The so-called Rodewisch Theses of 1963 demonstrate East German psychiatry's attempts to implement social-psychiatric reforms. To mark their 50th anniversary, this article analyses their emergence, drafting and implementation. It has been known that key requirements could only be fulfilled on a regional basis, the Leipzig University Department of Psychiatry being an outstanding example, although its staff worked rather autonomously of the Rodewisch Theses. The reasons for the different degree of success of these developments in individual areas are manifold, key reasons being the lack of stark political support and of opportunity to discuss shortcomings in mental health care, as in Western Germany, due to political circumstances in particular. There was no strong social basis and support as in Western democracies.
Gabriel Anton (1858-1933) attained fundamental clinical neuropathological results. His scientific career and research were highly influenced by Theodor Meynert. However, in contrast to Meynert, Anton sought not only descriptions of pathological changes but also their therapy. The surgical treatment of hydrocephalus was one of his most important achievements. With this, he gave important impetus to the still new science of neurosurgery. Nowadays, Anton is still known in medical nomenclature by Anton's syndrome. The detailed description and explanation of visual anosognosia and asomatoagnosia and furthermore his emphasis on their importance can be regarded as Anton's most notable contribution to science. However, his research on basal ganglia disorders is not as well-known, although Anton's thoughts mark the beginning of further systematic research on these disorders. In addition, he did preliminary work in the development of child and adolescent psychiatry. Today, some of his work in the field of eugenics is controversial.
1945 marked the beginning of the so-called anti-fascist democratic transformation in the Soviet occupied zone and later GDR, which also included radical reforms in the higher education system. The aim of these reforms was to establish a "new intelligence" that was to spread Marxist-Leninist teaching in universities and colleges. However, in practice the new rulers had to rely on the old "erudite elite" which led to considerable problems. Against this socio-political background this study analyses the affairs at the neuropsychiatric clinic Gehlsheim at Rostock University, in particular those around Franz Günther von Stockert (1899-1967), who was head of the department between 1954 and 1958. Archival sources, not accessible till now, shed light on the background and motives that finally led to his dismissal and short-term imprisonment, and the consequences for the clinic. The analysis of this example also shows how external factors can influence science and the disciplinary differentiation. This case from the field of psychiatry and neurology is a contribution to the broader history of science in the GDR until 1961.
The move towards disciplinary independence in Germany turned out to be more troublesome than in France or Great Britain and real institutional independence was not established at German universities until the 1970s of the 20th century, and this in the Federal Republic of Germany only. In East Germany (German Democratic Republic--GDR), a division into Chairs of Psychiatry and Neurology took place at individual universities and medical colleges only. Nevertheless, in exceptional circumstances, neurology did gain academic autonomy in the GDR. One such exception was the University of Rostock, where as early as 1958, the Chair of Psychiatry had been divided into three independent Chairs of Psychiatry, Neurology and Child Psychiatry. Besides internal scientific factors, socio-political constraints played a particular role here and had an influence on the disciplinary differentiation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.