February 18: International Asperger's Day

Céline Arétin, culture, women's issues and environment correspondent, February 18, 2026

Origin of International Asperger's Day

International Asperger's Day, celebrated every February 18, pays tribute to pediatrician Hans Asperger, born on that day, who described this disorder in 1944. It was created to raise awareness of this syndrome and combat prejudice.

Who was Hans Asperger?

Hans Asperger (1906-1980) was an Austrian pediatrician specializing in child psychiatry, known for describing in 1944 an autism spectrum disorder that now bears his name. His work remained largely unknown until British psychiatrist Lorna Wing popularized the term "Asperger syndrome" in 1981. In 2018, historian Herwig Czech revealed that Asperger had cooperated with the Nazi authorities by referring some children to the Am Spiegelgrund institution, where many were killed. This controversial past sparked debate over the use of his name in the diagnosis, which was removed from the DSM-5 in 2013 in favor of the broader category of autism spectrum disorder.

Differences between Asperger syndrome and classic autism

Unlike classic autism, Asperger syndrome is not accompanied by language delay or intellectual disability. Social interactions also differ: a person with Asperger's may want to connect with others but struggle to understand social cues, while a person with classic autism may show more pronounced detachment from others. Another difference lies in interests: an individual with Asperger's may develop an intense passion for a specific subject, such as astronomy or trains, and speak about it in great detail, while a person with classic autism may be more drawn to sensory stimulation, such as rocking or lining up objects. In daily life, adapting to change is often more rigid for people with classic autism, who may react strongly to changes in their environment, whereas a person with Asperger's may better mask their difficulties and adapt, although it takes effort.

Stories of people with Asperger's

Temple Grandin, diagnosed with Asperger's, designed curved cattle chutes that reduce animal stress before slaughter, a concept now used in more than half of American slaughterhouses. Dan Aykroyd, fascinated by paranormal phenomena and police work, created "Ghostbusters," one of the biggest hits in film history. Satoshi Tajiri, passionate about collecting insects as a child, created Pokémon, drawing on his love of observing different species.