Wilhelm Reich

Wilhelm Reich
Ludwig Gutmann · Public domain · source
Name	Wilhelm Reich
Birth date	March 24, 1897
Birth place	Dobrzanica, Galicia, Austria-Hungary
Death date	November 3, 1957
Death place	United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality	Austrian-American
Fields	Psychoanalysis, psychiatry, sociology

Wilhelm Reich was a renowned Austrian-American psychoanalyst, psychiatrist, and sociologist who made significant contributions to the fields of psychoanalysis, psychiatry, and sociology, particularly through his work with Sigmund Freud at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. Reich's theories and research focused on the concept of orgone energy, which he believed was a vital, life-giving force that permeated the universe, similar to the ideas of Albert Einstein and his theory of relativity. Reich's work was also influenced by the ideas of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution, as well as the Marxist ideology of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Additionally, Reich was familiar with the works of Immanuel Kant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Arthur Schopenhauer, which further shaped his philosophical and scientific perspectives.

● Early Life and Education

Wilhelm Reich was born in Dobrzanica, Galicia, Austria-Hungary, to a Jewish family, and grew up in a multilingual environment, speaking German, Polish, and Yiddish. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna, where he was introduced to the works of Sigmund Freud and became interested in psychoanalysis. Reich's education was also influenced by the ideas of Eugen Bleuler, Carl Jung, and Alfred Adler, who were all prominent figures in the field of psychoanalysis at the time. During his time at the University of Vienna, Reich was also exposed to the works of Ernst Mach, Ludwig Boltzmann, and Sigmund Exner, which further shaped his understanding of physics and philosophy.

● Career and Theories

Reich's career as a psychoanalyst began in Vienna, where he worked with Sigmund Freud and became a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. He later moved to Berlin, where he became involved with the German Communist Party and developed his theories on sexuality and politics, which were influenced by the ideas of Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Reich's work was also influenced by the Frankfurt School, a group of Marxist scholars that included Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, and Herbert Marcuse. Additionally, Reich was familiar with the works of Georg Lukacs, Antonio Gramsci, and Walter Benjamin, which further shaped his understanding of Marxism and critical theory.

● Orgone Energy and Research

Reich's research on orgone energy began in the 1930s, when he developed the concept of a vital, life-giving force that permeated the universe, similar to the ideas of Hans Christian Ørsted and his discovery of electromagnetism. Reich believed that orgone energy was responsible for the creation of life and the maintenance of health, and he developed a range of devices, including the orgone accumulator, to harness and manipulate this energy. Reich's work on orgone energy was influenced by the ideas of Nikola Tesla and his experiments with electrical energy, as well as the research of Alexander Gurwitsch and his discovery of mitogenetic radiation. Additionally, Reich was familiar with the works of Louis de Broglie, Erwin Schrödinger, and Werner Heisenberg, which further shaped his understanding of quantum mechanics and theoretical physics.

● Controversy and Criticism

Reich's theories and research on orgone energy were met with significant controversy and criticism from the scientific community, including physicists such as Niels Bohr and Enrico Fermi, who questioned the validity of his claims. Reich's work was also criticized by psychoanalysts such as Ernest Jones and Anna Freud, who disagreed with his theories on sexuality and politics. Additionally, Reich's involvement with the German Communist Party and his criticism of fascism and capitalism led to him being targeted by the Nazi Party and the FBI, who viewed him as a threat to national security. Reich's work was also influenced by the Red Scare and the McCarthyism of the 1950s, which further shaped his understanding of politics and social justice.

● Later Life and Legacy

In the 1940s and 1950s, Reich continued to develop his theories and research on orgone energy, and he established the Orgone Institute in Rangeley, Maine, where he conducted experiments and developed new devices. Reich's work was also influenced by the ideas of Buckminster Fuller and his designs for geodesic domes, as well as the research of Konrad Lorenz and his studies on animal behavior. Additionally, Reich was familiar with the works of Gregor Mendel, Charles Robert Darwin, and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, which further shaped his understanding of evolutionary biology and genetics. Despite the controversy surrounding his work, Reich's legacy continues to be felt in fields such as alternative medicine, environmentalism, and social justice, with influences on thinkers such as Herbert Marcuse, Theodor Adorno, and Jean-Paul Sartre.

● Imprisonment and Death

In 1956, Reich was arrested and charged with contempt of court for violating a Food and Drug Administration injunction against the sale of his orgone accumulator devices. Reich was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison, where he died on November 3, 1957, at the age of 60, at the United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Reich's imprisonment and death were widely criticized by his supporters, who saw him as a martyr for his beliefs, and his legacy continues to be felt in fields such as alternative medicine, environmentalism, and social justice, with influences on thinkers such as Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs. Reich's work was also influenced by the Beat Generation and the counterculture movement of the 1960s, which further shaped his understanding of politics and social justice. Category:Psychoanalysts