Unusual novel about Dr. Asperger's patients wins award

Alice Jolly's novel, "The Matchbox Girl," has triumphed at the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, recognized for its exceptional originality and ambition. The book centers on Adelheid Brunner, a mute autistic girl treated by Dr. Hans Asperger in Vienna during the 1930s, a period marked by Nazi occupation.

Judges commended the work's gripping narrative and its courageous exploration of immense complexity. "The Matchbox Girl" prompts reflection on how individuals not inherently evil could become involved in atrocities, specifically questioning Dr. Asperger's role.

Discoveries in 2018 suggested Dr. Asperger may have sent child patients to Vienna's Am Spiegelgrund clinic, where the Nazi regime administered lethal measures. Jolly aimed to shed light on forgotten colleagues who strove to preserve their research and principles amidst horrific 20th-century events.

Jolly herself was motivated by conflicting historical accounts of Dr. Asperger and the discovery that his colleagues might be more compelling figures. The prize, now in its 17th year, was presented by Matthew Maxwell Scott, a descendant of Sir Walter Scott, at the Borders Book Festival.