Museum of the
Institute for the History of
Psychology
Passau, Germany
Leopoldstrasse 4
Large collection of European historical artifacts
This is a must-visit museum for anyone interested in the history of psychology. For more than 20 years, the Institute's Director, Professor Horst Gundlach, has been scouring the closets and cellars of European institutions to locate old equipment, paperwork, films, and whatnot. This effort, aided by word-of-mouth advertising, has resulted in an eclectic collection like nothing I have seen anywhere else. While the Wundt Room in Leipzig, for example, holds a small specialized collection, the Passau Museum's collection is large, diverse, and full of surprises. Where else could one find specimens ranging over original Gestalt equipment, Ebbinghaus' handwritten notebooks, Nazi-era paper artifacts, and even a railroad car which originally contained testing equipment for railroad-employment aspirants? Imagine the thrill of reading the original letter in which William James introduced George H. Mead to Hermann Ebbinghaus! Professor Gundlach isn't certain what will become of the railroad car, which sits somewhere in the Passau rail yards, but its inclusion in the Museum's holdings testifies to the zeal of the collector and the diversity of his successes.
Holdings of the Museum are divided conceptually into five main components - archives, instruments, paper tests, literature, and visual media. This categorization still does not capture the diversity of the collection. For example, the Institute is the exclusive repository for the entire Ebbinghaus intellectual estate, which includes some artifacts of a personal nature, such as an ornate writing set presented to Ebbinghaus on his 50th birthday by Kaiser Wilhelm.
The apparatus and instrument display is by far the most striking component of the Museum. While Professor Gundlach estimates that there are some 4700 pieces of equipment in his possession, only a small fraction of these are on public display. It would require considerable space expansion to accommodate the wealth of the Museum's holdings.
Displayed materials fill several rooms in the Museum. One room, however, is reserved for restoration work. A craftsman here painstakingly and skillfully restores the old instruments to their original condition - not to operate, but to look at. Results of this work are truly astounding: the brass shines, other metals gleam, and one has the feel of being in the presence of new but historical equipment.
Professor Gundlach envisions the Museum as a center for research in the history of psychology. With the continued increase in holdings, the importance of the Passau collection will also continue to grow.
The few photographs here can only hint at the richness of this collection. A personal visit is required to reveal the diversity and importance of this Museum.
Page of Ebbinghaus' Notebook
Wm. James' 1889 letter of introduction of
G. H. Mead to H. Ebbinghaus
Image courtesy of Prof. Horst Gundlach, Director of
Institute for the History of Psychology, Passau
Wertheimer's Original (1912) Phi-Phenomenon Apparatus
Research Apparatus used by Fritz Heider
From Kraepelin's Laboratory, a Device for
Measuring Writing Pressure
From Kraepelin's Laboratory, Apparatus of
Unknown Usage
Phrenological "Teaching Skull"
Anthropometric Kit, Commonly Used by
Anthropologists
Practical application has always been one focus of German psychology. The Museum's holdings include a considerable number of testing apparatuses and tests employed in selection and training of railroad personnel and aircraft pilots.
One Piece of Equipment Originally Used to Assess
Candidates for Railroad Employment
Passau, a beautiful small city in northeastern Bavaria, at the
confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers, is easily reached by auto or rail. From
Munich, it is about a 2.5 hour train ride.
To reach the Institute from the rail station, exit station and walk to the right along Bahnhofstrasse. A short distance ahead is a flight of stairs to the right that will carry you across the tracks to Grünaustrasse. Turn right onto Grünaustrasse. Walk a couple of short blocks and turn left into Leopoldstrasse. The Institute is just a short distance into this street. This is just a few minutes' time from the rail station.
Visits to the Museum must be arranged in advance through Professor Gundlach. He may be reached via email at
weblink to Institute for the History of Psychology