Carl Jung Letters to Karl Abraham
ILetters of C. G. Jung: Volume I, 1906-1950 (Vol 1)
image: To Karl Abraham
Dear Colleague, Burgholzli-Zurich, 30 January 1908
I am pleased to see from your letter that you are not only coming to Salzburg but will also give us the pleasure of lecturing.
I would ask you to keep it short, limiting it to about 20 minutes, as we must make room for a lecture by Freud.
I shall announce in the programme that the speaking time is restricted to 20 minutes.
So far we are sure of four lectures, one of them by Dr. Jones, London: “Rationalism in Everyday Life.”
The Freud discussion in Berlin makes dismal reading-they have even filched the method from Breuer-Freud.
It is nothing but a ridiculous farce and a piece of impudent knavery besides for Bezzola to assert that he has a new method.
Freud has done all that already, only with less masquerading and other suggestive humbug, but more intelligence.
It is depressing that Juliusburger, who is obviously an honest man, didn’t spot the trick.
Can’t you instil a little insight into him?
Liepmann’s attitude is-well, what can one call it?
Maybe you have a good Berlin expression for this, for there must be other people of that ilk there.
Freud was naturally moved by this discussion-he did get mentioned and a crumb even fell to him from the Lord’s table.
A man of Freud’s modest achievements can wax fat on that.
You know, of course, that Bezzola called Freud a “psychological swine.”
In order to spare the moral susceptibilities of this gentleman I have not sent him an invitation
to Salzburg.
On the other hand Juliusburger, who evidently still doesn’t quite know how matters stand, perhaps would be interested in our meeting.
Unfortunately I don’t know how far he has been immunized against further understanding by Bezzola’s injections of anti-freudin.
Perhaps you would sound him out sometime if you are better acquainted with him.
I’d rather not send him a direct invitation.
The photograph can be obtained on request from our Zurich photographer for fr. 10.
It is an enlargement of my excellent little snapshot and is wonderfully handsome.
The best picture of Freud I have ever seen.
If you can round up in Berlin a few more participants for the meeting, that would be very nice provided that they are people with pro-Freudian interests.
Please would you stress in each case the private nature of the project.
With best wishes for the continued successful development of your practice and remembrances
to your wife,
Ever sincerely yours,
Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. 1, Pages 6-7
To Karl Abraham
Dear Colleague, Burgholzli-Zurich, 3 January 1908
First of all, my best wishes for the New Year!
Then please forgive me for not having reacted until now to your earlier news.
I am still suffering from the after-pains of the frightful time without assistants.
I hear your practice has made an encouraging start, and I hope its progress will be equally
gratifying.
You will be interested to know not only from the theoretical but from the practical side as well that
the young Binswanger will soon be publishing a little book on the analysis of hysteria, with an
introduction by the old Binswanger in Jena.
It will come as a bombshell to the German opposition and shake their prejudices a little.
Binswanger junior was here yesterday and told us all sorts of things about the progress of Freud’s
cause in Jena.
Again I am doing an analysis of hysteria-a woman patient with severe twilight states lasting 8-10 days.
So far the analysis is going ahead splendidly.
Seldom in my analytical work have I been so struck by the “beauty” of neurosis as with this patient.
The construction and course of the dreams are of a rare aesthetic beauty.
The analysis is very exacting, 2-3 hours of hard work every day, but extraordinarily
satisfying, so I can only take malicious glee [Schadenfreude] in asserting that all those
who oppose Freud should not enjoy the spectacle of these things either.
The idea of a Freudian meeting in Salzburg originates with the Budapestians.
Shortly I will send you a circular with suggestions as to the date and duration.
The place should definitely be Salzburg.
For Christmas my wife gave me a really superb photograph of
Freud, ca. 12 x 20 cm.
Are you thinking of buying a copy?
I don’t know whether Bleuler will come to Salzburg.
It depends on whether his conscience allows him to entrust the Clinic for 3 days to Dr. Maier.
I terribly much want to hear him in Berlin.
In any event his lecture will be a model of thoroughness.
Just now he has a lot of subtle ideas.
With best greetings to yourself and please remember me to your wife,
Yours sincerely,
Jung ~Carl Jung, Letters Vol. 1, Pages 4-8
