Else Frenkel-Brunswik

Who was Else Frenkel-Brunswik?

Else Frenkel-Brunswik was a Polish-Austrian Jewish psychologist. In 1914, her family moved form Poland to Austria. She completed her Doctorate dissertation under supervision of Karl Bühler and soon got an associate professorship. Early works of Else Frenkel were in area of personality studies. She had to leave Austria after the Anschluss, and as vast majority of her peers of Jewish origin made her way to the USA. In the same year she married Egon Brunswik, former Bühler's student who had been a professor at Berkeley at that time. In 1950, as product of her collaboration with Theodor W. Adorno, Daniel Levinson, and Nevitt Sanford, The Authoritarian Personality appeared. It is a milestone work in social psychology. Although her personal contribution is not obvious, her experience in psychoanalysis and personality studies definitely were crucial for the whole research. In 1955, Egon committed suicide. It deeply impacted Else' professional along with personal life. She committed suicide 31 March 1951 by overdose of barbital. Her biography is included into prestigious Notable American Women collection.