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Viktor Frankl: a Life of Meaning

4 min read

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Source: Balancedachievement.com

Viktor Frankl used his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps in World War II to write ”Man’s Search for Meaning”, an enduring work of survival literature, and to open new avenues for modern psychotherapy.

Frankl believed man’s deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose

By the time Viktor Frankl was 40 years old, he had lived through two World Wars, spent three years in Nazi concentration camps, and lost his parents, wife, and brother in the Holocaust. 

These incomprehensible circumstances, however, would not stop the indomitable neurologist and psychiatrist from finding meaning in his own life and helping others to do the same. 

His therapeutic teachings about the importance of having purpose in life will forever remain treasured in the world of psychology, and his 1946 classic “Man’s Search for Meaning” is one of the most highly-regarded inspirational books ever published.

‘Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain ways, in the final analysis it becomes clear that the sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result of camp influences alone. Fundamentally, therefore, any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him-mentally and spiritually. He may retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp.’ ― Viktor Frankl, “Man’s Search for Meaning”
‘The mental reactions of the inmates of a concentration camp must seem more to us than the mere expression of certain physical and sociological conditions.’ ‘Even though conditions such as lack of sleep, insufficient food and various mental stresses may suggest that the inmates were bound to react in certain ways, in the final analysis it becomes clear that the sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result of camp influences alone. Fundamentally, therefore, any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him-mentally and spiritually. He may retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp.’ ― Viktor Frankl, “Man’s Search for Meaning” Source: Wikipedia

Frankl came to believe that meaning in life was what motivated humans most

After graduating from high school, Viktor Emil Frankl went on to study neurology and psychiatry at the University of Vienna. During his time at the world class university, he had an opportunity to come in contact with two of Austria’s greatest psychotherapists, Sigmond Freud and Alfred Adler.

In 1937, Frankl, who would later develop his own school of psychological thinking, would open his own practice as a neurologist and physiatrist. This, unfortunately, would be only one year before Hitler led troops would invade Austria.

Despite tensions rising within Austria over the coming years, Viktor Frankl was able to start outlining his philosophy for psychotherapy, called Logotherapywhich is considered to be the third Viennese school of psychotherapeutic thought. 

While Freud and Adler believed that the most powerful motivational drive for humans was pleasure and power respectively, Frankl came to believe that meaning in life was what motivated humans most. 

Moreover, he determined that life can always have meaning, regardless of the circumstances, and that each human has the freedom to find purpose in every situation they face. 

While these ideas came before the ominous year of 1942, Frankl would soon verify his beliefs in the most trying circumstances.

Although Viktor Frankl and his first wife Tilly had understood the severity of the situation Jewish citizens were facing, and had obtained a visa to leave to the United States, the couple chose to remain by the side of his parents in Austria. 

Unfortunately, on September 25th, 1942, Viktor and his family were taken into custody by Nazi armed forces and sent to work in a concentration camp. For the next three years, Frankl would work in three different camps without having any knowledge about the welfare of his parents, wife, and siblings. 

During this time, Frankl witnessed the deaths of thousands of fellow Jews, yet saw many others fight for their lives which confirmed his beliefs about the importance of meaning in life. He later used a quote from the great German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche to describe which prisoners were most likely to survive:

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

It was not until the 27th of April in 1945 that Viktor Frankl and the other prisoners detained in the Auschwitz concentration camp would be liberated by American soldiers. 

After returning to Austria, he was delivered the fateful news he so desperately didn’t want to hear: His wife, parents, and brother had all perished in German concentration camps. 

Frankl and his sister would be the only two members of the family to survive the horrific ordeal.

Source: BalancedAchievement.com

Why must believe in others: Viktor Frankl Everyone should watch this lecture by Dr Viktor Frankl, recorded in 1973 but more relevant today than ever. Worth watching till the end. Source: Facebook/BrightVibes

3 messages to take away from Viktor Frankl’s teachings

Only one year after being released from Auschwitz, Viktor Frankl published Man’s Search for Meaning which has since become one of the most inspirationally moving books to ever be published. 

Throughout the book’s pages, Frankl justifies his belief that meaning is the most important component of human existences with relatable stories from his time living in German concentration camps. Since the book’s initial publication, it has sold over 9 million copies worldwide and cemented Frankl as one of the most important psychology figures to ever grace the earth.

  • Meaning in Life is Everything: Even before Viktor Frankl was sent to unjustly live and work inside some of the Nazi’s worst concentration camps, he began formulating the belief that the most important component of human wellbeing is the meaning individuals have for their lives. While inside the concentration camps, he came to realize that the prisoners who found a way to live with purpose would tend to stay alive much longer than those who had lost their way. The celebrated psychiatrist told us that individuals can find purpose in many different ways and recommended patients search for meaning through creative work, life experiences, and by changing their attitudes about their life situation. Since, in the eyes of Frankl, there is a clear correlation between a sense of meaning and levels of wellbeing, it is vitally important for each of us to find purpose in our live endeavors, whatever they may be.
  • Taking Personal Responsibility: Through his experiences in Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps, Viktor Frankl saw firsthand how individuals have the ability to freely take responsibility for their lives and respond to whatever circumstances they face with an attitude they freely choose. In Man’s Search for Meaning he writes, “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” In Frankl’s estimation, taking personal responsibility for one’s own life, and their attitude towards the circumstances they face, is in fact the ‘essence of existence.‘ To improve our abilities to freely make choices, he told us that each of us should be educated on decision-making skills and then take unwavering personal responsibility for our lives and the attitudes we live with.

  • Believe in Those Around You: Viktor Frankl believed that individuals should aim to make the world a better place and could do so by believing in their fellow man. He understood how important human connection and close relationships are for individuals searching for meaning in life, and by supporting others on their quest towards purpose, each of us can increase the levels of meaning we have in our own lives. To do this, he tell us that instead of seeing our fellow brothers and sisters as they are, we must overestimate them in a way that propels them towards happiness and fulfillment. 

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