Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie
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Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr · May 2009
Biography Historical Article[Franz Günther von Stockert between politics and science--a study in the history of the neurology and psychiatry in the GDR].
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. ⋯ 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.