Tuesday, 11. July 2006
Meet
PROF. ULLI KROPIUNIGG
who is conducting the
PEACECAMP RESEARCH-PROJECT
My name is Ulli Kropiunigg. I was born in close proximity of the previous camps, in southern Austria. Evelyn, Susi, Josef and all the other wonderful people from the peace camp invited me to look into the camp-dynamics from a scientific perspective. You might already have filled in some questionnaires and found that they are not as amusing as I think they should be. However, please think twice: having accurate results for our peace-study will enable us to understand and possibly find answers to these complex issues. Last year’s results have shown that the camp can affect you positively, but it will still remain up to you to choose what you will take home and share with your community.
I work as a Professor for Psychology at Vienna’s Medical University and as a Psychotherapist. Recently I published a book about psychological backgrounds of crying. Before this I worked and wrote about the connection between emotions and the immune system. Right now I am involved in studies in the Middle East about young people, their desires and hopes for their future career. Further, I investigate taboos that young people might have in their formative years (you might already have spotted some statements in the questionnaire dealing with this aspect).
I am married and have two children. Laura, who is studying physics in England and Rafael, who is having a hard time this summer to decide what and where he should study.
I want to thank everyone from the camp for participating in the study and for filling in all forms. I am positive you will agree that peace requires not only creative thinking, but must also be grounded on hand of numbers and figures. Yet, deep in my heart I agree with one poem from Novalis, the great German poet:

Wenn nicht mehr Zahlen und Figuren
sind Schlüssel aller Kreaturen
wenn die, so singen oder küssen,
mehr als die Tiefgelehrten wissen,
wenn sich die Welt ins freie Leben
und in die Welt wird zurückbegeben,
wenn dann sich wieder Licht und Schatten
zu echter Klarheit werden gatten
und man in Märchen und Gedichten
erkennt die wahren Weltgeschichten,
dann fliegt von einem geheimen Wort
das ganze verkehrte Wesen fort.

All the best
Ulli

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