[The Rokitansky morgue. Historical retrospect on the occasion of the anniversary years of Vienna pathology 1996 and 1997].

On the occasion of three anniversaries in 1996 and 1997 the historical background of the early pathology in Vienna is documented. 1796 Aloys Rudolph Vetter became the first official prosector of the "Allgemeines Krankenhaus". Since 1817, i.e., 180 years ago, continuously autopsy reports were documented, written by Rokitansky, Kundrat, Kolisko, Weichselbaum and the discoverer of blood groups Landsteiner. 1827 november 1st, Carl Rokitansky entered the old "Leichenhaus" as a practitioner without academic degree. Of this house exist three different pictures, only one of them is an authentic photograph, the others are drawings. This rare original photograph of the working room from the beginning of Viennese pathology is first published in medical literature in honour to the long tradition of autopsy-performing pathology.