Open care - Rodewisch Theses - Psychiatry-Enquete: Comparison of three reform approaches

Aim: The three most important German approaches for reforming psychiatric c are in the 20th century - i.e. "open care" in the Weimar Republic in the 20 ies, the "Rodewisch Theses" published in the GDR 1963, and the "Psychiatry- Enquete" in the Federal Republic in 1975 - were compared using seven criter ia. Methods: Psychiatric and general medical journals were systematically s earched for articles on aims and objectives of mental health care. Results: All three approaches promoted stronger community based care. None of them suggested an,,empowerment, as it is understood today. Differences between t hem concerned equal care for mentally and physically ill patients, internat ional relations, and economic arguments. Comparisons on other criteria, e.g . the relationship with university psychiatry, yield a less clear picture. Conclusions: All three ideas for reforms have been successful - to a limite d and different extent. They resemble each other in essential principles, b ut there are also substantial differences.