Eberhard Kronhausen
Phyllis (1929) and Eberhard Kronhausen (September 12, 1915 - December 5, 2009) were two American counselers, filmmakers and curators of erotic art, mainly active in the 1960s and 1970s, being part of the sexual revolution. They both studied with Reik in New York.
In 1964, the year the film "Sex and the Single Girl" was released (Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis, Lauren Bacall, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, directed by Richard Quine), Drs. Phyllis C. (1929) and Eberhard W. (1915) Kronhausen wrote in their best seller, "The Sexually Responsive Woman" (New York, Grove Press, preface by Simone de Beauvoir).
In 1968 they organized the exhibition "The First International Exhibition of Erotic Art". In the late 1960s and early 1970s they turned to filmmaking and directed "Why? (Hvorfor gør de det?)" and were interviewed in the documentary film "Danish Blue". Phyllis had already made Psychomontage[3], probably before she'd met Eberhard. Both Psychomontage and Why were screened at Amos Vogel's Cinema 16 and anthologized in FAS. Later The Kronhausens had a San Francisco branch of the Erotic Art museum, which was located at 540 Powell Street.
Drs. Eberhard and Phyllis Kronhausen have long worked as a professional team in their unique brand of holistic psychotherapy, which includes nutritional, spiritual and lifestyle counseling.
Eberhard Kronhausen was also an art critic and filmmaker, most of whose works concern erotic art.
Hustler magazine, July 1978, holds an article by the Kronhausens: "Genesis - The Fall From Innocence".
Quotes
- "Woman (is) the untouchable saint who through her spiritual purity raises and ennobles the grosser, baser male".
- "What modern women seem to want is not just more sex, but better sex. Together with increased aggressiveness in mature women, there appears to be a trend toward demanding, and if necessary, seeking, better sexual performance from male partners".
- "One should not... be surprised to hear that failure to achieve sexual happiness is likely to have an adverse effect on the woman’s total relationship with her partner and may lead to the breakdown of their relationship".
Link with Zappa
Eberhard Kronhausen is name-checked on the cover of "Freak Out!" (1966) under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them".
