1. Activities of the International Danube Symposium
2. History of the INTERNATIONAL DANUBE SYMPOSIUM (by Prof. Franz Gerstenbrand)
The roots for the foundation of the Danube Symposium (Donausymposium) can be traced back until 1956, when Prof. Dr. Hans Hoff, leader of the University Clinic of Psychiatry and Neurology Vienna was invited to neurological and psychiatric clinics in the former Tchechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Hungary. In the following years, several lectures were held by Prof. Hoff and Prof. Dr. Gerstenbrand, on the other
hand numerous Central and East-European scientists had the chance to travel to the strictly neutral Austria and to exchange scientific experience with the Austrian colleagues.
As a consequence of these mutual exchange activities it was finally agreed to organise and to hold an international Symposium called "Donausymposium" in May 1962 in Vienna under the participation of neurological scientists from Austria, Western Germany, Switzerland and Central, East and South-European countries. After the successful conference it was decided to continue this kind of meeting. The next Donausymposium took place in 1964 again in Vienna, organised by the University Clinic of Psychiatry and Neurology Vienna, chairman of the Organising Committee was the initiator of the Symposium, Prof. Dr. Hans Hoff. From this year on, the Meeting was to take place every year and the scientific fields of neurology and psychiatry were seperated.
The overall goal of the Donausymposium was the mutual exchange of new scientific developments, topics in the field of neurology; member countries of the Danube Group were: Austria, former Western and Eastern Germany, all Central and East-European countries including the former Soviet Union; not participating were: Greece, Turkey and Albania.
In the following years, a legal body, the Danube Symposium Curatorium was organised, headed by Prof. Hans Hoff, later on by Prof. Herbert Reisner, and after his death, Prof. Dr. Franz Gerstenbrand was elected for General Secretary. Prof. Dr. G. Ransmayr was and still is responsible for scientific affairs, he was elected for Scientific Secretary. Instead of Vienna, the Danube Symposia were held in Innsbruck, alternately to one of the member countries. In 1994, Prof. M. Brainin took over the responsibilities of General Secretary, due to the appointment of Prof. Dr. Gerstenbrand to President. In 1999 Prof. Dr. László Vécsei was elected for General Secretary, therefore the Head Office and Secreteriat of the Danube Symposium was transferred to the Department of Neurology, University of Szeged, Hungary. Prof. Ransmayr is the Scientific Secretary, Prof. Gerstenbrand was nominated for Honorary President.
Since 1994 the Curatorium and the Managing Board are responsible for the decisions concerning the venues of the meetings; moreover it is of outstanding importance to follow up the new tendencies and developments in neurology, therefore every Danube Symposium consists of a special scientific block called "Continuing Education" with free topics. This fact is also reflected in the name of the Danube Group, which is officially called "Danube Symposium for Neurological Sciences and Continuing Education". Due to historical reasons, the Danube Group also bears the title "Central and East-European Association for Neurology".
3. Danube Neurology Fellowship
Again, a colleague from a Danube country participated in the fellowship-programme founded and coordinated by the Head Office of the International Danube Symposium in Szeged, Hungary.
Dr. Jasna Zidverc-Trajkovic from the Institute of Neurology, Headache Center Belgrade, a specialist in the field of headache spent a period of 4 weeks at the host institution of Department of Neurology, University of Szeged in April-May. Here, Dr. Jasna Zidverc-Trajkovic had the chance to study both the clinical and experimental activity in the field of headache, as well as the everyday routine work at the Clinic and Ambulance of Neurology.
4. Scientific Programme of the 35th International Danube Symposium
(11-14 September, 2003, Belgrade, Yugoslavia)
The 35th International Danube Symposium for Neurological Sciences and Continuing Education will take place in Belgrade, between 11-14 September 2003. The welcome address by Professor Vladimir S. Kostic, Belgrade, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee invites all interested colleagues in the field of neurology with the following words: "This ancient city lies in place where two international rivers, the Sava and the Danube meet. For centuries, those two rivers were the boundaries of different civilizations. This time through the Danube Symposium, Belgrade will have the role of connecting neurologists from different regions.
Enclosed you find the preliminary programme.
For the final programme, and further information, do not hesitate to contact one of
the following addresses:
1) Scientific Information 2) Symposium Secreteriat, Technical Organizer: ZEPTER PASSPORT E-mail address: congress@passport.zepter.co.yu 3) Symposium web site: www.passport.zepter.co.yu/35danubean
PRELIMINARY TIMETABLE OF THE 35TH INTERNATIONAL DANUBE SYMPOSIUM
(11-14 September 2003, BELGRADE, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO)
5. Preliminary Scientific Programme of the 36th International Danube Symposium VENUE: Sofia, Bulgaria DATE: September 2004 PRELIMINARY TOPICS : 1. Cerebrovascular Disorders 2. Movement Disorders 3. Headache 4. Low Back Pain 5. Epilepsy and Nonepileptic Paroxysmal Disorders 6. Multiple Sclerosis 7. Dementia 8. Autonomic Nervous System Disorders 9. Brain Tumors 10. Neuropathies 11. MiscellaneousTEACHING COURSES: 1. Neurosonography 2. Autonomic Nervous System Disorders 3. Cognitive Disorders 4. Clinical Electromyography
CONTACT ADDRESS University Hospital for Neurology & Psychiatry "St. Naum"
6. Preliminary Scientific Programme of the 37th International Danube Symposium with the Memorial Lecture Dr. Janez Faganel
VENUE: Ljubljana, Slovenia
DATE: early September 2005
PROPOSED TOPICS: Neuromuscular Disorders; Cognitive Neurology; Physiology of the Central Motor Processing; Multiple Sclerosis; Advances in Intensive Neurology; Neurorehabilitation.
Basal Ganglia Video Dinner
CONTACT ADDRESS: Assoc. Professor Zvezdan Pirtosek, MD, PhD
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology
e-mail address: zvezdan.pirtosek@kclj.si
7. Future Meetings of Danube Symposium
8. Web-site of the International Danube Symposium
The home-page of the International Danube Symposium consists of:
Again, you are kindly requested to send your e-mail address to the following e-mail address:
We are looking forward for any pieces of important information to be published
in our Newsletter; furthermore all kinds of enquiries, comments are welcome as well.
Please feel free to visit our web-site at:
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