Eugene Heimler was born on March 27, 1922 in Szombathely, Hungary the son of a lawyer and prominent member of the social-democratic party. He became a successful poet in Hungary with two volumes of poetry published before he was twenty. At age 21 he was deported to Auschwitz and Buchenwald and survived with the help of his happy memories about his childhood and his beloved mother, who had died after a long illness shortly before the start of World War II.
His wife Eva, his father, sister and her little son were murdered in Auschwitz. In 1946 he married Lily, née Salgo. At her untimely death (1984) she left two children, Susan and George. In 1947 Heimler immigrated to England.
Soon after he received his diploma as the first psychiatric social worker from Manchester University, he began to develop his own social-integrative method, which became well known in Europe, America and Canada under the name of Heimler Method of Social Functioning.
Later on he returned to Germany in order to teach young Germans his unique approach in which frustration and suffering are used as potential for satisfaction and creativity, and as the means to find purpose and meaning in life. He became Consultant for the Ministry of Social Security in England, the World Health Organization and the Government of the United States of America.
For 20 years he taught his subject at the University of London, England and his fame lead to chairs at several universities in the USA and Canada.
In 1985 Heimler received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary, Canada, where he had taught his subject for 17 years.
On the day marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, he married Miriam Bracha with whom he spent the last, very happy and fulfilled years of his life. Heimler died on December 4th, 1990.
back to Home
His wife Eva, his father, sister and her little son were murdered in Auschwitz. In 1946 he married Lily, née Salgo. At her untimely death (1984) she left two children, Susan and George. In 1947 Heimler immigrated to England.
Soon after he received his diploma as the first psychiatric social worker from Manchester University, he began to develop his own social-integrative method, which became well known in Europe, America and Canada under the name of Heimler Method of Social Functioning.
Later on he returned to Germany in order to teach young Germans his unique approach in which frustration and suffering are used as potential for satisfaction and creativity, and as the means to find purpose and meaning in life. He became Consultant for the Ministry of Social Security in England, the World Health Organization and the Government of the United States of America.
For 20 years he taught his subject at the University of London, England and his fame lead to chairs at several universities in the USA and Canada.
In 1985 Heimler received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary, Canada, where he had taught his subject for 17 years.
On the day marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, he married Miriam Bracha with whom he spent the last, very happy and fulfilled years of his life. Heimler died on December 4th, 1990.
back to Home
