 |
Arthur KronfeldGerman and Soviet psychiatrist
Date of Birth: 09.01.1886
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Arthur Kronfeld: Pioneer in Psychiatry and Sexual Science
- Early Career and Doctoral Studies
- Wartime Service and the Dalldorf Clinic
- Association with Magnus Hirschfeld
- Work at the Institute for Sexual Science
- Doctoral Dissertation and Principles of Psychotherapy
- Emigration and Tragic End
Arthur Kronfeld: Pioneer in Psychiatry and Sexual Science
Early Life and Medical EducationArthur Kronfeld was born in Thorn, Germany, on January 9, 1886, to a Jewish family. His father was a lawyer, and his mother came from a wealthy Cologne family. Kronfeld attended the St. Sophia Gymnasium in Berlin and later studied medicine at the universities of Jena, Munich, Berlin, and Heidelberg. He specialized in psychiatry under the guidance of Franz Nissl at the University of Heidelberg.
Early Career and Doctoral Studies
After graduating, Kronfeld worked at the psychiatric clinic of the University of Heidelberg. He then moved to Berlin, where he pursued research at a local hospital. In 1912, he earned his doctorate in philosophy under August Messer. He gained international recognition for his critique of psychoanalysis, published in the same year.
Wartime Service and the Dalldorf Clinic
In 1913, Kronfeld joined the Dalldorf Mental Hospital in Berlin under the direction of Hugo Liepmann. However, his career was interrupted by World War I. After suffering a shrapnel head wound, he was demobilized and sent to a military hospital in Freiburg im Breisgau to establish a neurological ward.
Association with Magnus Hirschfeld
Upon his return to Berlin in 1918, Kronfeld briefly worked again under Liepmann. During this time, he became closely associated with Magnus Hirschfeld, the founder of the Institute for Sexual Science.
Work at the Institute for Sexual Science
In 1919, Kronfeld joined Hirschfeld's institute as the head of the "Department for Mental Sexual Disorders." The institute faced fierce opposition from conservative elements in German society due to its research on sexuality. Kronfeld gained prominence as an expert on sexual matters.
Doctoral Dissertation and Principles of Psychotherapy
In 1927, Kronfeld earned his doctorate in psychiatry under Karl Bonhoeffer. His dissertation, "Psychology in Psychiatry," emphasized the importance of psychological methods in treating mental disorders. He developed principles for psychotherapy and organized the "Medical Society for Psychotherapy."
Emigration and Tragic End
Following the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, Kronfeld emigrated to Switzerland, but his asylum request was denied. He then decided to seek refuge in the Soviet Union. However, after the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he and his wife committed suicide by taking a lethal dose of veronal.
