Chronology
Timeline: Reich Records With Evidence Labels
This timeline privileges dated primary records. It includes publication and legal milestones only when a finding aid, court record, official museum page, or repository item supports the entry.
"Heard November 5, 1956"Source: Reich v. United States, 239 F.2d 134
1920-1939: Early Correspondence And Theory Formation
LOC spans the Wilhelm Reich Papers from 1920-1952 and describes early correspondence about theory development, Reich's 1934 break with Freud and the psychoanalytic movement, and political activity in Austria and Germany.
WRM states that in 1939 Reich came to use the term orgone for the energy he believed he was studying. This is a publication-history statement, not validation of the energy claim.
1942-1953: American Publications And Orgone Serials
WRM lists International Journal of Sex-Economy and Orgone-Research for 1942-1945 and Orgone Energy Bulletin for 1949-1953. NLM separately lists Orgone Energy Bulletin volumes 1-5 in its Aurora Karrer Reich Collection.
BPSI's finding aid also lists Orgone Energy Bulletin issues from 1949 through 1953, CORE for 1954-1955, and Orgonomic Medicine for 1955-1956.
1954-1957: Litigation And Imprisonment Period
The First Circuit opinion records the complaint date as February 10, 1954 and the default injunction date as March 19, 1954. Baker v. United States was decided in 1955, and Reich v. United States was decided December 11, 1956.
The timeline becomes less complete where the archive still lacks the full district-court injunction and enforcement records. Those documents are the priority for turning summarized dates into a complete primary-source set.
Primary Sources Used
Finding aid
Library of Congress, Wilhelm Reich Papers finding aid
LOC records 300 items spanning 1920-1952, mostly correspondence, writings, notes, programs, and photographs.
Rights-holder publication page
Wilhelm Reich Museum, research and publications
WRM lists official publication paths for primary journals and books, including The Einstein Affair, ORANUR, CORE, and Orgone Energy Bulletin.
Item record
NLM item record, Orgone Energy Bulletin volumes 1-5
NLM lists Orgone Energy Bulletin volumes 1-5, 1949-1953, in Box 6, Folders 8-24.
Finding aid
BPSI Reich finding aid PDF
Container list includes the District Court complaint, Orgone Energy Bulletin issues, CORE, Orgonomic Medicine, and books.
Court opinion
Reich v. United States, 239 F.2d 134
First Circuit contempt appeal describing the 1954 complaint, injunction, recall order, and later contempt proceeding.
Court opinion
Baker v. United States, 221 F.2d 957
First Circuit per curiam decision affirming denial of intervention in the 1954 injunction case.