Exorzismus und Psychoanalyse

Demonology and therapy

“Exorcism and Psychoanalysis” is the title of a book by Hugo Ball that was planned but never realized. Ball, with his partner Emmy Hennings, was one of the founding figures of Dadaism in Zurich after abandoning his studies of philosophy and working in theater. However, they soon abandoned Dadaism and pursued a religious way of life until Ball’s early death.

Sketches, dispositions, and notations for the book project from Ball’s bequeathed papers have been made available for the first time in transcribed and edited facsimile form. Ball was convinced that psychoanalysis needed to be expanded to encompass exorcistic knowledge. His goal was to critically contrast modern forms of therapy with historical practices of exorcism. Ball’s notes provide insight into his obsessive preoccupation with demonology and the devil.