Who Betrayed John Rittmeister?: A Psychoanalytic Mystery from Nazi Berlin

Who Betrayed John Rittmeister? unravels the mystery of betrayal, resistance, and psychoanalysis in the shadow of Nazi Berlin.

Rickels delves into the enigmatic circumstances surrounding the arrest and execution of John Rittmeister, a psychoanalyst and member of the resistance group Rote Kapelle. Through meticulous research and close readings of the works of Rittmeister’s colleagues and his close friend Werner Krauss, Rickels uncovers the complex interplay of psychoanalysis, political resistance, and survival under the Third Reich. The book explores the adaptation of psychoanalysis to the Nazi regime, the eclectic therapies of the Göring Institute, and the haunting legacy of betrayal. At its heart, the narrative examines Krauss’s fictionalized account of their resistance efforts, offering a profound lens into the psychological and linguistic underpinnings of National Socialism.

This book is essential for readers interested in the history of psychoanalysis, the Third Reich, and modern Germany. It will captivate graduate students, scholars in the humanities, and those apprenticed to analytic theory, as well as art world enthusiasts drawn to Rickels’ unique interdisciplinary approach.