[Psychiatric classification. Basic idea and development of an ongoing process]

Whereas the present internationally accepted systems appear like a radical break with the psychiatric tradition at first sight, a closer look reveals that there is in fact a continuity between traditional and modern classification systems: The programmatic idea behind their development is still the same as the one that was first formulated by K. Kahlbaum and introduced to psychiatry by E. Kraepelin. And indeed, those changes in modern systems that appear new were developed because the responsible commissions kept in line with this German tradition. The present paper reviews the development of classifications in psychiatry from their beginning to today and underlines the reasons why the true adequacy of current systems will only show in the next millennium.