Origins & Early Life

Viktor Emil Frankl (Austrian German: [ˈfraŋkl̩]; 26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor, who founded logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that describes a search for a life's meaning as the central human motivational force. Logotherapy is part of existential and humanistic psychology theories. Logotherapy was promoted as the third school of Viennese Psychotherapy, after those established by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. Frankl wrote 39 books.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The best-selling autobiographical book Man's Search for Meaning is based on his experiences in various Nazi concentration camps. Frankl was the second among three children of Gabriel Frankl, a civil servant in the Ministry of Social Service, and Elsa (née Lion), a Jewish family in Vienna, in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His interest in psychology and the role of meaning developed when he began taking night classes on applied psychology while in junior high school. As a teenager, he began a correspondence with Sigmund Freud and Freud asked for permission to publish one of his papers. After graduation from high school in 1923, he studied medicine...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolph Menzel — Contemporary (Died in 1905) (1905): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• Aleksandr Popov (physicist) — Contemporary (Died in 1905) (1905): Pioneering Russian physicist credited with early radio receiving technology.
• Ayn Rand — Contemporary (Born in 1905) (1905): Philosopher and author known for developing the system of Objectivism.
• Allen Ginsberg — Contemporary (Died in 1997) (1997): Pioneering American poet, central figure of the Beat Generation, known for 'Howl'.
• Amos Tutuola — Contemporary (Died in 1997) (1997): Pioneering Nigerian author blending Yoruba folklore with modern literary forms.
• Anton LaVey — Contemporary (Died in 1997) (1997): Founder of the Church of Satan and proponent of LaVeyan Satanism.
• Alan Arkin — Shared historical date (03-26 · Born) (1934): Esteemed American actor, filmmaker, and musician with a seven-decade career.
• Alan Silvestri — Shared historical date (03-26 · Born) (1950): Award-winning composer renowned for epic film scores, especially for blockbuster franchises.
• Ahmad Shah Massoud — Shared historical date (09-02 · Born) (1953): Afghan military leader, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", fought against foreign occupations.
• Andrew Grove — Shared historical date (09-02 · Born) (1936): Visionary engineer and CEO who drove Intel to global semiconductor dominance.
• 1905 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1905
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