{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,24]],"date-time":"2026-01-24T20:00:48Z","timestamp":1769284848257,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Cambridge University Press (CUP)","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]],"date-time":"2025-08-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756425600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["cambridge.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Med. Hist."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Addiction was considered \u2018alien to Socialism\u2019. At least, that was the narrative upheld by the socialist East German state, which thus followed the traditional argumentation of socialist and social democratic movements since the turn of the century. While the state clung to this ideological claim, the consumption and abuse of beer, spirits, and benzodiazepines continued to increase. However, there was never a central strategy for the treatment and prevention of addiction in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The hesitation and ignorance of the state authorities created a vacuum that was filled by local initiatives and expert discussions aimed at improving the situation of people with addictions. In this article, I analyse the introduction of new treatment methods in a psychiatric hospital in the GDR and show that doctors, psychologists, patients, and local officials had certain freedoms to test new approaches, many of which originated in the West. Even though they had to adapt concepts such as the \u2018therapeutic communities\u2019 of British reformer Maxwell Jones to the specific socialist and East German context to avoid restrictions by state authorities, the Berlin Wall did not prevent the transfer of knowledge. This article, therefore, paints a nuanced picture of the therapeutic methods used to treat people with addiction in the GDR. From condemning individuals as outcasts of socialist society for socially deviant drinking behaviour and relying exclusively on aversion therapy and moral accusations, there was a shift towards a mixture of treatments that became increasingly specialised and individualised, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, comparable to Western standards.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1017\/mdh.2025.9","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]],"date-time":"2025-08-29T08:44:43Z","timestamp":1756457083000},"page":"592-609","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/policypage","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The treatment of alcoholism that should not exist: Addiction, East German doctors, and Western methods in the German Democratic Republic"],"prefix":"10.1017","volume":"69","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2501-4719","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Markus","family":"Wahl","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Friedrich-Alexander-Universit\u00e4t Erlangen-N\u00fcrnberg"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"56","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref7","volume-title":"Das siebente Brennesselhemd. Aus dem Tagebuch einer Alkoholkranken","author":"Johannis","year":"1986"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref12","first-page":"108","article-title":"\u00dcber die Provokation von Psychosen bei der medikament\u00f6sen Behandlung des chron. Alkoholismus (Antabuspsychosen)","volume":"4","author":"Grage","year":"1952","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.13109\/9783666401770"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7765\/9781526159410"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref3","first-page":"251","volume-title":"Psychiatrie in der DDR: Beitr\u00e4ge zur Geschichte, Band 2","author":"Balz","year":"2020"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref27","volume-title":"Die offene Anstalt f\u00fcr Alkoholkranke in Wien-Kalksburg: Methoden und Ergebnisse, 1961-1966","author":"Kryspin-Exner","year":"1967"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref53","volume-title":"Der Alkoholkranke in der Sprechstune des Haus- und Betriebsarztes: Dokumentation der Wissenschafltichen Hauptveranstaltung des 9. Dresdner Klubgespr\u00e4ches","author":"Engel","year":"1987"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref57","first-page":"59","volume-title":"Medizinethik in der DDR: Moralische und menschenrechtliche Fragen im Gesundheitswesen","author":"Wahl","year":"2015"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref43","first-page":"21","article-title":"Brandenburger Thesen zur Therapeutischen Gemeinschaft","volume":"28","author":"Schirmer","year":"1976","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/714639"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0952695120911593"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref55","first-page":"58","volume-title":"Socialist Subjectivities: Queering East Germany under Honecker","author":"Wahl","year":"2024"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref52","volume-title":"\u2018Probleme und Ergebnisse der Psychotherapie bei Aloholkranken\u2019: Dokumentation. Wissenschaftliche Hauptveranstaltung des 8. Dresdner Klubgespr\u00e4ches","author":"Engel","year":"1986"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref18","volume-title":"Das Deutsche Hygiene-Museum Dresden 1911 bis 1990","author":"Vogel","year":"2003"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref29","volume-title":"Die Geschichte der AGAS: Evangelische Arbeitsgemeinschaft zur Abwehr der Suchtgefahren","author":"Kasischke","year":"2013"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref54","first-page":"91","volume-title":"Therapeutische Gemeinschaften f\u00fcr s\u00fcchtige Menschen in Europa: Referate der Europ\u00e4ischen Konferenz der Therapeutischen Gemeinschaften, Berlin 6.-9. Juni 1990","volume":"1991","author":"Windischmann"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref1","first-page":"41","volume-title":"Diagnostik und Therapie Suchtkranker: Ergebnisse der 1. Arbeitstagung der Arbeitsgruppe \u2018Suchtkrankheiten\u2019 der Sektion der Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Psychiatrie und Neurologie der DDR, Wustrow 27.-30. Oktober 1987","author":"Winter","year":"1988"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref34","first-page":"316","article-title":"Psychotherapeutische Fachliteratur der DDR und BRD: Eine vergleichende Zitationsanalyse","volume":"72","author":"Storch","year":"2022","journal-title":"PPmP - Psychotherapie \u00b7 Psychosomatik \u00b7 Medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref2","first-page":"558","article-title":"Vom \u201cwesensfremden Konsum\u201d\u2013 Zum Umgang mit der Alkoholproblematik in einem DDR-Gro\u00dfbetrieb","volume":"72","author":"Haack","year":"2022","journal-title":"PPmP - Psychotherapie \u00b7 Psychosomatik \u00b7 Medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.25162\/medhist-2012-0003"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref11","first-page":"268","article-title":"Zur soziologischen Problematik der Suchten","volume":"3","author":"M\u00fcller-Hegemann","year":"1951","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.25162\/9783515112833"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref26","first-page":"394","article-title":"Bericht \u00fcber die wissenschaftliche Arbeitstagung zu Grundsatzfragen der Behandlung Alkoholkranker am 26. Juni 1968 im Bezirkskrankenhaus f\u00fcr Psychiatrie und Neurologie Arnsdorf bei Dresden","volume":"21","author":"Lange","year":"1969","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref36","first-page":"542","volume-title":"Politisch mi\u00dfbraucht? Psychiatrie und Staatssicherheit in der DDR","author":"S\u00fc\u00df","year":"1999"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.25162\/mhj-2023-0007"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref46","first-page":"454","article-title":"Die Rolle des Disulfiram in der Entw\u00f6hnungsbehandlung Alkoholabh\u00e4ngiger","volume":"76","author":"Koritsch","year":"1982","journal-title":"Zeitschrift f\u00fcr \u00e4rztliche Fortbildung"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref49","first-page":"70","volume-title":"Ein Gl\u00e4schen in Ehren\u2026","author":"Windischmann","year":"1989"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref56","volume-title":"\u2018Die beste Prophylaxe ist der Sozialismus\u2019: \u00c4rzte und Hochschullehrer in der SBZ\/DDR 1945\u20131961","author":"Ernst","year":"1996"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref51","volume-title":"Sucht und Mann: Ans\u00e4tze, Argumentationen, Ausblicke","author":"Feuerlein","year":"1988"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00048-018-00203-6"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref41","first-page":"489","article-title":"Normative und verfahrensrechtliche Voraussetzungen bei der Einweisung psychisch Kranker gem\u00e4\u00df \u00a7 6 des Einweisungsgesetzes der DDR","volume":"36","author":"Sp\u00e4te","year":"1984","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref44","first-page":"114","volume-title":"Volkseigene Gesundheit: Reflexionen zur Sozialgeschichte des Gesundheitswesens der DDR","author":"Kumbier","year":"2020"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref38","first-page":"855","article-title":"Handhabung des Einweisungsrechts","volume":"27","author":"Schirmer","year":"1972","journal-title":"Das Deutsche Gesundheitswesen"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref42","first-page":"50","article-title":"Neun Thesen zur Therapeutischen Gemeinschaft (zugleich Diskussionsgrundlage f\u00fcr die am 2.\/3. Mai 1974 in der Bezirksnervenklinik Brandenburg stattfindenden Tagung zu diesem Thema)","volume":"26","author":"Schirmer","year":"1974","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref48","volume-title":"23. Internationales Seminar zur Verh\u00fctung und Behandlung des Alkoholismus, Dresden, 6.6.-10.6.1977","author":"Tongue","year":"1977"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref5","first-page":"12","volume-title":"Blauer W\u00fcrger: So trank die DDR","author":"Kochan","year":"2011"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref13","first-page":"88","article-title":"Alkoholentziehungskur mit Hilfe eines bedingten Reflexes (Apomorphinentziehungskur)","volume":"8","author":"Ruck","year":"1956","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"313","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0033-1343229","article-title":"50 Jahre Rodewischer Thesen \u2013 Zu den Anf\u00e4ngen sozialpsychiatrischer Reformen in der DDR","volume":"40","author":"Kumbier","year":"2013","journal-title":"Psychiatrische Praxis"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref6","first-page":"344","volume-title":"Psychiatrie in der DDR III: Weitere Beitr\u00e4ge zur Geschichte","author":"Orlob","year":"2023"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7788\/boehlau.9783412216535"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref17","first-page":"6","article-title":"Alkohol und Jugendkriminalit\u00e4t","volume":"2","author":"Welich","year":"1959","journal-title":"Alles f\u00fcr Deine Gesundheit - Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref19","volume-title":"Jugend und Alkohol","author":"Neubert","year":"1959"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref14","first-page":"229","volume-title":"Psychiatrie in der DDR: Beitr\u00e4ge zur Geschichte, Band 2","author":"Wahl","year":"2020"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref25","first-page":"243","volume-title":"From the Midwife\u2019s Bag to the Patient\u2019s File: Public Health in Eastern and Southeastern Europe","author":"Wahlen","year":"2017"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref31","volume-title":"\u2018Den neuen Menschen schaffen\u2019: Die Umerziehung von schwererziehbaren und straff\u00e4lligen Jugendlichen in der DDR (1945\u20131990)","author":"Zimmermann","year":"2004"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref22","volume-title":"The Disease Concept of Alcoholism","author":"Jellinek","year":"1983"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17104\/9783406689130"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref20","first-page":"179","volume-title":"Volkseigene Gesundheit\u00a0: Reflexionen zur Sozialgeschichte des Gesundheitswesens der DDR","author":"Sammer","year":"2020"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref9","first-page":"75","volume-title":"100 Jahre Krankenhaus Arnsdorf: Von der K\u00f6niglich S\u00e4chsischen Pflegeanstalt zum Fachkrankenhaus f\u00fcr Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Neurologie","author":"Metan","year":"2012"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref40","first-page":"146","article-title":"Soziale und medizinische Charakteristika kreis\u00e4rztlich eingewiesener psychisch Kranker","volume":"36","author":"Rogoll","year":"1984","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref16","first-page":"7","article-title":"Alkohol und Geschlechtskrankheiten","volume":"2","author":"H\u00f6rig","year":"1959","journal-title":"Alles f\u00fcr Deine Gesundheit - Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref37","first-page":"15","volume-title":"Medizinethik in der DDR: Moralische und menschenrechtliche Fragen im Gesundheitswesen","author":"Erices","year":"2015"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.25162\/9783515126731"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780367138714-3"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref24","first-page":"331","volume-title":"Alcohol, Psychiatry and Society: Comparative and Transnational Perspectives, c. 1700\u20131990s","volume":"51","author":"Gjuri\u010dov\u00e1","year":"1989"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref28","first-page":"65","volume-title":"Dokumentation: Erfahrungsaustausch abstinent lebender Alkohol- und Drogenkranker in der DDR, Bezirksnervenklinik Brandenburg 4. u. 5.5.79","author":"Wenzel","year":"1979"},{"key":"S0025727325000092_ref47","first-page":"181","article-title":"\u00dcber den ersten Erfahrungsaustausch abstinent lebender Alkoholiker am 5. und 6. Mai 1979 in der Bezirksnervenklinik Brandenburg (\u00c4rztlicher Direktor: MR Dipl.-Jur. Dr. med. S. Schirmer)","volume":"32","author":"Kursawe","year":"1980","journal-title":"Psychiatrie, Neurologie und medizinische Psychologie"}],"container-title":["Medical History"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/services\/aop-cambridge-core\/content\/view\/S0025727325000092","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T10:22:06Z","timestamp":1769163726000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/product\/identifier\/S0025727325000092\/type\/journal_article"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]]},"references-count":57,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]}},"alternative-id":["S0025727325000092"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/mdh.2025.9","relation":{},"ISSN":["0025-7273","2048-8343"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0025-7273","type":"print"},{"value":"2048-8343","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]]},"assertion":[{"value":"\u00a9 The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press","name":"copyright","label":"Copyright","group":{"name":"copyright_and_licensing","label":"Copyright and Licensing"}},{"value":"This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.","name":"license","label":"License","group":{"name":"copyright_and_licensing","label":"Copyright and Licensing"}},{"value":"This content has been made available to all.","name":"free","label":"Free to read"}]}}