Dr. Hertzka was born in Bad Gastein, in the Salzburg region. His father, Dr. Josef Hertzka, was the spa and community doctor in Bad Gastein. Gottfried Hertzka studied in Vienna and received his doctorate in medicine on July 15, 1938, almost at the same time as the German Wehrmacht invaded Austria—a traumatic experience for the young doctor. Around this time, he also first came into contact with the Latin texts covering the natural science part of Hildegard’s writings. His interest in Hildegard was sparked during his literature studies of Paracelsus, who found his final resting place in Salzburg.
During his training as a military doctor, Dr. Hertzka learned about the euthanasia practiced by the National Socialists—the systematic mass murder of people with mental illnesses and disabilities—which brought him into conflict with the authorities. His upright stance cost him nine months in a concentration camp. After escaping this horror at the end of the war, Dr. Hertzka dedicated himself fully to the teachings of Hildegard of Bingen and devoted his work to researching and applying her traditions.
Already convinced that spelt played a central role in Hildegard’s teachings, Dr. Hertzka looked for a permanent home in the traditional spelt-growing regions of southern Germany, eventually settling in Konstanz. He opened a general medical practice at Gebhardsplatz. At last, Dr. Hertzka could put his theoretical knowledge of Hildegard’s teachings into practice. Starting in 1955, he teamed up with a pharmacist friend in Konstanz, who prepared various Hildegard recipes for Dr. Hertzka’s patients—especially the famous parsley elixir made from wine, honey, and parsley. Around this time, the first contacts were made with the company JURA in Konstanz—the only pharmaceutical company in the area that had been making products based on traditional recipes since 1925, which was really a logical fit. Alongside his medical practice, Dr. Hertzka also worked as a scientific associate at JURA from 1960 to 1965.
The experiences with Hildegard’s recipes soon followed, and from the reports and patient records, the first guidebook for using Hildegard’s traditions, “So heilt Gott” (“This Is How God Heals”), was published in 1970. Since then, this pioneering little book alone has sold 19 editions with almost a quarter of a million copies. Patients from all over Europe flocked to Dr. Hertzka’s practice at Gebhardsplatz. It was only a matter of time before the demand for Hildegard products exceeded what a pharmacy could produce. Just the complicated production process of the water lentil elixir was a challenge on its own—not to mention making ointments on a larger scale.
That’s why, in 1984, Dr. Hertzka entrusted the company JURA with producing his Hildegard recipes, making them available to all interested pharmacies. Dr. Hertzka threw himself into spreading Hildegard’s teachings with great enthusiasm. He saw a big opportunity here to (re)unite tradition and spirituality. Against a lot of resistance, he stood up for herbal knowledge, the recipes, and the people. The more resistance he faced, the more passionate he became.
Out of this tension, Dr. Hertzka wrote numerous books that made Hildegard of Bingen’s teachings accessible to a wide audience: “So heilt Gott,” “Wonders of Hildegard Medicine,” “Kitchen Secrets...,” “Gemstone Medicine...,” the “Handbook of Hildegard Medicine,” and the “Great Hildegard Apothecary.” These books share Hildegard’s wisdom and are meant to serve as guides for living more consciously. Check out our range inspired by Hildegard’s teachings—in the tradition of Dr. Hertzka and JURA since 1984.
