VPM liquidated
Zurich, Switzerland
March 4, 2002
Tages-AnzeigerThe "Verein zur Förderung der Psychologischen Menschenkenntnis (VPM)" announced its decision to dissolve on Sunday. The official reason is that the association has attained the overwhelming part of its goal.
by Werner Bosshard
The report came as a surprise. The VPM decided in its general assembly on Sunday to dissolve, as the controversial association reported in a press release.
The president of the VPM, Florian Ricklin, verified a report to that effect from the "Zurich Express," "The association has attained a major part of its goal and is being dissolved." Not much more could have been done in the future with all the bad press the VPM had, is how Ricklin founded his decision in response to the "tagesanzeiger's" question.
The association would not have a replacement, even if individual members, of course, continued to remain active in their own individual areas of activity, continued Ricklin, but there would not be any new association structure. Now, according to Ricklin, there is still the usual "clearing out work" that needs to be done when an association is dissolved.
The association's publications would still be available to the public in the group's publishing agency.
Doubts about the decision to dissolve were expressed by sect expert Hugo Stamm, "This decision to dissolve is clearly a diversionary tactic. It fits in exactly with the most recent strategy of the VPM to conceal the association and its logogram.
Stamm believes the association, known as a psychosect, will not stop its activities. Rather, he said, the members are retreating to themselves form new groups, or to act as auxiliary members of other groups. This is consistent with the formal dissolution of the group, Stamm told the "tagesanzeiger."