The Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung des Kurpfuschertums (DGBK; English: ''German Society for Fighting Quackery'') was a

skeptical Skepticism, also spelled scepticism, is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...

association Association may refer to: *Club (organization), an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal *Trade association, an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry *Voluntary associatio ...

founded in 1903 for

consumer protection Consumer protection is the practice of safeguarding buyers of goods and services, and the public, against unfair practices in the marketplace. Consumer protection measures are often established by law. Such laws are intended to prevent business ...

against

quackery Quackery, often synonymous with health fraud, is the promotion of fraudulent or ignorant medical practices. A quack is a "fraudulent or ignorant pretender to medical skill" or "a person who pretends, professionally or publicly, to have skill, ...

. It opposed the ''Kurierfreiheit'' ("Curing freedom", the right to treat illnesses without being medically educated), that existed in Germany from 1869/1872 until the adoption of the ''Heilpraktikergesetz'' ("Healers' Law") in 1939. The association originated after the example of the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung der Geschlechtskrankheiten (DGBG; "German Society for Fighting

Venereal Diseases Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral s ...

"), and is counted as one of the predecessors of the

Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften The Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP) (English: ''Society for the Scientific Investigation of Pseudosciences'') is a non-profit organisation promoting scientific skepticism, headquartered in Roßdorf, ...

(GWUP).

History

Über Kurpfurschertum und seine Bekämpfung

Since 1899, there was a Quackery Commission in the umbrella organisation of physicians' associations, the Ärztlicher Vereinsbund.Jens-Uwe Teichler: ''"Der Charlatan strebt nicht nach Wahrheit, er verlangt nur nach Geld": Zur Auseinandersetzung zwischen naturwissenschaftlicher Medizin und Laienmedizin im deutschen Kaiserreich am Beispiel von Hypnotismus und Heilmagnetismus.'' Franz Steiner Verlag, 2002. . pp. 171f. This led Carl Alexander to found the DGBK in 1903.Lutz Sauerteig: ''Krankheit, Sexualität, Gesellschaft: Geschlechtskrankheiten und Gesundheitspolitik in Deutschland im 19. und frühen 20. Jahrhundert.'' Franz Steiner Verlag, 1999. . p. 427 After the first annual general assembly of 14 January 1904, the DGBK started providing information and cooperated on legislative measures, to which end several commissions were formed. With pamphlets and lectures, lay people as well as professionals were educated. There was lobbying against

naturopathy Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturop ...

, antivaxxers and also doctors who practised

homeopathy Homeopathy or homoeopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine. It was conceived in 1796 by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. Its practitioners, called homeopaths, believe that a substance that causes symptoms of a dis ...

. The association primarily sought to warn the public against unskilled lay healers. In 1911, the DGBK participated with the DGBG in the

International Hygiene Exhibition The International Hygiene Exhibition was a world's fair focusing on medicine and public health, held in Dresden, Germany, in 1911. The leading figure organizing the exhibition was German philanthropist and businessman , who had grown wealthy from ...

of Karl August Lingner, the founder of Odol (a

mouthwash Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swilled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargling, gargled, where the head is ti ...

brand), in

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

, to which other organisations were demonstratively not invited. In response, in the summer of 1911 a counter-event was held entitled "Congress of Naturopathy and People's Welfare". The association managed to combine left and conservative forces alike and organise travelling exhibitions. In 1927, 53,000 paying visitors came to an exhibition in

Ludwigshafen Ludwigshafen, officially Ludwigshafen am Rhein (; meaning " Ludwig's Port upon Rhine"), is a city in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on the river Rhine, opposite Mannheim. With Mannheim, Heidelberg, and the surrounding region, it form ...

. In 1929, the DGBK suggested creating a

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

against all forms of

, to provide legal prerequisites against people who offer

medical treatment A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx) is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis. As a rule, each therapy has indications and contraindications. There are many different ...

obstetrics Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgi ...

without appropriate education.Werner Schubert: ''Quellen zur Reform des Straf- und Strafprozeßrechts: Weimarer Republik (1918–1932). Protokolle der Strafrechtsausschüsse des Reichstags. Sitzungen vom Oktober 1929 – Juni 1930 (Abschluss der Beratungen in erster Lesung und der §§ 86ff. in zweiter Lesung, Gesetzentwurf zum Schutze der Republik und zur Befriedigung des politischen Lebens).'' Walter de Gruyter, 1997. . p. 267 After the

Nazi seizure of power Adolf Hitler's rise to power began in the newly established Weimar Republic in September 1919 when Hitler joined the '' Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' (DAP; German Workers' Party). He rose to a place of prominence in the early years of the party. Be ...

in 1933, the magazine ''Gesundheitslehrer'' ceased publication in 1934 and the DGBK was dissolved.

Publications

* ''Gesundheitslehrer: Zeitschrift gegen Mißstände im Heilwesen für Ärzte und Behörden.'' Magazine of the Deutschen Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung des Kurpfuschertums (until 1934). * Heinrich Kantor: ''Freie Bahn für die Kurpfuscher?'' Springer-Verlag, Berlin and Heidelberg 1917. . * ''Über Kurpfuschertum und seine Bekämpfung. Zweite Vortragsreihe 1927.'' Asklepios-Verlag, Berlin 1929. * ''Kurpfuschereiverbot auch in Deutschland: Eine für den 21. Reichstagsausschuß (Reichsstrafgesetzbuch) bestimmte Vorlage für einen Kurpfuschereiparagraphen des Strafgesetzbuches.'' Asklepios-Verlag, Berlin 1929.

Literature

* Jens-Uwe Teichler: ''"Der Charlatan strebt nicht nach Wahrheit, er verlangt nur nach Geld": Zur Auseinandersetzung zwischen naturwissenschaftlicher Medizin und Laienmedizin im deutschen Kaiserreich am Beispiel von Hypnotismus und Heilmagnetismus.'' Franz Steiner Verlag, 2002. . p. 171f.

References

External links

Literature by and about the Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Bekämpfung des Kurpfuschertums
in the catalogue of the

German National Library The German National Library (DNB; german: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek) is the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany. It is one of the largest libraries in the world. Its task is to colle ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Bekampfung des Kurpfuschertums 1903 establishments in Germany 1934 disestablishments in Germany Defunct organisations based in Germany Skeptic organisations in Germany