Psychologie und Totalitarismus

Guski-Leinwand, Susanne

doi:10.3726/b10520

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…However, principles and mechanisms of political power remained similar, as elaborately described in the concepts of totalitarian regimes in which the states do not recognize basic human rights (Arendt, 1966; Guski-Leinwand, 2010, 2017). The communist doctrine of the East German government thus implied that harsh and drastic measures are allowed and should be taken against dissidents and its so-called “political enemies” and to prevent political upheaval by likewise harsh preventive secret police activities.…”

Section: Comparative Aspects Discussion and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…As this took place in a part of post-World War II Germany, the question presents itself if one can draw a line to Nazi Germany’s cruel and inhuman practices? Recent studies have shown that already in the 1930s many academic psychologists participated in developing a “psychology for national socialism” (Guski-Leinwand, 2017, pp. 265–270).…”

Section: Comparative Aspects Discussion and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This recurring theme was already established in 1915 through the “idea of organic organization” of society. This expressed a type of ultraconservative social Darwinism, including psychobiology, and opened the way for new concepts in “characterology,” (anthropological) typology, and racism (Guski-Leinwand, 2017).…”

Section: Comparative Aspects Discussion and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychologists’ Involvement in Repressive “Stasi” Secret Police Activities in Former East Germany

Maercker

Guski-Leinwand

2018

International Perspectives in Psychology

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The use of psychology within the context of intelligence or secret services around the world creates ethical issues that inherently erode psychology’s professional standards. The historic case of the East German “Stasi” secret police provides the opportunity to systematically study such clandestine abuses of psychology, as the Stasi archives are open and accessible. We present information on the structure and function of the Department of Operative Psychology at the former Academy of the Ministry for State Security (Stasi). This includes an outline of its history, corporate identity, curricula, research agenda, and academic (post-)graduation theses. The current article identifies and outlines practical secret police applications such as operational procedures, interrogation techniques, and proscription methods—some of which is subsumed in the Stasi term Zersetzung (decomposition of personalities). Finally, these findings will be discussed with regard to the professional ethics codes of psychologists. We outline recommendations for further scientific examination of this historic case sample and how to prevent this abuse of psychologists and psychological knowledge in the future.

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Section: Comparative Aspects Discussion and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Comparative Aspects Discussion and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparative Aspects Discussion and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Psychologists’ Involvement in Repressive “Stasi” Secret Police Activities in Former East Germany

Maercker

Guski-Leinwand

2018

International Perspectives in Psychology

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“…To teach employees how to use "quiet" forms of repression, the concept of "operative psychology" was taught at the MfS law school. Guski-Leinwand et al (2020) argue that the methods of "operative psychology" are comparable to methods of psychological torture, defined as the manipulation of social and private environments, inducing anticipatory fear, and attacking the feeling of belongingness and social inclusion. Jürgen Fuchs, author and victim of "Zersetzung" himself, defined "Zersetzung" as a "psychosocial crime" and an "attack to the soul of a human" (cf.…”

Section: Concrete Features Of "Zersetzung"mentioning

confidence: 99%

Visible wounds of invisible repression: A perspective on the importance of investigating the biological and psychological impact of political repression.

Marheinecke¹,

Strauß²,

Engert³

2024

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective: Exposure to psychological trauma is a well-accepted risk factor for the development of mental and somatic diseases. However, chronic stressors not fulfilling the criteria of traumatic experience can have similarly adverse health consequences. While the harmful impact of chronic stressors is generally recognized among researchers, there is a lack of acknowledgment within clinical, political, and societal entities. This becomes evident in the experiences of victims of political repression in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), an authoritarian state in East Germany. Repression in the GDR included covert measures, such as "Zersetzung" (engl: disintegration), consisting of wiretapping, spreading rumors, or provoking failure in professional and social domains. It aimed to systematically undermine the psychosocial integrity of individuals, inducing anxiety, social isolation, and confusion. Method: This article integrates findings on repression in the GDR with existing trauma and chronic stress literature. Results: "Zersetzung" shares key features with severe psychosocial chronic stressors. Like trauma, experiencing "Zersetzung" likely dysregulated the biological stress systems, thereby predisposing victims to the health consequences they frequently experience to the present day. Conclusion: Certain severe chronic stressors, such as "Zersetzung," do not appear to differ in their negative health consequences from Criterion A traumatic events. Identifying the biological and psychological impact of political repression techniques is essential, not only for public acknowledgment, and proper health care of victims of GDR repression, but also for those individuals suffering from similar repression methods today. Clinical Impact StatementThis article argues that the health consequences of political repression methods aiming to undermine an individual's psychosocial integrity arise from stress system alterations. We focus on methods of "Zersetzung," common in the German Democratic Republic. Understanding the circumstances under which "Zersetzung" occurred and revealing its psychobiological associations are crucial in understanding the lasting impact of psychosocially stressful repression. This knowledge should be considered in the compensation, rehabilitation, and health care for former, current, and future victims of political repression.

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