Had his life had taken a different course, he may have become as widely known as Albert Einstein. In the 1930s, Majorana contributed to the field of quantum mechanics in ways that fundamentally shaped the field. And then he vanished.

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Had his life had taken a different course, he may have become as widely known as Albert Einstein. In the 1930s, Majorana contributed to the field of quantum mechanics in ways that fundamentally shaped the field. And then he vanished. Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

The Life and Disappearance of Ettore Majorana

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c947e886-cffc-4cd9-bfd0-ae2800419d0f/transcript

This 2013 episode covers Princess Alexandra Amelie of Bavaria who was frail and she exhibited unusual behavior. She told her parents that she had swallowed a glass piano as a child, and was afraid that she would shatter.

This 2013 episode covers Princess Alexandra Amelie of Bavaria who was frail and she exhibited unusual behavior. She told her parents that she had swallowed a glass piano as a child, and was afraid that she would shatter.

SYMHC Classics: Princess Who Swallowed a Glass Piano

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/602e4d67-e5dd-44e9-9cf8-b4fa012e4853/transcript

Tracy talks about how she came to love onions after disliking them as a child. Holly discusses her fear of heights, and questions evidence in Ludwig II's death.

Tracy talks about how she came to love onions after disliking them as a child. Holly discusses her fear of heights, and questions evidence in Ludwig II's death.

Behind the Scenes Minis: Onion Footprints

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e2166006-2157-42ee-850d-b4fa0031d128/transcript

Bernhard von Gudden was renowned as a reformer of asylums in Germany. But that legacy has been eclipsed by his part in getting King Ludwig II of Bavaria deposed.

Research:
Bhattacharyya, Kalyan B. “Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden and the Mad King of Bavaria.” Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology vol. 20,4 (2017): 348-351. doi:10.4103/aian.AIAN_489_16
Crossland, David. “Suicide of Mad Ludwig was murder, says film‑maker.” The Times of London. June 29, 2018. https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/suicide-of-mad-ludwig-was-murder-says-film-maker-2x9s8hnkl
Danek, A et al. “The dream king's psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden (1824-1886). A life committed to rationality.” Archives of neurology vol. 46,12 (1989): 1349-53. doi:10.1001/archneur.1989.00520480093026
Dalvi, Madhusudan. “The Fairy Tale King and His Royal Psychiatrist: The Contribution to Neuroscience of Dr Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden, Psychiatrist to King Ludwig II – Psychiatry in History.” The British Journal of Psychiatry 222.5 (2023): 187–187
“Death in Lake Starnberg.” Bavarikon. https://www.bavarikon.de/en/exhibitions/king-ludwig-ii-of-bavaria-life-legacy-legend/disempowerment-and-death/death-in-lake-starnberg
“The death of King Ludwig II.” Cambridge University Library. https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/departments/germanic-collections/about-collections/spotlight-archive/death-king-ludwig
Diethelm, Oskar. AN HISTORICAL VIEW OF SOMATIC TREATMENT IN PSYCHIATRY. 1939. American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 95, no. 5, American Psychiatric Publishing, Mar. 1939, pp. 1165–1179, doi:1176/ajp.95.5.1165
“John Conolly.” Royal College of Physicians. https://history.rcp.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/john-conolly
“Ludwig II. The Final Days of the Fairy Tale King: The Report.” Museum Starnberger See. https://www.museum-starnberger-see.de/en/exhibitions/upcoming/ludwig-ii/texts-and-audio-recordings/the-report
“Ludwig II. The Final Days of the Fairy Tale King: From the Autopsy Report of Ludwig II.” Museum Starnberger See. https://www.museum-starnberger-see.de/en/exhibitions/upcoming/ludwig-ii/texts-and-audio-recordings/autopsy-report
“Mad King Ludwig a Suicide.” The Philadelphia Times. June 15, 1886. https://www.newspapers.com/image/52212265/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjUyMjEyMjY1LCJpYXQiOjE3OTI1MjQ5OTQsImV4cCI6MTc5MjYxMTM5NH0.Y3yJW-PPNj0sg3HvMXT8ADdExIsxEbJ_2jQOnkNJPjDs_rHlGdri61QOCmh97k1NREVtpH0_u7oBOa_8sOWncQ
Müller, Jürgen L. “Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden, 1824–1886. 2002.” American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 159, no. 3, American Psychiatric Publishing, Mar. 2002, p. 379, doi:1176/ajp.159.3.379
Neumann, Conny. “Was ‘Mad’ king Ludwig Murdered?” Der Spiegel. Nov. 7, 2011. https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/fresh-doubt-about-suicide-theory-was-mad-king-ludwig-murdered-a-515924.html
“OTTO, MAD MONARCH OF BAVARIA, DEAD; The End Came Suddenly at Fuerstenried Castle, Near Munich. INSANE FOR 43 YEARS Nominally Succeeded His Mad Brother Ludwig, but Never Exercised Royal Power.” New York Times. Oct. 13, 1916. https://www.nytimes.com/1916/10/13/archives/otto-mad-monarch-of-bavaria-dead-the-end-came-suddenly-at.html
Sarikcioglu, Levent. “Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden: an outstanding scientist.” Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry vol. 78,2 (2007): 195. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.106633
Steinberg, Reinhard, and Peter Falkai. “Was King Ludwig II of Bavaria misdiagnosed by Gudden and his colleagues?.” European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience vol. 271,4 (2021): 799-807. doi:10.1007/s00406-020-01161-8
Taylor, Allen. “The 125th Anniversary of the Death of King Ludwig II.” The Atlantic. June 13, 2011. https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/06/the-125th-anniversary-of-the-death-of-king-ludwig-ii/100085/
Workman, Charles. “Bernhard Von Gudden.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 1336, 1886, pp. 285–86. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25268832. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

 

Bernhard von Gudden was renowned as a reformer of asylums in Germany. But that legacy has been eclipsed by his part in getting King Ludwig II of Bavaria deposed.
Research:
<ul>
<li>Bhattacharyya, Kalyan B. &ldquo;Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden and the Mad King of Bavaria.&rdquo; Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology vol. 20,4 (2017): 348-351. doi:10.4103/aian.AIAN_489_16</li>
<li>Crossland, David. &ldquo;Suicide of Mad Ludwig was murder, says film‑maker.&rdquo; The Times of London. June 29, 2018. https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/suicide-of-mad-ludwig-was-murder-says-film-maker-2x9s8hnkl</li>
<li>Danek, A et al. &ldquo;The dream king's psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden (1824-1886). A life committed to rationality.&rdquo; Archives of neurology vol. 46,12 (1989): 1349-53. doi:10.1001/archneur.1989.00520480093026</li>
<li>Dalvi, Madhusudan. &ldquo;The Fairy Tale King and His Royal Psychiatrist: The Contribution to Neuroscience of Dr Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden, Psychiatrist to King Ludwig II &ndash; Psychiatry in History.&rdquo; The British Journal of Psychiatry 222.5 (2023): 187&ndash;187</li>
<li>&ldquo;Death in Lake Starnberg.&rdquo; Bavarikon. https://www.bavarikon.de/en/exhibitions/king-ludwig-ii-of-bavaria-life-legacy-legend/disempowerment-and-death/death-in-lake-starnberg</li>
<li>&ldquo;The death of King Ludwig II.&rdquo; Cambridge University Library. https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/departments/germanic-collections/about-collections/spotlight-archive/death-king-ludwig</li>
<li>Diethelm, Oskar. AN HISTORICAL VIEW OF SOMATIC TREATMENT IN PSYCHIATRY. 1939. American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 95, no. 5, American Psychiatric Publishing, Mar. 1939, pp. 1165&ndash;1179, doi:1176/ajp.95.5.1165</li>
<li>&ldquo;John Conolly.&rdquo; Royal College of Physicians. https://history.rcp.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/john-conolly</li>
<li>&ldquo;Ludwig II. The Final Days of the Fairy Tale King: The Report.&rdquo; Museum Starnberger See. https://www.museum-starnberger-see.de/en/exhibitions/upcoming/ludwig-ii/texts-and-audio-recordings/the-report</li>
<li>&ldquo;Ludwig II. The Final Days of the Fairy Tale King: From the Autopsy Report of Ludwig II.&rdquo; Museum Starnberger See. https://www.museum-starnberger-see.de/en/exhibitions/upcoming/ludwig-ii/texts-and-audio-recordings/autopsy-report</li>
<li>&ldquo;Mad King Ludwig a Suicide.&rdquo; The Philadelphia Times. June 15, 1886. https://www.newspapers.com/image/52212265/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJFUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjUyMjEyMjY1LCJpYXQiOjE3OTI1MjQ5OTQsImV4cCI6MTc5MjYxMTM5NH0.Y3yJW-PPNj0sg3HvMXT8ADdExIsxEbJ_2jQOnkNJPjDs_rHlGdri61QOCmh97k1NREVtpH0_u7oBOa_8sOWncQ</li>
<li>M&uuml;ller, J&uuml;rgen L. &ldquo;Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden, 1824&ndash;1886. 2002.&rdquo; American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 159, no. 3, American Psychiatric Publishing, Mar. 2002, p. 379, doi:1176/ajp.159.3.379</li>
<li>Neumann, Conny. &ldquo;Was &lsquo;Mad&rsquo; king Ludwig Murdered?&rdquo; Der Spiegel. Nov. 7, 2011. https://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/fresh-doubt-about-suicide-theory-was-mad-king-ludwig-murdered-a-515924.html</li>
<li>&ldquo;OTTO, MAD MONARCH OF BAVARIA, DEAD; The End Came Suddenly at Fuerstenried Castle, Near Munich. INSANE FOR 43 YEARS Nominally Succeeded His Mad Brother Ludwig, but Never Exercised Royal Power.&rdquo; New York Times. Oct. 13, 1916. https://www.nytimes.com/1916/10/13/archives/otto-mad-monarch-of-bavaria-dead-the-end-came-suddenly-at.html</li>
<li>Sarikcioglu, Levent. &ldquo;Johann Bernhard Aloys von Gudden: an outstanding scientist.&rdquo; Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry vol. 78,2 (2007): 195. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.106633</li>
<li>Steinberg, Reinhard, and Peter Falkai. &ldquo;Was King Ludwig II of Bavaria misdiagnosed by Gudden and his colleagues?.&rdquo; European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience vol. 271,4 (2021): 799-807. doi:10.1007/s00406-020-01161-8</li>
<li>Taylor, Allen. &ldquo;The 125th Anniversary of the Death of King Ludwig II.&rdquo; The Atlantic. June 13, 2011. https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/06/the-125th-anniversary-of-the-death-of-king-ludwig-ii/100085/</li>
<li>Workman, Charles. &ldquo;Bernhard Von Gudden.&rdquo; The British Medical Journal, vol. 2, no. 1336, 1886, pp. 285&ndash;86. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25268832. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Bernhard von Gudden was renowned as a reformer of asylums in Germany. But that legacy has been eclipsed by his part in getting King Ludwig II of Bavaria deposed.

Bernhard von Gudden: Ludwig II’s Psychiatrist

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/604f25f1-c877-4f9e-846c-b4f701815b6e/transcript

The Life and Disappearance of Ettore Majorana

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