Viktor Frankl
Viktor Frankl: A Life of Resilience and Hope
#### Full Name and Common Aliases
Viktor Emil Frankl was a renowned Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor. He is often referred to as Dr. Viktor Frankl.
#### Birth and Death Dates
Born on March 26, 1905, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (now Austria), Frankl passed away on September 2, 1997, at the age of 92.
#### Nationality and Profession(s)
Austrian by nationality, Frankl was a neurologist and psychiatrist by profession. He is best known for his work in logotherapy, a form of existential analysis that focuses on finding meaning in life.
#### Early Life and Background
Frankl grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Vienna. His father, Gabriel Frankl, was a successful merchant, and his mother, Elfriede Frankl (née Löwenstein), was a talented pianist. Viktor's early life was marked by a strong emphasis on education and intellectual pursuits. He studied philosophy at the University of Vienna, where he became particularly interested in the works of Sigmund Freud.
#### Major Accomplishments
Frankl's experiences during World War II had a profound impact on his life and work. As an Austrian Jew, he was imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Dachau, and Türkheim, from 1942 to 1945. Despite the unimaginable horrors he witnessed, Frankl continued to write and teach his fellow prisoners about logotherapy.
Frankl's most significant accomplishment is perhaps the development of logotherapy, which focuses on finding meaning in life despite suffering and hardship. His work has been influential in the fields of psychology, philosophy, and spirituality.
#### Notable Works or Actions
Some of Frankl's notable works include:
"Man's Search for Meaning" (1946): A memoir that chronicles his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and explores the psychological and philosophical insights he gained from those experiences.
"The Doctor and the Soul" (1946): A book that outlines Frankl's philosophy of logotherapy and its applications in psychotherapy.
#### Impact and Legacy
Frankl's impact on psychology, philosophy, and spirituality is immense. His work has been translated into over 24 languages and has sold millions of copies worldwide. He has influenced countless individuals, including psychologists, philosophers, and spiritual leaders.
Frankl's legacy extends beyond his written works. His experiences in the concentration camps have made him a symbol of hope and resilience for millions of people around the world.
#### Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Viktor Frankl is widely quoted and remembered for several reasons:
Holocaust Survivor: As one of the few survivors of Nazi concentration camps, Frankl's experiences serve as a powerful reminder of the atrocities committed during World War II.
Philosopher and Psychologist: His work in logotherapy has had a profound impact on the fields of psychology and philosophy, offering new insights into the human search for meaning and purpose.
* Author and Speaker: Frankl was an accomplished author and speaker who shared his experiences and philosophical ideas with audiences worldwide.
Frankl's life and work continue to inspire people from all walks of life. His legacy serves as a powerful reminder that even in the midst of unimaginable suffering, there is always hope and meaning to be found.
Quotes by Viktor Frankl
A human being is not one thing among others; things determine each other, but man is ultimately self-determining. What he becomes--within the limits of endowment and environment--he has made out of himself.
It isn't the past which holds us back, it's the future; and how we undermine it, today.
U čoveku se kriju obe mogućnosti: svinja i svetac. Šta će neko ostvariti zavisi od njegovih odluka, a ne od uslova."Viktor Frankl: "Zašto se niste ubili
Precisely this one, which I had intended to be published anonymously so that it could never build any reputation on the part of the author, did become a success.... Don't aim at success - the more you aim and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued, it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself.
If you treat people to a vision of themselves, if you apparently overrate them, you make them become what they are capable of becoming.
A man's suffering is similar to the behavior of gas. If a certain quantity of gas is pumped into an empty chamber, it will fill the chamber completely and evenly, no matter how big the chamber. Thus suffering completely fills the human soul and conscious mind, no matter whether the suffering is great or little. Therefore the 'size' of human suffering is absolutely relative.
Each of us has his own inner concentration camp... We must deal with, with forgiveness and patience-as full human beings, as we are and what we will become.
We came to meadows full of flowers. We saw and realized that they were there, but we had no feelings about them. The first spark of joy came when we saw a rooster with a tail of multicolored feathers. But it remained only a spark; we did not yet belonged to this world.
Vivir significa asumir la responsabilidad de encontrar la respuesta correcta a las cuestiones que la existencia nos plantea, cumplir con las obligaciones que la vida nos asigna a cada uno en cada instante particular.