Erwin Ringel (April 27, 1921 – July 28, 1994) was an

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n psychiatrist and

neurologist Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal c ...

who dedicated his life to suicide prevention and who, in 1960, defined the '' presuicidal syndrome''. In 1960 he founded the

International Association for Suicide Prevention The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is an international suicide prevention organization. Founded by Erwin Ringel and Norman Farberow in 1960, IASP, which is in an official relationship with the World Health Organization ...

Childhood and early Life

Erwin Ringel was born in

Timișoara ), City of Roses ( ro, Orașul florilor), City of Parks ( ro, Orașul parcurilor) , image_map = Timisoara jud Timis.svg , map_caption = Location in Timiș County , pushpin_map = Romania#Europe , pushpin_ ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

to a Banat Swabian family, nonetheless his parents already lived in

Hollabrunn Hollabrunn () is a district capital town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, on the Göllersbach river. It is situated in the heart of the biggest wine region of Austria, the Weinviertel. History The surroundings of Hollabrunn were firs ...

, Austria. In 1926 his family moved to Vienna which gave young Erwin the opportunity to visit Vienna's famous Operahouse and Burgtheater.

Honours and awards

* 1961: Karl Renner Vienna's prize for achievement in suicide prevention * 1985: Honorary President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention * 1986:

Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (german: Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst) is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian D ...

* 1986: Gold Medal for services to the City of Vienna * 1988: Hans-Prinzhorn Medal 1921 births 1994 deaths Austrian psychiatrists Austrian neurologists Physicians from Vienna Recipients of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class 20th-century Austrian physicians {{psychiatrist-stub