¹ Only a small number of the cases I have collected over several years are evaluated here. It should be remembered that the Law on Old People's Residential and Nursing Homes (Gesetz über Altenheime, Altenwohnheime und Pflegeheime, HeimG dated 7 August 1974) owes its presence on the German statute book to scandalous cases of the abuse and neglect of old people, some of which I was able to consult via the court records. I have given no source references for the documentation, as the public prosecutor's office responsible for allowing me to consult the cases asked me to ensure that ‘references to those involved in the court proceedings or to facts which might lead to their identification were avoided’. On the background to the HeimG cf. the Bundestag (BT, Lower House of Parliament) papers V/4122 and 7/2068 and the Bundesrat (BR, Upper House of Parliament) papers 522/71 and 173/72.

² I owe the initial stimulus for this proposal to Dr Brigitte Neuendorf-Bub. I am grateful to her and the participants in the Seminar on ‘The Social Dynamics of Nursing Relationships’ at the University of Bremen in the summer semester of 1987 and the winter semester 1987/88 for their discussion of the cases presented.

³ On this topic cf. Diessenbacher, H. and Ueberschär, E., Helfen und Töten, Zum Fall des Massenmörders Arnfin Nesset (Helping and Killing. On the case of the mass murderer A. N.), in Neue Praxis, vols 2, 3, 1985, pp. 215 ff.Google Scholar

⁴ On this interpretation cf. my discussion in: Altentötung, Gerontokratie, humanes Sterben (The Killing of Old People, Gerontocracy, Humane Death), typescript, Bremen, 1982, especially pp. 1 ff.

⁵ Cf. Houtmann, A. M. A., Machtaspekte in der helfenden Beziehung (Aspects of Power in Helping Relationships), Freiburg, 1979Google Scholar; also Diessenbacher, H., Zur Berufs-motivation des Sozialpädagogen (On the Professional Motivation of the Social Education Worker), in Neue Praxis, Sonderheft, 1977, pp. 52 ff.Google Scholar; material of continuing relevance in Richter, H. E., Flüchten oder Standhalten? (Fight or Flee?), Reinbek, 1976, especially ch. 8.Google Scholar

⁶ On bodily posture cf. Canetti, Elias, Masse und Macht (Mass and Power), Frankfurt, 1983Google Scholar (TB 6544), especially the chapter, ‘Von den Stellungen des Menschen: Was sie an Macht enthalten’ (On human postures: the power they contain), pp. 433 ff.; typical conflict situations in an old people's home are presented by Knobling, Cornelia, Konfliktsituationen im Altenheim, Freiburg, 1986Google Scholar; the death situation is still best treated in Rest, F., Praktische Orthonasie (Sterbebeistand) im Arbeitsfeld sozialer Praxis (Practical orthonasia (support for the dying) in the sphere of social practice), Opladen, 1978.Google Scholar

⁷ On the stress factors model cf. Honig, Michael-Sebastian, Verhäuslichte Gewalt (Domestic violence), Frankfurt, 1986, pp. 72 fGoogle Scholar; Honig gives an excellent presentation of the state of theoretical discussion of sociological research into violence within the family.

⁸ A documented case of sexual gerontophilia ( = attraction to old women) is given in Krafft-Ebbing, R. v., Psychopathia sexualis, Munich, 1984, pp. 209 ff.Google Scholar

⁹ This suspicion is confirmed by Thomas Klie, ‘Das Heimgesetz: Schutz der Interessen und Bedürfnisse der Bewohner vor Beeinträchtigungen?’ (The Nursing Homes Law: Protection of the Interests and Needs of the Residents against Interference?), in Brand, H. et al. , Stationäre Altenhilfe (Help for the Elderly as Inpatients), Freiburg, 1987, pp. 221 ff.Google Scholar