[The 100th anniversary of Gustav Wilhelm Störring's "Lectures on Psychopathology". A review of his early years].
The aim of this essay is to retell the life and work of philosopher and psychiatrist Gustav Wilhelm Störring (1860-1946) during his early years in Leipzig and Erdmannshain. His "Lectures on Psychopathology and its Impact on Normal Psychology", written 100 years ago, are acknowledged as his most important work. With this book Störring stands in opposition to many of his contemporaries, which is illustrated with his concept of mania. In some aspects, however, his ideas coincide with those of other well-known psychiatrists such as Emil Kraepelin. Both were inclined to the idea that psychiatry and psychology could mutually stimulate each other. Störring's work in Wundt's laboratory of experimental psychology had a major impact on his work. Wundt's ideas gave impetus to a lot of his work and also influenced papers Störring was to write later on. Störring's biography is followed until 1902 when he was appointed professor of philosophy of Zurich University, in which his friend Ernst Meumann was substantially involved. In Leipzig Störring had started his work as Flechsig's assistant at the hospital of psychiatry and neurology of Leipzig University. In 1897 he founded his own sanitarium for mentally and neurologically ill in Erdmannshain, a village near Leipzig, which he managed together with his wife Marie, née Bonacker. With the help of Wundt Störring qualifies as a university lecturer. During the years regarded here, however, he got more and more attracted to philosophical matters, thus turning away from neurosciences. In time he started to regard his work as physician as nothing more than necessary for making his living. His relationship with Wundt, who together with his laboratory of experimental psychology had previously made him wish to come to Leipzig, cooled down, at least on the part of the first. That puts an end to Störring's early years not only from the point of view of his biography but also from his work.
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, Universität Leipzig. steinbh@server3.medizin.uni-leipzig.de
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D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D010684:Philosophy; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000266:history*; D011584:Psychology / Q000266:history*; D011599:Psychopathology / Q000266:history*