WILHELM REICH

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who was Wilhelm Reich?

Wilhelm Reich was a physician and psychoanalyst who conducted clinical practice and basic research in the 1920s through the 1950s. He was a contemporary and close friend of Freud. He later broke away from Freud's paradigm and developed his own psychoanalytic theories. He is most remembered for his controversial research on "orgone energy," much of which was burned by the FDA in the fifties. Today, his contributions to science in general and psychology in particular are often viewed with skepticism and are criticized as pseudoscience. However, Reich's work continues to spark the curiousity of many and the devotion of a few who embrace his work. For more detailed information visit the biography page of this site or visit some of the sites listed under "Links to Related Sites."

2. What did he do that was so controversial?

Reich's unfailing emphasis on the role of sexuality in the lives of individuals and the cosmos, his radical view of the family and social institutions as agents of repression, his involvement with the Communist Party, and his eventual fascination with UFOs and cloudbusting were (and still are) controversial. So much so, in fact, that he was investigated by the FBI and much of his work was burned by the FDA.

3. What is "orgone energy?" What's an "orgone accumulator?"

Orgone energy can best be described as organic energy, or "life energy," that Reich believed surrounded all living things and was released during orgasm. Reich designed an orgone accumulator, a wooden box lined with metal, to collect and intensify orgone energy for therapeutic purposes. When orgone accumulators were made available to physicians, the FDA issued an injunction against Reich for distributing a fraudulent medical device. For more detailed information, visit the Theory of Orgone Energy. For defintions of other Reichian terms, visit the glossary.

4. Why was he imprisoned?

Reich was imprisoned on contempt charges after an associate of his transported orgone accumulators across state lines. The FDA had previously issued an injunction against Reich, stating that orgone accumulators were fraudulent devices and prohibiting him from transporting the devices across state lines.

5. Was Reich a a legitimate scientist, or was he a fraud?

The burning of much of Reich's work by the FDA obscures a complete and clear understanding of his work and his theories. For more information, click here and decide for yourself.

6. Where can I find out more about Reich?

Click here for links to related sites.

7. Who are you and what is your interest in Reich?

My name is Sarah Peck and I am a psychology graduate student at the University of Georgia. This site was a project for a history of psychology course. I chose to research the life of Wilhelm Reich because he was a highly visible and extremely controversial figure in the history of psychology, and yet he is often overlooked in textbooks and courses on that subject.

I would like to thank my fiancé, Ken Blumreich, without whose invaluable assistance I could not have completed this project.