Diagnose "Psychopath" - Die Behandlung von Soldaten und Zivilisten in der Marburger Universitäts-Nervenklinik 1939-1945

Summary Base of research were the health records of 88 soldiers and 49 civilians with the diagnosis “psychopathy”, who were treated in the university hospital for mental diseases in Marburg in the period between 1939 and 1945. It was aim, to collect treatment differences between these two groups of patients. The question about treatment differences within the soldiers’ collective with regard to the rank was of further interest. In fact there wasn’t any officer found among the soldiers. Obviously, this diagnosis wasn’t attributed to officers, which causes further speculations. Corresponding scientific and medicine historical papers about military psychiatry gave reason for these theses, and furthermore arose the question, whether a shorter stay in hospital was granted to the soldiers in order to accomplish a fast return to the troop. Amazingly, this assumption was not confirmed because the soldiers’ duration of stay was 5 days longer in the median than those of the civilians. The use of “hard therapy methods” like the so called “Kaufmann-cure”, the electrical cramp therapy, Cardiazol- and Insulin-shock in the group of soldiers, was postulated in large numbers. The misuse of the “Kaufmann-cure” was confirmed in isolated cases in the soldiers’ collective. Likewise, the other therapies were used in single cases in both groups, however without a hint for an abusive application. In the military psychiatry, the diagnosis “psychopathy” had a special position. One knew about “the danger” caused by psychopathic personalities in the troop as well as at home, so that they were again and again major point for discussion between the military psychiatrists. As expected, a high number (70%) of soldiers was admitted into hospital, due to a discipline delinquency. Besides, the diagnosis “psychopathy” is difficult to be treated objectively. Where is the border between normal personality traits and pathological behavior? Circumstances of war and military demanded their own standards and make this dissertation especially exciting.