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Viktor Emil Frankl (March 26, 1905 – September 2, 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor, best known for founding the field of logotherapy and for his influential book, Man’s Search for Meaning. Born in Vienna, Austria, Frankl was the second of three children in a Jewish family. He studied medicine at the University of Vienna, earning his M.D. and Ph.D. in psychiatry and neurology.

Frankl began his career focusing on suicide prevention and became the head of the suicide prevention department at the General Hospital in Vienna. In 1940, he took a position as the head of the neurological department at Rothschild Hospital, one of the few hospitals where Jewish doctors could practice during the Nazi regime. His life took a tragic turn in 1942 when he and his family were arrested and deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Over the next three years, Frankl was moved between several concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen. During this time, he lost his parents and wife but managed to survive by finding meaning in his suffering.

After being liberated from a labor camp in 1945, Frankl returned to Vienna and began reconstructing his life. He published Man’s Search for Meaning in 1946, which details his experiences in the camps and outlines his philosophy that finding meaning in life is essential for psychological well-being. The book has since sold millions of copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages.

Frankl continued to develop logotherapy, which posits that the primary drive in human beings is not pleasure (as Freud suggested) or power (as Adler proposed), but rather a search for meaning. He established logotherapy as a distinct school of psychotherapy, often referred to as the “Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy,” following Freud’s psychoanalysis and Adler’s individual psychology.

Throughout his academic career, Frankl served as a professor at the University of Vienna and lectured at over 200 universities worldwide. He authored more than 30 books on psychology and philosophy, earning numerous accolades for his work, including honorary degrees from various institutions.

Viktor Frankl passed away on September 2, 1997, but his legacy endures through his contributions to psychology and his profound insights into the human condition. His teachings continue to inspire individuals seeking purpose and meaning in their lives, particularly in times of suffering.