The Economy of Pathogens

  • May 2010
  • 45mins

  • Documentary
  • History
  • Directed by

    Thomas Hauer,

    René Kirschey,

    Starring

    Hubertus Bengsch,

    Christoph Gradmann,

    Silvia Berger,

    Ulf B. Göbel

    ...

    Robert Koch is one of the superstars of the scientific world. In countless publications, Robert Koch is enthusiastically celebrated as the savior of humanity, but on closer inspection, many aspects of his research appear questionable today and can only be understood in the context of his time. Koch's meteoric career in the Wilhelmine Empire is a prime example of how scientific discoveries are inextricably linked to the political and economic conditions of their time. The documentary sheds light on these conditions and interludes, drawing parallels to the problems facing infectious medicine today.