Friedrich S. Brodnitz (1899–1995) was an Otolaryngologist, author, educator and pioneer in the field of phoniatrics, specializing in voice and speech disorders. He was born in Berlin, Germany on the 25th of September, 1899. 

Brodnitz studied under Hermann Gutzmann Sr. and Theodor Flatau, both of whom were leaders in the field of voice disorders. He earned his medical degree in Otolaryngology in 1924. He briefly considered undertaking a career in conducting and even performed as a violinist and conductor in Berlin in the 1920’s. 

After 1933 he focused on serving the Jewish community and worked with the Union of Jewish Youth Organisations. Brodnitz also served as press chief for the Hilfsverein and Reichsvertretung, which worked to support Jews persecuted in Germany. After warnings of his arrest Brodnitz escaped to the United States in 1937. 

He settled in New York where in 1942 he became board-certified in otolaryngology and resumed his medical practice. He started a voice disorders clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital, and taught communication sciences at Hunter College. He had a string of notable clients including singers Leontyne Price and Lotte Lehmann, and public figures such as Nelson Rockefeller. 

Among his many contributions to the field, his “chewing method” for treating voice disorders with his colleague Emil Froeschels stands out. Brodnitz authored many journal articles and two books: Vocal Rehabilitation (for academia) and Keep Your Voice Healthy (for the general public).

Dr. Brodnitz received many honors and awards for his life's work and contributions to the field of voice, including a special award in 1992 from President Richard Holt of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, as well as a special citation from the National Association of Teachers of Singing. He was also the only physician to receive the highest honors from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. Of particular note, he received honors from his home country, Germany, including Award from the Senate of Berlin (1979), recognition from the German Medical Association (1980) and recognition from the Otolaryngological Society in Berlin (1981).

He continued working as a consultant and mentor until the age of 92, even after his official retirement.

References

• Duchan, J. F. (n.d.). Friedrich Brodnitz. Retrieved from https://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~duchan/new_history/european_ancestry/biographies/brodnitz.html
• Behrman, A. (2001). Evidence-based treatment of voice disorders in adults. Journal of Voice, 15(1), 115–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0892-...(01)00001-7
• The New York Times. (1995, October 22). Dr. Friedrich Brodnitz, who restored voices of sopranos and baritones, dies at 96. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/22/nyregion/dr-friedrich-brodnitz-who-restored-voices-of-sopranos-and-baritonesdies-at-96.html
• Doscher, B. M. (1994). The functional unity of the singing voice. Scarecrow Press.