains Probably the most controversial aspect of Pöchs legacy relates to how he constituted his collection. Firstly, a fresh review of audio recordings has provided evidence of reluctance and fear of his study subjects, who were most likely coerced to subject themselves to procedures that were unpleasant, if not dehumanising.

The most problematic aspect of his methods relates to his acquisition of human remains. In South Africa, there is evidence of complaints from family relatives, which led to a police investigation, yet the South African authorities did not intervene to stop Pöch.

Two South African bodies have been treated differently by Menharto, who instead of boiling them, broke the bones at the knee and stored them in a barrel filled with salt. They were Klaas and Trooi Pienaar, and this different treatment made it possible to repatriate these bodies.

Restitution and repatriation of human remains As of December 2025, there have been at least three processes of repatriation and reburial of human remains related to Pöch's collection. Between 2009 and 2011, the remains of 47 Aboriginal ancestors were returned to Australia and in 2023, the remains of six further Aboriginal ancestors were being repatriated. was preceded by a ceremony held in Vienna in April 2012. The accompanying official apology by the Government of Austria was accepted by then President Jacob Zuma in August 2012 at the occasion of their reburial in Kuruman.

A large quantity of further human remains from the Pöch collection still need to be repatriated and reburied in years to come. This is a slow process due to the practical difficulties around identification.