Elsa Gindler (1885–1961) was a somatic bodywork pioneer in Germany.
Born in Berlin, gymnastics teacher, student of Hedwig Kallmeyer (who, in turn, had been a student of Genevieve Stebbins).
From her personal experience of recovering from an attack of tuberculosis (by concentrating to breathe with her healthy lung and rest the diseased lung) Gindler helped originate an entire school of bodywork, in close collaboration with Heinrich Jacoby.
What Gindler had called Arbeit am Menschen (work on the human being) emphasised self-observation and growing understanding of one's individual physically related condition. Simple actions such as sitting, standing, walking etc. were explored, also in everyday situations.
This became one of the bases of body psychotherapy since many of the most influential body psychotherapists studied with her or "Sensory Awareness" with Charlotte Selver at the Esalen Institute around 1962.
During the Nazi-period of Germany, Gindler used these investigations and experimental exercises with her students to covertly help people who were persecuted by the regime. For her assistance to the Jewish population of Berlin, she was distinguished as a righteous among the nations and a tree was planted in Yad Vashem in her honour.
Gindler's work has been continued and influenced the following movement and health-care therapies/originators:
- Germany: Sophie Ludwig (1901–1997)
- Hungary: Emmi Pikler (child-care) (1902–1984)
- Israel: Moshe Feldenkrais (1904–1984)
- Switzerland: Ruth Matter (1904–1995)
- Switzerland: Heinrich Jacoby
- France: Lily Ehrenfried:Methode Ehrenfried / Gymnastique Holistique
- United States of America:
in German:
in English: