The author presents a family who, against the background of the extermination of their ancestors in a Nazi concentration camp, has developed a pattern according to which these family (mostly with a single mother) isolate themselves from the outer world, whereas they internally disintegrate the family's boundaries in the bed shared by the family members. According to this pattern the dead family members are regularly replaced by newcoming children. Consultation and supervision with child-care workers who could not get along with two mute children from this family are aimed at dissolving the mother from her own family-of-origin with disintegration of the "family bed" as a first practical step. The comment draws attention the "unshakeable family-founding optimism" which, however, is not backed by a solid couple relationship. Rather the memory of the murdered conceals the present family situation. Both authors agree that the key to the autonomy of this family system is disintegration from the family-of-origin.
The radical social changes that have taken place in the former GDR since November 1989 have not led to an increase in suicides, as Emile Durkheim's concept of anemic suicide would suggest. In Thuringia, a federal state with usually high suicide rates, a steady decrease in suicides has been observed since the late 1980 s. This decline actually applies to all ages and both genders. Compared to previous years, the decrease in suicides has stayed constant since 1993. Using Emile Durkheim's theory of suicide, this drop can be explained by the idea of the fatalistic suicide. It also confirms Emile Durkheim's opinion that suicide rates dwindle in times of political crises.
According to a theory of autopoietic systems, the function of the family can be considered a boundary between society and an organic environment. Today, the tcnu "family" is used to name two different types of systems: a social and a biological system. Whether familial attraction should be explained in terms of biological or communicative causes can not always be discerned by the observer. Hence. the behavior of family members (especially symptomatic behavior) can be explained by biological causes as well as by social causes (and, consequently, to treat it using biological and/or social means). The contemporary family fulfills a paradoxical function: Types of behavior and communication which are excluded from society are realized within the family and are, therefore, as elements of familial communication, integrated in society.
Based on a transition model of the family, we compare the family relationship structure in two samples of families which differ in terms of the stage of family development. In the first sample the children are adolescents and in the second they are young adults. We focus on two dimensions of family structure in a systemic self-reporting method (Subjektives Familienbild, Mattejat and Scholz 1994): emotional bonds between family members ("Valenz") and individual autonomy ("Potertz"). As expected, adolescents and young adults report experiencing different relationship structures. Young adults are more likely than adolescents to perceive family relationships as egalitarian. Strong hints of the emotionally marginal position of the father are discussed in terms of transition theory. Conclusions for diagnosis, counseling, and therapy are drawn. Although the self-reporting method used was developed in a psychiatric context, it has also proved to be a useful diagnostic instrument for family research in a nonclinical context.
Several important themes of systemic counselling came together in this case: (1) the (re-)migration of a bicultural family, (2) child abuse motivated by religious attitudes and (3) the search for possibilities for change and development in a crucible of contradictory expectations due to cultural, religious and attitudinal differences. In the wake of migration and the various coping attempts of her parents, the oldest daughter got involved in loyalty conflicts within her family as well as with her culture and religion, which endangered her own personal development. She was referred to the school counselling unit because of "melancholy" and learning difficulties. Although she was abused by her father, she still felt close to him and was preoccupied because of his growing isolation. Therefore, the counsellor first had to seek the cooperation of the father who was vilified by his surroundings; at the same time the counsellor tried to be a credible personality for the mother without forming a coalition with her against the father. No rapid solutions could be sought in this case. The range of freedom within the existing living context was explored together with the family members. Changes were initiated using dialogue instead of punitive steps and finding a balance between respect for the family's autonomy and protective controlling.
