Curriculum Vitae
Honours and distinctions
Membership

Curriculum Vitae

Professor Dr. Erich Saling, MD, PhD, obstetrician and perinatologist, was born in Stanislau (now belongs to Ukraine) on 21st July 1925 as the son of Heinrich Saling, a forester and his wife, Emma Saling, née Hoffmann. He is a Protestant. In 1952 he married Dr. med. Hella Saling, née Weymann; they have two sons (Dr. med. Peter S., born in 1954 and Michael S., born in 1955), six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.
Prof. Saling died in Berlin on Nov. 6, 2021, at the age of 96.

Erich Saling studied medicine from 1946 to 1952 at the University of Jena and at the Free University of Berlin, served his internship from 1952 to 1953 at the Municipal Hospital Berlin-Neukölln, and from 1954 to 1958 he completed his training in obstetrics and gynecology at the Municipal Women’s Hospital in Berlin-Neukölln. He qualified as a University Lecturer in 1963 and was offered a professorship at the Free University of Berlin in 1968. 1976 he became the Director of the Institute of Perinatal Medicine of the Free University Berlin and the Head of the Department of Obstetrics in the Women's Hospital Berlin-Neukölln. In addition to his clinical practice he has been engaged in research in the field of obstetrics and perinatal medicine since 1958. Up to now more than 600 of his publications have appeared on the subject of obstetrics and perinatal medicine. The most important studies are given in the enclosed list of special scientific achievements and new developments.

In 1963 he started one-week introductory courses for physicians in modern obstetrics and perinatal medicine. Up to now 64 courses have been held, since 1991 together with his successor Prof. K. Vetter, attended by more than 2000 participants from 45 countries. The term “Perinatal Medicine” was introduced by Saling in 1967 and has become widespread all over the world.

Course with American military women's doctors
Course with American military women's doctors

In 1967 the first national Society of Perinatal Medicine was founded, it was the German Society (DGPM). Since then until 1990, 14 national congresses have been organized together with his coworkers. These congresses, which mostly attracted over 2000 participants, have been the largest of their kind in this new field of medicine. In 1968 the first international Society, the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, was founded and Saling was the Founder-President of this Association. In 1973 he founded the first international Journal in this field, the “Journal of Perinatal Medicine”. In 1990 the German Society of Prenatal and Obstetrical Medicine was founded and Saling is also the Founder-President of this association.

Since January 1991 he is “Professor Emeritus” at the Charité, University Medicine Berlin.

In continuation of research activities, in 1993 he founded the Institute of Perinatal Medicine under private law at his old department in Berlin-Neukölln and is its director.

From the foundation of the “International Academy of Perinatal Medicine” (IAPM) in May 2005 until November 2015, Prof. Saling was its first president. Since then, he is “Lifelong President of the IAPM”.

... with granddaughter Laura
... with granddaughter Laura

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Honours and distinctions

1966 Prix Quadriennal Fondation Intern. de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique (Belgium)
1974 Maternité-Prize of the German Society of Perinatal Medicine
1980 Michaelis Medal in Gold from the University of Kiel
1982 Maternity-Prize of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine
1984 Awarding of a “Citation Classic” from the Institute for Scientific Information, Philadelphia, for the frequently cited article “Neues Vorgehen zur Untersuchung des Kindes unter der Geburt: Einführung, Technik und Grundlagen” (translated: “A new approach in examining the fetus during labor: introduction, technique and basics”). Arch Gynäk 197 (1962) 108–122
1986 Foundation of the “Erich Saling Inter-University School” for the study of the pathophysiology of pregnancy in Dubrovnik; now: European School of Perinatal Medicine “Erich Saling”
Initiator and Director: Professor A. Kurjak, University of Zagreb
1988 Ernst Reuter Medal, the highest award of the Senate of Berlin
1991 Gold Medal of the Haackert Foundation
1991 Order of the Jugoslavian flag with gold star ribbon in high recognition of the Jugoslavian Government for outstanding services to perinatal medicine in that country
1996 The book “Eponyms and Names in Obstetrics and Gynaecology” contains a chapter that acknowledges the pioneer work of Prof. Saling.
1997 First Winner of the A. William Liley Prize of the International Society “The Fetus as a Patient”
1998 Publication of the extensive (280 contributors) “Textbook of Perinatal Medicine”, edited by Prof. A. Kurjak, which has been dedicated to Prof. Saling
2000 Foundation of the “ERICH SALING PERINATAL PRIZE” by the World Association of Perinatal Medicine (WAPM), which is awarded at each World Congress to the “best scientist in Perinatal Medicine”.
2001 Decoration with the Order of the Croatian Star by the President of the Republic of Croatia, Stjepan Mesic
2001 Honorary doctorate of the Democritus University in Alexandroupolis, Greece
2001 Decoration with the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1st class by the President of the German Republic, Johannes Rau
2004 Decoration with the Honorary Needle of the district Berlin-Neukölln
2006 Decoration with the highest award of the German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Carl Kaufmann Medal
2011 Honorary Doctorate of the Medical Faculty of the East Uruguayan University
2012 Nomination for the German Prize for Civic Engagement
2013 Decoration with the Georg Klemperer Prize of the Berlin Chamber of Physicians
2016 „Life-Long Honorary President of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine (WAPM)“
2016 Honorary Professorship of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (Moskow)
2017 Honorary Professorship of the Medical Institute of Surgut State University (Russia)
2017 The World Association of Perinatal Medicine (WAPM) establishes the “Erich Saling World School of Perinatal Medicine” to organize current training in the field of other perinatal medicine in addition to the “Ian Donald School”, which focuses on ultrasound.
2019 For the biennial congress of the German Society for Perinatal Medicine (DGPM) a new lecture series was established, the “Erich Saling Lecture”. The DGPM had been founded by Prof. Saling in 1967.
The first Erich Saling Lecture was held by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Holzgreve from Bonn on the topic “The NIPT: From the clinic to the laboratory and back to the clinic – from the idea to frustration, and finally to success”.

Maternité-Prize
Maternité-Prize

Conferment of honorary doctorate 2001
Conferment of honorary doctorate 2001

Honorary Professorship of the Pirogov Russian National
          Research Medical University (Moskow)
Honorary Professorship of the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (Moskow)

Honorary Professorship of the Medical Institute of Surgut State
          University (Russia)
Honorary Professorship of the Medical Institute of Surgut State University (Russia)

Please click on the miniature picture.

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Honorary member or corresponding member (corr.) of the following societies

1972 Jugoslavian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
1973 Royal Society of Medicine, London
1973 Cuban Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (corr.)
1973 Cuban Society of Pediatrics (corr.)
1974 Swiss Society of Gynecology
1975 Croatian Society of Pediatrics
1979 Italian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
1980 Jugoslavian Association of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
1982 Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Berlin
1983 Greek Society of Perinatal Medicine
1983 German Society of Pediatrics (corr.)
1987 Fellowship ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London
1987 London: Awarding ceremony together with Lady Di
1987 London: Awarding ceremony together with Lady Di
1987 Italian Society of Perinatal Medicine
1989 Society of Perinatal Obstetricians (now: Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine), USA
1990 Society of Perinatal Medicine of the German Democratic Republic
1991 First honorary member of the International Society “The Fetus as a Patient”
1992 German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics
1994 Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Thuringia
1995 Finnish Perinatal Society
1995 Slovakian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
2004 North-German Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics
2004 Honorary member of the German-Russian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics
2005 Croation-German-Society for improvements in cultural and scientific co-operation.
2006 Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia (corr.)
2011 Uruguayan Academy of Medicine (corr.)
2013 Romanian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology