development of orgonomy. In many instances, the less involved mate resented the extent of
Reich’s significance to a more involved partner. As Sigurd Hoel commented: “Reich wanted
your whole soul.”
For his part, Wolfe’s withdrawal from orgonomy continued as his zeal faded. Lois
Wyvell took over the business aspects of the Press entirely. During the same year I was
responsible for much of the editorial work Wolfe had previously done. So Reich had less
interest in him as a colleague and adviser, although on important issues he still sought out
Wolfe’s counsel.
In the summer of 1949, Wolfe was so depressed about his growing distance from
Reich that he rarely left the cabin. Gladys worried, went to see Reich at the Students’
Laboratory where he was working. At first, Reich was angry at the unexpected interruption.
Gladys said firmly: “I’m sorry, but this is important.” So Reich sat down and talked with her.
She expressed her concern about Wolfe. In one of his sudden moments of self-criticism,
Reich said, “I worked with him too fast in therapy. I needed him as a worker so badly.” And
he added: “Don’t undermine his critical ability. It is his best characteristic.”
In these few sentences Reich delivered several messages to Wolfe and to Gladys
Meyer: How much Wolfe had meant to him as a colleague and how valuable his criticism
was (including,by implication, his criticism of Reich). He took some responsibility for
Theo’s continuing personal problems. He also let Gladys Meyer know in a gentle way that
he still believed she had a capacity to undermine.
Matters worsened when Wolfe, Baker, and Raphael visited Orgonon on February
15, 1951, at the height of Oranur. According to Reich, Wolfe was “out of contact” with the
experiment; I do not know exactly what he meant by this description. But, as suggested ear-
lier, one effect of Oranur may have been to exacerbate Reich’s jealousy. In any case, by early
June, when Ilse was recovering from her operation at the Baker home and Reich had begun
his affair with Lois Wyvell, his old suspicions about Ilse and Theo were rekindled. At Reich’s
instigation, part of Ilse’s therapy with Baker dealt with her feelings toward Wolfe^8. Reich
began badgering Wolfe about the matter, and Wolfe took up the issue with Baker^9 .Baker
and Wolfe had considerable respect for each other.
Wolfe was understandably incensed that Reich would not accept his word that no
affair had taken place. And on June 7, he wrote Reich: “I gathered from your telephone call
... that you still believe I did not tell the truth in January 1942 or that I am telling the truth
now ... I resent being called a liar ... and I am not going to be a scapegoat. Last but not least,
I hate to see a fine woman driven toward her death because a man will not rid himself of a
groundless,foolish idea. ...”
Reich described Wolfe’s letter as “ugly and impertinent.” However, the missive,
combined with Baker’s insistence that no affair had taken place, led Reich to retreat to alle-
gations of Ilse’s “fantasies” about Wolfe. (Be this as it may, Baker’s defense of Reich’s out-
rageous jealousy on the grounds that Ilse had “fantasies” toward this one or that one^10
would place us but a step from the “thought crimes” of 1984 .)
Wolfe was to celebrate his forty-ninth birthday on September 2, and Gladys
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
#1