We maintain an online database of short biographies and profiles. We also collect historical testimonies from people who have experienced madness, asylums or psychiatry.
Our guiding principles
- We compile and present verified short biographies including a reference list.
- Our main focus is on German-speaking figures of the 20th century.
- We combine profession-centred historiography with the history of experience.
- Our focus is on the history of (user) experience.
- We generally include individuals who have been deceased for at least two years.
- Our aim is to promote a participatory approach to the historiography od madness and psychiatry.
Short biographies and profiles can offer only limited information. Please consult the listed references for more detailed information.
All contributions are reviewed in a cooperative and open peer review process prior to publication.
Our database does not claim to be exhaustive. The main criteria of selection are the historical significance of the individuals portrayed and the availability of information. The selection also reflects our own research with its sub-projects and the expertise of our authors. Responsibility for the content of the biographies rests with the authors.
We collect historical testimonies and our bibliography Wahnsinn und Hospitalisierung (Madness and Hospitalisation) is available as an e-book for free.
Our Website is a bilingual open access project
Our team
Project Management
Prof. Dr. Burkhart Brückner (Düsseldorf)
Web: Researchgate
Authors
Annette Baum, Udo Bongartz, Gereon F. Breuer, Catharina Bonnemann, Wolfgang Bühling, Ansgar Fabri, Ralf Forsbach, Ina Hackl, Galina Heghmanns, Ingrid Kampås, Isabell Klein, Peter Lehmann, Ariadni Louka, Thomas R. Müller, Heike Oldenburg, Linda Orth, Robin Pape, Julian Schwarz, Ralf Seidel, Hilde Schädle-Deininger, Felicitas Söhner, Andreas Spengler, Samuel Thoma, Jessica Thönnissen.
Translations
Sociotrans (Berlin)
Andrea Tönjes, Dipl. Pädagogin
E-Mail: toenjes@sociotrans.com
Logo design
Ronald Mühlen (Düsseldorf)
Web Development and Programming
Le Chat Informatique – Manja Neumann (Düsseldorf)
Photo of D. Buck on the landing page: © Alexandra Pohlmeier.
Funding
Funding
- 2013-2014: Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MIWF; Germany), programme “Geistes- und Gesellschaftswissenschaften in NRW”.
- 2013-2014: Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Niederrhein), research funding.
- 2013-2019: Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, internal project funding.
- 2021-2023: Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, translation funding.
Expert support
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziale Psychiatrie (DGSP).
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geschichte der Nervenheilkunde (DGGN).
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Nervenheilkunde (DGPPN), Referat „Geschichte der Psychiatrie“.
We would like to express our gratitude to all parties who have provided support and funding to make this project happen!