Psychoanalysis during the Nazi era-topical consequences of an historical controversy: The ''Wilhelm Reich case''

Journal/Book: Psychother Psychosom Med Psyc. 1999; 49: P O Box 30 11 20, D-70451 Stuttgart, Germany. Georg Thieme Verlag. 131-137.

Abstract: The paper sheds light on the extent of collaboration between the pre-World War ii German Psychoanalytic Society (DPG) and the Nazi regime. This is shown by the story of the expulsion of Wilhelm Reich from membership in the DPC, at Freud's own bid. A leading German psychoanalyst, Carl Muller-Braunschweig, published the paper ''Psychoanalysis and Weltanschauung'' in the fanatically ''national'' (so-called ''volkisch'') Nazi propaganda organ Reichswart in 1933 following consultations with officials of the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA) who endorsed these policies. This paper by Muller-Braunschweig was used both to prevent the possible outlawing of psychoanalysis by the Nazis and to deny official DPG support to Wilhelm Reich and the group of leftist-oriented IPA analysts who joined forces with him in opposing Nazi ideology. The paper concludes with examples from post-1945 historiography showing how the exclusion of Reich and the related DPG/IPA compromise and ''appeasement'' policy were either ignored or disclaimed.

Note: Article Nitzschke B, Sternstr 78, D-40479 Dusseldorf, GERMANY

Keyword(s): Wilhelm Reich; psychoanalysis during the Nazi era; German Psychoanalytic Society; International Psychoanalytic Association; Ernest Jones; Carl Muller-Braunschweig

Zurück | Weiter