[Emil Kraepelin, grandfather of the DSM]

The German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin developed a statistical manual of psychiatric diseases long before the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published. He classified numerous disorders in the 1880 s. During World War I he was one of the leading German psychiatrists, taking care of the thousands of 'Kriegsneurotiker'--though generally not with the intention of restoring sanity, but rather to get them back to the front or the weapons factory. The victory of the German nation, the 'Deutsche Volk', destined to rule, was more important than the fate of the psychologically sick or wounded individual patient. The feared degeneration of the German race had to be stopped, reason for Kraepelin to become involved with extreme right-wing and eugenic organisations.