Frank Bahr – A Life Dedicated to Energy Medicine-- In Memory of Prof. Dr. Frank Bahr (1944–2025)
Gerhard Litscher *
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Swiss University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, High-Tech Acupuncture and Digital Chinese Medicine, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland; President of the International Society for Medical Laser Applications (ISLA transcontinental; since 2012), German Vice President of the German-Chinese Research Foundation (DCFG) for TCM (since 2014), Vice Chairperson, World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, Committee of Card. Rehab. (2023-2028), Honorary President of the European Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies, Honorary President of the American Society for Laser Acupuncture Therapy (ASLAT); Honorary Professor of China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Former Head of two Research Units and the TCM Research Center at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, Europe
* Correspondence: Gerhard Litscher
Special Issue: Auricular Medicine: Prevention, Auriculodiagnosis and Auriculotherapy using Evidence-Based Complementary Medical Methods
Received: July 07, 2025 | Accepted: July 09, 2025 | Published: July 10, 2025
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2025, Volume 10, Issue 3, doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2503030
Recommended citation: Litscher G. Frank Bahr – A Life Dedicated to Energy Medicine-- In Memory of Prof. Dr. Frank Bahr (1944–2025). OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine 2025; 10(3): 030; doi:10.21926/obm.icm.2503030.
© 2025 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the conditions of the Creative Commons by Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is correctly cited.
Abstract
With the passing of Prof. Dr. Frank Bahr, the field of complementary medicine has lost one of its most influential personalities. As a pioneer of auricular medicine in the German-speaking world, he helped shape the field of integrative medicine over many decades. This tribute by Prof. DDr. Gerhard Litscher honors Bahr's work, his convictions, and the legacy of a visionary whose impact on energy and spiritual medicine endures.
Keywords
Frank Bahr; auricular medicine; laser medicine; laser acupuncture; complementary medicine; energy medicine; integrative medicine; spiritual healing; acupuncture; spirituality
“He wanted to heal – always, everywhere, with every means that offered hope.” — Gerhard Litscher on Frank Bahr
1. Introduction
With the death of Prof. Dr. Frank Bahr, the German Academy for Acupuncture has lost its key person in the field of complementary medicine. His name is inextricably linked with the development and establishment of auricular medicine in the German-speaking world. For decades, he helped shape integrative medicine as a physician, healer, teacher, and author.
2. A Healer with Unwavering Belief
“He wanted to heal–always, everywhere, with every means that offered hope.” This sentence perhaps best captures the essence of Frank Bahr. As someone who worked closely with him for many years, I experienced both his tireless drive and his unshakable belief in an energetic-spiritual approach to medicine. He was a visionary – often uncompromising, frequently polarizing, and not always unifying – yet always driven by the desire to heal and help people.
3. Pioneering Work with a Scientific Focus
In the early years of our collaboration, we pursued a common goal: to establish a scientific foundation for complementary medical methods, with a focus on modern technologies and objective measurement techniques. This constructive period resulted in joint publications, several book projects, and research initiatives [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10].
4. A Unique Medical Philosophy
Prof. Bahr was distinguished by remarkable energy and determination. He followed his path with firm conviction, developing a unique medical philosophy that combined traditional healing systems with spiritual and intuitive dimensions.
5. Diverging Paths – United in Purpose
Over time, our professional perspectives diverged. While I increasingly focused on scientific, evidence-based validation and technological precision, Bahr remained deeply committed to his spiritual approach. Fundamental differences in our personalities also played a role in the eventual parting of our ways several years ago.
6. A Lasting Legacy
Despite these differences, his contributions to the development of modern acupuncture and auricular medicine remain undisputed. Many therapists and healers drew lasting inspiration from his work. His life’s work has left a deep and enduring mark on the field of complementary medicine.
7. Farewell with Gratitude
My heartfelt condolences go out to his family, especially to his wife, Mrs. Gabriele Bahr, and to all who were personally or professionally connected to him. Prof. Dr. Frank Bahr touched the lives of many — and his work will live on (Figure 1).
Figure 1 Frank Bahr (1944–2025), pioneer of Auricular Medicine in Germany (left); with Gerhard Litscher, contributor to its scientific development (© G. Litscher).
Author Contributions
The author did all the research work for this study.
Funding
No financial support.
Competing Interests
The author hereby declares that no conflict of interests exists in connection with the publication of this editorial.
AI-Assisted Technologies Statement
An AI tool (ChatGPT by OpenAI, GPT‑4.0) was used for the initial translation of this contribution from German into English. The author has carefully reviewed and edited the final version, which was also polished by a native speaker. The author takes full responsibility for the content of the manuscript.
References
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