Association for the promotion of psychological knowledge of human nature

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The Association for the Promotion of Psychological Knowledge of Human Beings (VPM) was an interdisciplinary association oriented towards psychology and education . It was founded in 1986 by the psychologist Annemarie Buchholz-Kaiser (* October 12, 1939; † May 21, 2014) from what was left of the Zurich School for Psychotherapy by Friedrich Liebling and was considered politically far-right. The right-wing conservatism of the VPM stood in clear contrast to the progressive orientation of the Zurich School. The association was criticized by professional organizations, sect experts and former members because of the positions it represented and its authoritarian structures and therefore led numerous lawsuits. The association officially dissolved in 2002; But followers are still active in his sense.

Activity and goals

The VPM saw itself in the tradition of Alfred Adler's individual psychology , cultural anthropology and developmental psychology . According to his own statements, he also included more recent scientific findings. The aim of the association was to make psychology accessible and usable for everyone. The model was medicine, which developed over centuries from different schools and directions into a scientifically recognized discipline. According to its own statements, in addition to psychological, pedagogical and socio-ethical questions of general interest, the VPM also paid particular attention to research results on questions of ethics , and the development and maintenance of human values. The VPM saw itself as politically and denominationally neutral and, in response to criticism, stressed that it should orient itself towards the natural-legal Christian values ​​of Swiss culture and the free-democratic basic order .

The VPM offered further education and training opportunities in the field of psychology, psychosomatics and pedagogy . Every year he organized psychological-pedagogical congresses, training weeks and workshops on questions of human coexistence and published over 80 books and publications.

Social Commitment

Doctors, psychologists and teachers at the VPM were confronted with new phenomena of the late 20th century , mainly " drug abuse , the AIDS epidemic," radical " school reforms and" decline in values "":

Alarming international information prompted a group of doctors from the VPM in October 1985 to work out a "prevention concept" against HIV infection . You are committed to comprehensive AIDS education.

Based on the experiences with the treatment of the first drug addicts, psychologists and doctors in the VPM created an exit-oriented drug concept. According to this, the spread of drug addiction can only be contained with a clear stance against all liberalization and legalization efforts. Therefore, according to their own statements, they advocate youth without drugs with scientific statements and in accordance with the UN Prevention Concept and the Narcotics Control Council (INCB).

Postmodern education and, from the point of view of the VPM, “non-pedagogically oriented radical school reforms” showed, in the opinion of the association, negative effects on the pupils' attitudes towards learning and the quality of education. The VPM tried to counteract this by promoting a “value and pedagogical oriented education”. The declared goal was a “cheerful, helpful and motivated youth”.

Officially, the VPM wanted to "give enlightened bourgeois values ​​in today's socio-political opinion struggle a democratically legitimized voice" and made use of guaranteed basic rights . Together with like-minded organizations, he used direct democracy in Switzerland. He advocated “ non-violence in interpersonal dealings” and took a stand against “political extremism from the right and left”.

Associations that are said to have been close to the VPM

The following are considered to be associations that were mainly founded by VPM members:

Groups that represent a similar orientation as the VPM and refer to Friedrich Liebling are for example

  • the foundation for psychological teaching and counseling
  • the Zurich School for Psychotherapy
  • the psychological teaching and counseling center
  • the European association for the promotion of psychological knowledge of human nature
  • the working group for qualified studies
  • the society (or the institute ) for the promotion of psychological knowledge of human nature
  • the Hippocratic Society of Switzerland .

criticism

Within 15 months (1992 and 1993), 2,727 critical articles about the VPM appeared in the Swiss press alone. Almost every article contains a "cult accusation". Former members complain about authoritarian structures and that deviating from the “correct opinion” will not be tolerated. There is also a very clear friend / foe classification. The scientific nature of the association's methods has also been questioned several times. With the federal court ruling of 1996 against the inclusion of VPM members by the Education Department of the Canton of Zurich, the campaign largely came to a standstill.

According to a Zeit article from 1993, the association was " known for brutal appearances, defamation and an unbelievable rage of lawsuits ", opponents of the association experienced fanatical character assassination campaigns and were covered with legal proceedings, so that witnesses fell silent and even newspaper editors shied away from the subject. The association treats homosexuality as a disease to be cured. Dropouts are sometimes severely defamed or even spied on at home.

The " Professional Association of German Psychologists eV" (BDP) issued the following press release in 1994:

«The BDP sticks to its assessment that the VPM is a psycho cult, which by its name tries to create the impression of a psychological-scientific professional society in the authorities, in professional circles and the general public, and also to the outside world charitable organization that provides help to people in personal difficulties or needs with psychological advice and psychotherapeutic treatment. However, in the opinion of the BDP, this so-called psychotherapeutic activity of the VPM lacks any professional basis. "

The “German Society for Individual Psychology e. V. » (DGIP), which is scientifically recognized and based on the work of Adler, took a critical position on the appointment of the VPM to Alfred Adler:

«The national board of DGIP distances itself from the activities and psychological views of the VPM. Like the DGIP, this theory refers to Alfred Adler's individual psychology. The sect-like claim of the VPM and its organizations to a kind of definition monopoly is in stark contrast to the scientific orientation of individual psychology. "

In 1996 the federal government presented a draft for an information brochure in which, among other things, the VPM was discussed. The association defended itself against this with an application for a temporary injunction. The Higher Administrative Court in Münster rejected this application by the VPM as follows:

«Against the background of all of the above, the summarized assessment in the planned brochure ...», «for the individual there is a risk of a deep dependency on the group, the individual curriculum vitae, the group norms and the “Community feeling” is adapted and thus an increasing alienation from the previous social and personal environment arises ”, with a summary examination as a factual value judgment based on a justifiable core of facts. The concept of the VPM, described in more detail above, of increasing the sense of community, the claim to absoluteness and salvation, as well as the subtle power and control mechanisms, warn the respondent (here is the federal government) that there is a "danger" of group adjustment and dependency as well as alienation not appear irrelevant. Such a risk is not only an issue for members of the VPM, but also for everyone who takes part in the activities of the VPM and its members. This includes not only (young) adults, but also children and adolescents, who are also a target group of the VPM.

The VPM carried out over a hundred processes in Germany alone, some of them across multiple instances. Most of the lawsuits were dismissed on the grounds of freedom of expression . For example, it says in the judgment of the Higher Regional Court of Celle 13 U 115/98 VPM ./. Hemminger et al. a .:

After taking extensive evidence by examining a large number of witnesses, the regional court dismissed the complaints. As a justification for the individual challenged 54 passages, it explained why it is a matter of admissible expressions of opinion, not demonstrably untrue factual assertions, the justified dissemination of factual assertions while safeguarding legitimate interests.

Dissolution of the VPM and continuing operations

On March 3, 2002, the VPM officially announced its dissolution. However, the journalist Hugo Stamm is of the opinion that this was only done for “tactical reasons” and that the supporters are continuing his activities.

Among other things, there have been the following reports since 2002, according to which former VPM supporters are still organized and active:

  • since 2002: The magazine Zeit -fragen, published by the VPM in the publishing house of the same name, continues to exist as a print and web project as well as a cooperative and has been featured for years with events at the Leipzig Book Fair . It has also been published in several languages since 2000 by Réseau Voltaire , who is responsible for the French conspiracy ideologist Thierry Meyssan , including in French under the title "Horizon et Débats" with more than 200 editions. The European working group “Courage for Ethics” , which organizes annual congresses, is also still active.
  • 2003: Swiss referendum against the «Army XXI» reform program
  • 2008: The private boarding school Schloß Bohlingen eV (Baden, Germany) founded by former VPM supporters , meanwhile "Boarding School Friedrichsheim", was criticized in media reports for its extremely restrictive educational methods towards problematic young people.
  • 2009 to 2010: Involvement in the Association Against Media Violence (VGMG) around Bernese SP cantonal councilor Roland Näf , which seeks far-reaching bans against entertainment media that perform violence and in particular so-called killer games . There were around a dozen former VPM supporters among the founding members of the VGMG; Until the spring of 2010 it linked websites close to VPM approvingly and published texts by VPM supporters on its front page. At the request of the association, the former VPM supporters left the association in early summer 2010.
  • 2018: A former VPM supporter came out with a polemical publication against “ Curriculum 21 ”.

literature

Published by the VPM

  • Location school - school «reform» - the secret abolition of schools , 4 volumes, Verlag Menschenwissennis 1991, ISBN 3-906989-05-4
  • Excluded: VPM - Human rights violations in everyday life in Switzerland, 34 experience reports , Human Knowledge Publishing House 1993, ISBN 3-906989-30-5

Per

Contra

  • Ingolf Efler, Holger Reile (ed.): VPM - The Psychosect . Rowohlt Verlag , Reinbek 1995, ISBN 3-499-19911-4 .
  • Hansjörg Hemminger: VPM. The “Association for the Promotion of Psychological Knowledge of People” and Friedrich Favorit's “Zurich School”. Evangelical Press Association for Bavaria: Munich, 1994, ISBN 3-583-50663-4
  • Eugen Sorg : Favorite Stories. The “Zurich School” or inside views of a psychological company. , Weltwoche Verlag  : Zurich, 1991, ISBN 3-855-04130-X
  • Hugo Stamm : VPM - The Soul Trap. «Psychological knowledge of human nature» as a healing program. Werd Verlag , Zurich 1993, ISBN 3-859-32162-5
  • Thomas Zschaber: Manipulation and indoctrination through language. A literature analysis with a subsequent examination of pedagogical-psychological doctrines. Paul Haupt publishing house  : Bern, Stuttgart, Vienna, 1993, ISBN 3-258-04798-7
  • Frank Nordhausen: Warning of a psycho sect . In: The time . No. 43/1993 , October 22, 1993 ( zeit.de ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituaries in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung of May 27, 2014, p. 14
  2. ^ Hugo Stamm : Dominator of a large sect. Obituary. In: tagesanzeiger.ch . May 23, 2014, archived from the original on May 24, 2014 ; accessed on August 8, 2020 (original subscription required; full text in archive).
  3. ↑ a b Martin Dietzsch, Anton Maegerle: Polititizing psycho-sects from the right. In: diss-duisburg.de . January 1997, accessed August 11, 2020.
  4. ↑ Favorite «Zurich School»: Psychology and Humanity , Peter Boller
  5. ↑ Bundestag printed matter 13/8170, interim report of the Enquete Commission of the German Bundestag "So-called sects and psychogroups" , 1997, p. 20f (PDF file; 3.23 MB)
  6. ↑ OVG Münster, Az .: 5 B 168/94
  7. ↑ El Awadalla: The Right on the Move - Clusters and Networks of the “New Right” . Picus Verlag, Vienna, 1995.
  8. ↑ Renate Oschlies: Supporting a concentration camp guard brought the society into twilight / Faust defends the collaboration of sect activists: Renger sees her name being misused by the memorial library. August 21, 1996, accessed June 16, 2019 (German).
  9. ↑ Frank Nordhausen: Dresden Ministry of Justice confirms contacts of Siegmar Faust to the right-wing psycho sect VPM: Sect reproach against Saxon Stasi officers. March 16, 1998, accessed June 16, 2019 (German).
  10. ↑ FOCUS Online: Victims against victims. Retrieved June 16, 2019 .
  11. ↑ dpa: The CDU no longer holds its protective hand over Faust . March 31, 1999 ( welt.de [accessed June 16, 2019]).
  12. ↑ University of Bern: Federal Court judgment BGE 121-360 “VPM-Fichen” of November 28, 1996: Complaint under constitutional law against the Government Council of the Canton of Zurich
  13. ^ Frank Nordhausen: Warning of a psycho sect . In: The time . No. 43/1993 , October 22, 1993 ( zeit.de [accessed August 5, 2020]).
  14. ^ Report Psychologie 19, August 1994, plus press release, information from German psychologists from July 15, 1994
  15. ↑ From a declaration by the German Society for Individual Psychology e. V., in: Psychologie Heute , May 1994
  16. ↑ Matthias Holzbauer: The golden eagle and its smell of sulfur. The new middle ages. The Persecution of Religious Minorities in History. Verlag das weisse Pferd, Marktheidenfeld 2003, ISBN 3-9808322-3-6 , page 381
  17. ^ Decision of the OVG for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia of May 15, 1996 ( Az. 5 B 168/94), p. 18
  18. ↑ http://www.agpf.de/OLG-Celle-13U115-98-VPM.htm judgment of OLG-Celle-13U115-98-VPM
  19. ↑ Association for the Promotion of Psychological Knowledge of Human Being (VPM) ( de )
  20. ↑ http://www.diss-duisburg.de/Internetbibliothek/Artikel/Politisierende_Psycho-Sekten.htm
  21. ↑ VPM at AGPF http://www.agpf.de/VPM.htm
  22. ↑ https://www.leipziger-buchmesse.de/media/PDF/2020/Bildung/LBM20_Programm-Fokus-Bildung.pdf
  23. ↑ Website of the European Working Group «Courage for Ethics»
  24. ↑ Holger Reile: harassed and insulted in boarding school. In: neue-deutschland.de. April 11, 2009. Retrieved October 28, 2018 .
  25. ^ School scandal: Dubious boarding school education Anne Kathrin Reiter, Focus, March 18, 2009
  26. ↑ Hugo Stamm: VPM supporters are involved. Tages-Anzeiger, March 19, 2010.
  27. ↑ Psycho sect mixes with Lukas Mäder at game ban , 20min, March 19, 2010
  28. ↑ Bastian Birke: "Killer game" ban in Switzerland. In: Telepolis . March 13, 2010, accessed June 6, 2020.
  29. ↑ Andri Rostetter: Ex-member of a psycho-sect writes polemic against curriculum 21. St. Galler Tagblatt, July 25 2018th