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[[File:Viktor_Frankl2.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Viktor Emil Frankl]]
{{Short description|Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}


'''Viktor Emil Frankl''' (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997)<ref name="FranklRecollections">{{cite book|author=Viktor Emil Frankl|title=Viktor Frankl Recollections: An Autobiography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dHHVzdO_SJoC|date=11 August 2000|publisher=Basic Books|isbn=978-0-7382-0355-3}}</ref><ref name="Klingberg2001">{{cite book|author=Haddon Klingberg|title=When life calls out to us: the love and lifework of Viktor and Elly Frankl|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FrFtAAAAMAAJ|date=16 October 2001|publisher=Doubleday|isbn=978-0-385-50036-4}}</ref> was an eminent [[Austria|Austrian]] [[neurology|neurologist]] and [[psychiatry|psychiatrist]]. A [[Holocaust]] [[List of Holocaust survivors|survivor]], he endured and survived the horrors of [[Theresienstadt]], [[Auschwitz]], [[Kaufering]], and [[Türkheim]] concentration camps.
'''Viktor Emil Frankl''' (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. He is best known for founding [[logotherapy]], a form of existential analysis, and for his book ''[[Man's Search for Meaning]]'', which chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate and describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding meaning in all forms of existence.


=== Career and Work ===
==Early life and education==
Viktor Frankl was born in Vienna, Austria, into a Jewish family. He showed an early interest in psychology and philosophy, and by the age of 16, he was already corresponding with [[Sigmund Freud]]. Frankl studied medicine at the [[University of Vienna]], where he specialized in neurology and psychiatry, focusing on the treatment of depression and suicide.


Frankl is best known as the founder of [[logotherapy]], a form of [[Existential therapy|existential analysis]] often referred to as the "Third Viennese School of [[Psychotherapy]]". Logotherapy is based on an existential analysis focusing on Kier kegaard's will to meaning as opposed to Adler's Nietzschean doctrine of will to power or Freud's will to pleasure. Rather than power or pleasure, logotherapy is founded upon the belief that striving to find meaning in life is the primary, most powerful motivating and driving force in humans.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Frankl|first=Viktor E.|date=1992|title=Man's Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FtGNMgEACAAJ|journal=Beacon Press|isbn=978-0-8070-1427-1}}</ref>
==Career and development of logotherapy==
Frankl's early career was marked by his work in various hospitals in Vienna, where he developed his theories on existential analysis and logotherapy. Logotherapy is based on the premise that the primary motivational force of an individual is to find meaning in life. This contrasts with the [[psychoanalysis]] of Freud, which emphasizes the role of unconscious drives, and the [[individual psychology]] of [[Alfred Adler]], which focuses on the pursuit of power.


=== Experience During the Holocaust ===
===Logotherapy===
Logotherapy is often referred to as the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy," following Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology. The core tenet of logotherapy is that life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones, and that the motivation for living comes from finding this meaning. Frankl believed that humans are motivated by a "will to meaning," which is the desire to find purpose in life.


During the [[Holocaust]], Frankl was held in several concentration camps, including [[Theresienstadt]], [[Auschwitz]], [[Kaufering]], and [[Türkheim]]. His experiences during this time significantly influenced his development of logotherapy. He used his skills as a psychiatrist to help fellow prisoners cope with the trauma, and later wrote about his experiences and observations in his internationally acclaimed book, ''Man's Search for Meaning''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Frankl|first=Viktor E.|date=2006|title=Man's Search for Meaning|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KjG2HAAACAAJ|publisher=Beacon Press|isbn=978-0-8070-1429-5}}</ref>
==World War II and concentration camp experiences==
During [[World War II]], Frankl and his family were deported to the [[Theresienstadt Ghetto]], and later he was transferred to [[Auschwitz]] and other concentration camps. His experiences in the camps profoundly influenced his work and led to the development of his existential philosophy. In the camps, Frankl observed that those who found meaning in their suffering were more likely to survive.


=== Legacy ===
==Post-war life and legacy==
After the war, Frankl returned to Vienna and became head of the neurology department at the Vienna Polyclinic Hospital. He published more than 30 books on his theories and lectured extensively around the world. His most famous work, ''Man's Search for Meaning'', has been translated into numerous languages and remains a seminal text in the field of psychology.


Frankl's work as a psychiatrist and neurologist, particularly his development of logotherapy, has had a profound impact on the field of psychology. His insights into the importance of finding meaning in life's experiences, particularly in times of suffering, have continued to resonate with manynpeople, both within and outside the field of psychology. His book, ''Man's Search for Meaning'', has been translated into multiple languages and remains widely read and influential.
Frankl's work has had a lasting impact on the fields of psychology and psychotherapy, influencing a wide range of therapeutic practices. His emphasis on finding meaning in life has resonated with many people, particularly those facing existential crises or suffering.


His approach to psychotherapy has been a major influence in the fields of counseling and clinical psychology, providing practitioners with a new perspective on human behavior, motivation, and resilience. Frankl's work continues to be explored and applied in diverse contexts, from counseling and therapy to coaching, organizational development, and beyond.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Schulenberg|first=Stefan E.|date=2004|title=A Philosophical Critique of Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/20126916|journal=Existential Analysis|volume=15|issue=2|pages=243–263|via=JSTOR}}</ref>
==Death==
 
Viktor Frankl passed away on 2 September 1997 in Vienna, Austria, at the age of 92. His contributions to psychology and his personal story of survival and resilience continue to inspire people worldwide.
== See also ==


==Related pages==
* [[Logotherapy]]
* [[Existential therapy]]
* [[Existential therapy]]
* [[Man's Search for Meaning]]
* [[Holocaust survivors]]
* [[Holocaust survivors]]
* [[Psychotherapy]]
* [[Auschwitz concentration camp]]
* [[Neurology]]
* [[Psychiatry]]


== References ==
[[Category:Austrian psychiatrists]]
<references />
 
== External links ==
 
[http://www.viktorfrankl.org/ Official Viktor Frankl website]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:Holocaust survivors]]
[[Category:Holocaust survivors]]
[[Category:Austrian psychiatrists]]
[[Category:Austrian neurologists]]
[[Category:Existential therapists]]
[[Category:Existential therapists]]
[[Category:Logotherapists]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frankl, Viktor}}
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:1997 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Vienna]]
[[Category:Austrian Jews]]
[[Category:Austrian psychiatrists]]
[[Category:Neurologists]]
[[Category:Holocaust survivors]]
[[Category:Jewish scientists]]
[[Category:Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria]]
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Latest revision as of 19:10, 22 March 2025

Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor



Viktor Emil Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. He is best known for founding logotherapy, a form of existential analysis, and for his book Man's Search for Meaning, which chronicles his experiences as a concentration camp inmate and describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding meaning in all forms of existence.

Early life and education[edit]

Viktor Frankl was born in Vienna, Austria, into a Jewish family. He showed an early interest in psychology and philosophy, and by the age of 16, he was already corresponding with Sigmund Freud. Frankl studied medicine at the University of Vienna, where he specialized in neurology and psychiatry, focusing on the treatment of depression and suicide.

Career and development of logotherapy[edit]

Frankl's early career was marked by his work in various hospitals in Vienna, where he developed his theories on existential analysis and logotherapy. Logotherapy is based on the premise that the primary motivational force of an individual is to find meaning in life. This contrasts with the psychoanalysis of Freud, which emphasizes the role of unconscious drives, and the individual psychology of Alfred Adler, which focuses on the pursuit of power.

Logotherapy[edit]

Logotherapy is often referred to as the "Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy," following Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology. The core tenet of logotherapy is that life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones, and that the motivation for living comes from finding this meaning. Frankl believed that humans are motivated by a "will to meaning," which is the desire to find purpose in life.

World War II and concentration camp experiences[edit]

During World War II, Frankl and his family were deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto, and later he was transferred to Auschwitz and other concentration camps. His experiences in the camps profoundly influenced his work and led to the development of his existential philosophy. In the camps, Frankl observed that those who found meaning in their suffering were more likely to survive.

Post-war life and legacy[edit]

After the war, Frankl returned to Vienna and became head of the neurology department at the Vienna Polyclinic Hospital. He published more than 30 books on his theories and lectured extensively around the world. His most famous work, Man's Search for Meaning, has been translated into numerous languages and remains a seminal text in the field of psychology.

Frankl's work has had a lasting impact on the fields of psychology and psychotherapy, influencing a wide range of therapeutic practices. His emphasis on finding meaning in life has resonated with many people, particularly those facing existential crises or suffering.

Death[edit]

Viktor Frankl passed away on 2 September 1997 in Vienna, Austria, at the age of 92. His contributions to psychology and his personal story of survival and resilience continue to inspire people worldwide.

Related pages[edit]