Time Line by Date

Wilhelm Reich and his Orgonomic Research

from Orgone Website

 

Year/Month/Date

Event-Person-Organization

Description

Extra

1897-03-24

birth; Wilhelm Reich

Wilhelm Reich was born March 24, 1897 in Dobryzcynica, Austria. His father's name was Leon and his mother's name was Cecilie. He grew up on a farm. His mother language was German.

cc

1898

.

A sister is born but dies shortly after.

.

1899

.

.

.

1900

.

A brother, Robert is born. Cecilie is not well after birth and is away for medical attention for about 2 years.

..

1901 age 4

.

Reich overhears and observes housemaid and coachman during their sexual act. Reich remembers that this causes erotic sensations of great intensity. Wilhelm spends nap time with house nurse and occasionally is allowed by her to explore her genital area but soon Wilhelm is not allowed to nap with the nurse.

.

1902

.

.

.

1903 - age 6

.

Wilhelm begins learning primary school subjects. Both parents participate but his father is impatient with Wilhelm's distractions and resorts to sending him to a corner to stand or hits him. His mother often stands between them to protect Wilhelm. Soon Wilhelm requests that his mother teaches him only and agrees to work without distracting. He excels in all subjects.

Wilhelm later refers to his father having a ferocious temper yet he was extremely kind, intelligent and knowledgeable person. Wilhelm was his mother's favorite while Robert was his father's favorite son.

.

1904

.

.

.

1905

.

.

.

1906

.

.

.

1907 *10 years old

.

.

.

1908

.

.

.

1909

.

.

.

1910

.

Cecilie, Wilhelm's mother, dies from second attempt at suicide.

.

1911

.

.

.

1912

.

.

.

1913

.

.

.

1914

WR's father dies

Wilhelm Reich's father dies from pneumonia. WR continues to run farm and his studies at school.

.

1915

WR leaves home
WWI in Army

Farm and property is destroyed as a result of WWI, Reich joins Austrian Army.

.

1916

WWI in Army

Reich becomes a lieutenant in Army.

.

1917 *20 years old

WWI in Army

Reich a lieutenant in Army at Italian front.

.

1918

WWI ends
WR at Medical school

WR at end of war enters University of Vienna to study law but in short time shifts to the study of Medicine at the Medical School of University of Vienna. As a war veteran he is allowed to complete the 6 year course in 4 years.

.

1919

WR at Medical school

.

.

1920

WR at Medical school

In October 1920 WR attains membership in Vienna Psychoanalytic Society under Professor Sigmund Freud.

 

1921

WR at Medical school

.

.

1922

WR at Medical school

WR graduates from Medical school in July 1922 with distinction of excellent in all the pre-medical subjects. He enters postgraduate work in Internal Medicine at University Clinics of Ortner and Chvostek at University Hospital in Vienna. He also begins postgraduate work in Neuro-Psychiatry at Neurological and Psychiatric University Clinic under Professor Wagner-Jauregg. WR begins his own private practice in psychoanalytic and psychiatric medicine. WR was the First Clinical assistant to Freud's Psychoanalytic Polyclinic in Vienna from its beginning in 1922-1928 under the directorship of Dr. Edward Hitschmann.

.

1923

WR post graduate work
in Medical Work

WR works with patients in the disturbed wards of Neurological and Psychiatric University Clinic under Paul Schilder. Wr's post-graduate studies included attendance at polyclinical work in hypnosis and therapy at Neurological and Psychiatric University Clinic.

.

1924

WR post graduate work
in Medical Work

WR is Director of the Seminar for Psychoanalytic Therapy at Psychoanalytic Polyclinic in Vienna from 1924-1930. He is also a member of the faculty of Psychoanalytic Institute in Vienna from 1924-1930.

.

1925

WR publishes

Der Triobhafte Charakter 1925, 132 p

.

1926

.

.

.

1927 *30 years old

WR publishes

Die Funktion des Orgasmus. 1927, 206 pp

.

1928

Medical work

WR is Vice-Director of the Polyclinic in Vienna from 1828-1930

.

1929

.

.

.

1930

WR publishes

Geschlechtareife, Enthaltsamkeit, Ehemoral. 1930, 184p

.

1931

.

 

..

1932

WR publishes

WR separates from Annie Reich; begins to live with Elsa Lindenberg... later to be considered his 2nd wife until 1939.

Der Sexuelle Kampf der Jugend. 1932, 152 pp.

.

1933

WR publishes

Charaktaranalyse. 1933, 288 pp
Massenpsychologie des Faschismus. 1933, 292 pp

WR is force to leave Germany as Hitler takes complete control of Germany.

.

1934

WR publishes

WR's divorce with Annie Reich is finalized with Annie retaining full custody of both daughter Eva & Lore. She fills children's minds with negative thoughts of their father.

Publishes: Dialekticher Materialismus und Pychoanalyse. 1934, 60 pp

Research and lectures at Psychological Institute of the University of Oslo, Norway from 1934-1939.

.

1935

WR publishes

Massenpsychologie des Faschismun. 1935, 288 pp
Der Einbruch Der Sexualmoral. (Second Ed.) 1935. 155 pp.
Psychischer Kontakt und Vegetative Stromung. 1935, 61 pp
Religionestreit in Deutschland. 1935, 112 pp
by "Karl ?Teschitz" a pseudonym for W.R.

WR does research into Orgone Biophysics and lectures at Psychological Institute of the University of Oslo, Norway

.

1936

WR publishes

Die Sexualitaet im Kulturkampf. 1936. ; 250 pp.

(date?? Zeitschrift fur Politische Psychologie und Sexualokonomie; Heft l, Band 1, by
E Parell a pseudonymfor W.R. (?)
 Zeitschrift fur Politische Psychologie und Sexualokonomie; Heft 2, Band 1, 167 pp ??date)

Research into Orgone Biophysics and lectures at Psychological Institute of the University of Oslo, Norway

.

1937 *40 years old

WR publishes

Experimentelle Ergebnisse Ueber Die Elektrische Funktion von Sexualitaet und Angst. 1937; 55 pp.
Orgasmusreflex, Musskelhaltung und Koerperausdruck, 1937; 30 pp.

Research into Orgone Biophysics and lectures at Psychological Institute of the University of Oslo, Norway

.

1938

WR publishes

Die Bions. 1938, 205 pp (German,

Research into Orgone Biophysics and lectures at Psychological Institute of the University of Oslo, Norway

.

1939

WR publishes

Bion Experiments on the Cancer Problem. Drei Versuche am Statischen Elektroskop. 1939; 30 pp.

Research into Orgone Biophysics and lectures at Psychological Institute of the University of Oslo, Norway. Moves to New York to take position as Associate Professor of Medical Psychology at "New School for Social Research" in New York City. Moves the Orgone Energy Lab from Norway to Forest Hills, N.Y.

.

1940

.

.

.

1941

.

.

.

1942

WR publishes

The Discovery of the Orgone, Vol. I: The Function of the Orgasm; first English edition. 1942; xxxvi + 368 pp.

IJSOR Vol. 1. 1942

The Orgone Institute is founded by WR in New York City. WR purchases 200+ acres of land in Rangeley, Maine USA and names the land area "Orgonon" which will be the new place for research in Orgonomy "the science of life energy".

.

1943

WR publishes

IJSOR Vol. 1. 1943

.

1944

WR publishes

IJSOR Vol. 1. 1944

.

1945

WR publishes

Character-Analysis. ; second revised edition; 1945; xxii + 328 pp.
The Sexual Revolution; first English edition; 1945; xxvii + 273 pp.
IJSOR Vol. 1. 1945

.

1946

WR publishes

The Mass Psychology of Fascism; third revised edition; first english edition; 1946; xxiv + 344 pp.

.

1947 *50 years old

WR publishes

Annals of the Orgone Institute. Number 1. 1947

.

1948

WR publishes

Listen Little Man!; 1948; 126 pp.
The Discovery of the Orgone, Vol. 1: The Function of the Orgasm; second edition. 1948; xxxvi + 325 pp.
The Discovery of the Orgone, Vol. 2: The Cancer Biopathy; 1948; xxi + 409 pp.

.

1949

WR publishes

Character Analysis; 3rd revised edition 1949;
Ether , God, and Devil. 1949 --
(also appeared in Annals of the Orgone Institute)
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 1. Jan. 1949
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Apr. 1949
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Jul. 1949
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Oct. 1949

The Wilhelm Reich Foundation is founded in Rangeley in 1949 by friends and students to preserve the Archives of WR and support further research in Cosmic Orgone Energy.

.

1950

WR publishes

Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 1. Jan. 1950
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Apr. 1950
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Jul. 1950
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Oct. 1950

.

1951

WR publishes

Cosmic Superimposition. 1951, 130 pp -- (make a note,
on page 56 a picture of Orion Nebula in our Galaxy was inadvertently substituted for the Magellenic Cloud, an irregular Galaxy. The same error, captioned irregular Galaxy, still wrong photo, appears in the 1973 paperback.)
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 1. Jan. 1951
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Apr. 1951
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Jul. 1951
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Oct. 1951

.

1952

WR publishes

People in trouble. 1953 --(The Emotional Plague of Mankind Volume II)
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 1. Jan. 1952
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Apr. 1952
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Jul. 1952
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 1, No. 2. Oct. 1952

..

1953

WR publishes

The Murder of Christ. 1953, 228 p --(The Emotional Plague of Mankind Volume I)(photos were omitted in later editions by writf)
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 5, No. 1,2. Mar. 1953
Orgone Energy Bullitin. Vol. 5, No. 3,4. Sep. 1953

 

1954

WR publishes

CORE. Vol. 6, No. 1 - 4. Jul. 1954 (space ships, DOR, and Drought)

In February 11, 1954 the FDA (Federal Food and Drug Administration ) initiates a complaint for an injunction against Wilhelm Reich and Wilhelm Reich Foundation to specifically bar the distrubution and transportation of Orgone Accumulators across State lines as a medical device. Injunction isuued by default on March 19, 1954.

.

1955

WR publishes

CORE. Vol. 7, No. 1,2. Mar. 1955
CORE. Vol. 7, No. 1,2. Dec. 1955

.

1956

WR

Court trials for WR vs USA concerning WR not obeying the 1954 Injunction (an associate Michael Silvert moved orgone accumulators across State Lines). WR was found guilty of criminal contempt of court by a jury and was sentenced to 2 years in jail. WR appeals decision.

.

1957

WR publishes

WR publishes book "Contact with Space".

WR loses court appeals and is ordered to jail in March 1957.

.

1957-11-03

death; Wilhelm Reich

Wilhelm Reich died overnight in his jail cell at Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. It was determined by prison Doctor that he died of a heart attack. His person effects and writings while at jail were never released to his family.

.

 

Sources:
Microfilm donated to Harvard Library by Eva Reich
"Selected Writings" by Wilhelm Reich ; Noonday Press; New York 1968 second edition - WRITF
"Passion of Youth - Wilhelm Reich Autobiography 1897-1922" Farrar, Straus Giroux; New York; 1988