Carl Jung: Reorganization of the General Medical Society for Psychotherapy.
C.G. Jung Letters, Vol. 1: 1906-1950
To Poul Bjerre
Dear Colleague, 22 January 1934
I would like to express my best thanks for your willingness to take part in the reorganization of the General Medical Society for Psychotherapy.
I am very glad of your help.
The main concern at present is the organization of the International Society.
As you know, the German Society has been compelled by the political change in Germany to form a national group under a leader.
This group has to comply with the strictest political guidelines, as you can well imagine.
Its existence would have been impossible without absolute submission to the National Socialist State.
I have therefore advised the Germans to submit without hesitation, for what matters above all is that psychotherapy in Germany, now gravely
threatened, should survive the adversities of the time.
Therefore I have also got into touch with the leading circles in order to do everything possible to ensure the continued existence and recognition of psychotherapy.
All the German organizations are now under the uniform direction of Prof. Goring in Elberfeld.
He is the responsible leader.
Through this founding of a national group influenced by the special political conditions, the international section of the Society has been
compelled to form national groups in turn, constituting an organization wi thin the framework of which the German group is absorbed.
By means of this organization I am trying to prevent the special political currents in the German group, which is numerically the strangest,
from spilling over into the Society as a whole.
This is what many foreigners fear, particularly the Jews, who as you know are very numerous.
If we succeed in organizing some national groups in neutral countries, this will act as a counterweight and at the same time afford
the Germans a much needed opportunity to maintain a connection with the outside world in their present spiritual isolation.
This connection is essential for the continued development of psychotherapy.
ln Germany, since at present she is even more cut off than during the war.
I should be very grateful to you if you would take the initiative in Sweden for the founding of a national group which would be a member
of the International Society.
It would be sufficient for individual members to declare their enrolment in this Society.
Naturally you are free to organize your group in such a way that it also holds local meetings in Sweden itself, though this is not necessary.
Dr. W. Gimbal is secretary-general of the whole Society and I would ask you to get in touch with him as regards both the membership fees and the subscription to the Zentralblatt.
Perhaps there would also be an opportunity to discuss preferential terms for subscribers.
Further, I want to tell you that I would be very pleased if you could assure us of your cooperation with the Zentralblatt.
For the present it would be a matter of your now and then bringing to our notice, either personally or through one of your co-workers, new publications of a psychotherapeutic nature by means of reviews.
We should also be grateful for original contributions.
Submissions to the Zentralblatt should be sent to the secretary-general, Dr. Gimbal.
With collegial regards,
Yours sincerely,
C.G. Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. 1, Pages 135-136.
