Surgeries
In 1930 Elbe went to Germany for Sex Reassignment Surgery, which was only in an experimental state at the time. A series of five operations were carried out over a period of two years.
The first surgery, removal of the testicles (orchiectomy), was made under the supervision of sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld in Berlin.
The rest of Elbe's surgeries were carried out by Dr. Kurt Warnekros in the Dresden Municipal Women's Clinic. The second operation was to remove the penis, and transplant ovaries, which were taken from a 26-year-old woman. These were soon removed in a third then fourth operation, due to rejection and other serious complications. The fifth operation was to transplant a uterus and was intended to allow Elbe, then nearing the age of 50, to become a mother. She soon after died of transplant rejection.
Read more about this topic: Lili Elbe