12 Facts About Hermann Rorschach

Hermann Rorschach's method has come to be referred to as the Rorschach test, iterations of which have continued to be used over the years to help identify personality, psychotic, and neurological disorders.

Hermann Rorschach was born in Zurich, Switzerland, the eldest of three children born to Ulrich and Philippine Hermann Rorschach.

Hermann Rorschach had one sister, Anna, and one brother, Paul.

Hermann Rorschach spent his childhood and youth in Schaffhausen, in northern Switzerland.

Hermann Rorschach was known to his school friends and in his fraternity as Klex, or "inkblot" since he enjoyed klecksography, the making of fanciful inkblot "pictures".

Hermann Rorschach wrote a letter to the German biologist Ernst Haeckel asking his advice.

Hermann Rorschach was a bright student from the beginning, and he often tutored other students at his school.

Hermann Rorschach spent some time in the village of Kryukovo outside of Moscow, and in 1914 he returned to Switzerland to work at the Waldau University Hospital in Bern, part of the University Psychiatric Services Bern.

In 1915, Hermann Rorschach took the position of assistant director at the regional psychiatric hospital at Herisau, and in 1921 he wrote his book Psychodiagnostik, which was to form the basis of the inkblot test.

Hermann Rorschach graduated in medicine at Zurich in 1909 and at the same time became engaged to Olga Stempelin, a girl from Kazan.

One year after writing Psychodiagnostik, Hermann Rorschach died of peritonitis, probably resulting from a ruptured appendix.

Hermann Rorschach was still associate director of the Herisau Hospital when he died, aged 37, on 2 April 1922.