“THE FATHERLESS SOCIETY”
A DIPLOMA THESIS by Barbara Kleinschuster- Moser.
This German language diploma thesis was produced in Austria during an instruction course to become a qualified social education worker. Following the book of Matthias Matussek I chose the title “Die vaterlose Gesellschaft” (The fatherless society).
Regarding my person: I am 57 of age and in my main profession I am a chartered accountant. I produced this thesis out of my personal interest, last but not least for a better understanding of the past of my family.
My husband and I are both married the second time, whilst I am childless my husband is father of two children (at present 25 and 27 years of age). During the first four years of our mutual life I had to notice how he struggled to realize a normal contact arrangement with his children. It was a suffering for all of us, for him, the children and for me as a dedicated stepmother as well. After four years he succeeded in obtaining the sole custody, a very rare occurrence in Austria. Later – in adulthood – his (meanwhile obviously my) children stated amongst other comments they would have never succeeded in finishing school (not to talk about their university career) if they would have stayed with their mother any longer. Too extreme the psychological stress was a daily burden, the backlash which was part of the intention and strategy of the mother to destroy their father financially and in his personality as well.
The diploma thesis is split into two sections:
- A review of the specialist literature of the late 20th and the 21st century until today
- A survey of fathers who maintain (or have maintained) contact with their children under difficult conditions
By relevant scientific investigations since World War II the negative impact of a fatherless education of minors is evident and no longer a matter of interpretation. Nevertheless these scientific results do not find their way into current judicature which still privileges the mother in case of divorce. In this “politically tinted” environment which is cultivated preferably by left-wing, green political parties and feminist movements it is difficult if not impossible at all to achieve the interests of minors and their fathers respectively.
The survey of affected fathers from different countries (Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, The Netherlands, The UK and Australia) was done following the method of the “self administered survey”.
By initial approach I also tried to get into contact with at least some mothers and children involved. This approach was not productive as the children were in most cases too young, the mothers (all of them) blocked my attempt of contact as apparently they did not want to be disturbed in “their world”.
It was noticeable how homogeneous the psychological strain was for fathers all across the survey. Fathers with the willingness for engagement with their children today in 2015 still feel forsaken by politics, legislative, judiciary and welfare offices and being exposed to the arbitrariness of mothers.
Barbara Kleinschuster-Moser
February 2015
Graz, Austria
Platform for European Fathers (PEF) 