About Franz Jung: Quotations and Letters
Image: Franz Jung with Mary Dion Molton
About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story
Dear Mrs. Molton,
In answer to your fine letter of May 5, I tell you that you are welcome to see me at Seestr228, whenever you want.
Actually, we should make some kind of agreement to meet.
So please call me up when you have time for a cup of tea one of these next days, Friday, Monday, Tuesday, then after May 28-]une 13, I am gone for holidays.
To visit Bollingen in summer times is probably not to do.
It is out of my possibilities because that place is run by our own Management.
During the whole summer, the house is rented to some branches of the many relatives of Jung heirs.
The intention is to have at Bollingen our open house in late October or November for graduating scholars from the Jung Institute.
Before then, I have no rights to send visitors there or to go to Bollingen with Friends.
For your friends who have to go to the states in early July, the only chance would be to go at their own risk and knock at the door.
Sometimes a charitable soul opens, sometimes not.
Sincerely yours, F. Jung
(But please don’t tell them I sent you!) ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 20-21
We returned to the subject of music.
Herr Jung did not play an instrument but was particularly fond of baroque music.
He said that when attending concerts, his friends liked to sit where they could see the musicians, but he preferred closing his eyes to enjoy the emotional
experience of the music.
He was often moved to tears, he said.
Herr Jung went to the bookshelves and brought back two books to show us.
The first was Carl Jung’s personal hand-illustrated copy of Septem Sermones Ad Mortuous (Seven Sermons to the Dead) lettered in beautiful Gothic script, and handed it to me.
The first letters of each paragraph were ornately painted in reds and blues with touches of gold tempera, and the script in black.
The paper was a heavy weight and light brownish in color.
I held the book, my hands trembling, feeling suddenly overwhelmed with what I was holding, and recalled what I knew of his father’s life history.
Only a few copies of this book had been printed and not generally circulated.
As I leafed through, I saw the book also contained Carl Jung’s account of some of his dreams from 1917.
At the top of several of the dream pages, he had made intricate paintings of coins.
Some dreams had one coin, some two, one three, a few no coins at all.
Each coin was painted yellow with what looked like tempera paint and allowed to dry, then etched with what appeared to be brown detail added in his careful, painstaking manner.
I asked Franz if he knew what the coins represented.
He took the manuscript from my hands, studied it carefully, and shook his head.
“No, I do not know what they represent, only that my father was very fond of painting in this manner.” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 26
But that first afternoon, our discussion of the Septem Sermones Ad Mortuous manuscript continued as we recalled together that Jung, later on, had not wanted this manuscript included in the collected works and only agreed to its inclusion in an appendix of Memories, Dreams, Reflections as an historical footnote.
Franz thought this might have been because his father had presented the work as written by Basilides in Alexandria, a legendary second-century Gnostic folk figure, and his father might have thought he could be “accused of plagiarism!”
This said with a laugh and the matter was dropped as we moved on to other topics. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 27
While Franz spoke of his father’s work with pleasure and pride, he was careful to tell us that he, himself was in no way a psychologist.
Later, I discovered he had made a serious study of his father’s work after his father died, but he had never submitted himself to Jungian analysis. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 28
Dear Mrs. Molton, July 7, 1988
I thank you for your very nice letter of June 18, which touched me enormously.
I realize that sometimes and for some people, being at Seestr in my father’s house is more than just a kind of routine sightseeing.
You really could express your impressions and your feelings so well that I am very grateful of your incentive to write.
I do not normally get such good letters, thanking for a visit!
Whatever I can do sometime for you, please let me know!
You mentioned in your letter that my father was writing about me in Memories1 Dreams1 Reflections.
I had nearly forgotten about it, and I immediately took that book from the shelf to read it again.
It was nearly as if I had never heard it before!
It is unhappy that my drawing of the fisherman is long ago missing and probably lost in my boyhood.
As I mentioned to you in my earlier answer about Bollingen, it will be an occasion to visit the tower in late October with the group of diploma candidates. Normally, Frau Weber from the Institute gives me the list of about fifteen to sixteen people who are finishing their studies.
I’m having “open house” on a Saturday toward the end of October.
If ever you are here, please do not hesitate to contact me in September or October.
Wishing you all the good, I am, Sincerely, Franz Jung ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 31-32
Dear Mrs. Molton, January 3, 1989
Thank you for your letter. Christmas was full with invitations, good food, etc., so I am glad it is over now, only my table is full of letters that have to be answered.
As I became eighty a month ago, I have also presents and letters to thank for that jubilee!
Between Christmas and New Year, I had a book, The Gnostic Jung by Stephen Hoeller sent to me on your initiative. I had heard of it earlier, but never seen.
Now I am very interested to read it.
Now I’ve only read the prologue, which is most promising.
I did not know you are acquainted with Mr. Hoeller, and now I understand better the passage in your M.S. when I gave you the original writing of that dream in Seven Sermons to the Dead by C. G.
I just sent a card to Stephen Hoeller to thank him, and my thanks are also for you because of your generosity.
I think I have still somewhere in my home original prints from 1916, and I will send one to Mr. Hoeller.
He might be pleased to have it.
I hope to see you very soon.
For the meantime, I am yours, Sincerely, F. Jung ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 34
Dear Mary Diane, March 28, 1989
Many thanks for your kind letter and the documentation about Stone Age USA.
I studied these lists, and I think they are much too specialized, the only book which would give me an oversight is “Peopling of the New World” by Ericson-Taylor-Bergen, and also this one is full of detailed tables which are not so easy for me to understand. Anyway, even if it is a thick book, I would be interested very much to go into it.
You are welcome with your telephone call on 20th January 7:00 P.M. In February 1989 I am at Kusnacht all through that month.
It is only after the first week of March I hope to leave for a fortnight skiing at Engadin.
Sorry for my shortness, I am in a bit of a hurry and want to post letter.
Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 37-38
Franz [Jung] graciously reciprocated by sending Dr. Hoeller a copy of the earliest private publication of the first edition of his father’s work, Septem Sermones Ad Mortuous.
This private edition of Jung’s work, intended for just a few friends of Dr. Jung, turned out to be an important and splendid gift to Stephen Hoeller, who was indeed delighted. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 38
According to my notes, I spent five hours in Jung’s library at Seestrasse #228, this time hearing what Franz was willing to share with me.
The day after this meeting, I wrote notes to my analyst, Gary Hartman in Kansas City about feeling completely stunned by sitting in what had been Carl Jung’s chair.
I am certain Gary never received them because they were still in my old suitcase when I dug it out from the closet, and in part, because of my own embarrassment.
But at this point, it seems a good idea to include them because of the completely honest and intense emotional response I experienced from being placed in Jung’s chair.
It also gives me some pleasure to re-visit, now, at this time of my eighty-six years, my own excitement in my discoveries of Carl Jung’s work. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 40
On-sitting-at-Carl-Jung’s-desk-in-his-own-chair-in-his-ownlibrary-across-from-his-son-Franz-who is pouring out his heart-his eyes sometimes full-mopping his eyes and his brow:
Why does my body feel so stiff on this chair? It drags on me. I can’t settle.
My wool skirt hangs on the edge of this chair.
I am aghast that Franz has seated me here. How Carl I sit in Carl Jung’s chair? Can I excuse myself? Run away? Is he, Franz, too tired to go on? No.
He wants this talk. I address my struggling ego, overwhelmed.
“Now see here, body, you ARE HERE so try to find the curves and slopes of this chair and settle in!”
Across from me is Herr Jung, trying to tell me something. He wipes his eyes.
I must gather into myself and let him be, so he can go on. Why is this chair so
formidable? My legs hang over the right side of the chair, so I must pull them under the desk. I can hear my own silent voice,
chastising me: “Now then, HEFT yourself into the center of the chair, and put your legs under the table!”
They will only obey by an angle, slightly off to my right. How can I do this?
So I do the best I can, and GLUE my ear to his voice.
This feels like riding a little boat, maybe, being propelled by an unseen center figure paddling steadily without my help.
Perhaps this is what it is like when Fragile EGO is attacked and wants to shrink away and can’t let go, and soul takes over and does the job, regardless. There is a flow. Something OTHER steers the boat . .. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 40-41
When Franz returned, he brought with him his mother Emma’s very old tray upon which he and his father had baked their mortar and cut small bricks.
He began to talk, once again, about the small village he built with his father on the sea wall when he was a boy.
Again, he explained that the walls must be two bricks thick for the houses of this village, and then, again, described the roofing, fashioned of reeds.
They built houses, a church, a school, some thirty structures in all, he said, on the sea wall. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 41
Franz discussed some of his thoughts about Bollingen when he was a willing teenager invited by his father to help with the early construction of the building project in 1923 and 1927, and later as a professional architect who prepared the plans and construction of the additions in 1931 and 1935, and again in 1955, helping to construct a second story to the 1927 tower. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 41-42
He also told a story from a few years later.
As a young man, at age seventeen or eighteen, he acquired a motorcycle.
Franz managed to keep this a secret from his parents, knowing they would fear for his safety and most likely would not approve.
Somehow, his favorite aunt, his mother’s sister Margaret, agreed to let him store it at her place.
He suddenly turned and spoke to me directly, “Don’t you think it a bit strange that a young man should have and own a motorcycle without his parents knowing? But it was a very busy house!” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 42
He also had a fine tweed suit, of which he was quite proud, and one day, alas, there was the inevitable accident, where both suit and motorcycle came to an unfortunate and irrevocable end.
The young owner escaped and managed to survive the tragedy with only a skinned knee.
The favorite aunt, sworn to secrecy, bandaged the knee.
Some two or three months later, Mother Emma asked whatever happened to the nice tweed suit, and solemn son said something about having outgrown it and hadn’t Mother noticed how tall he had become?
And then he mentioned that he had given away the suit to some shorter fellow that really needed it, since it no longer was “suit-able!”
Somehow, Mother accepted the tale. But then, it was a “very busy house!” as he again emphasized. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 42
As I turned toward the stairs, I was met with a great surprise.
I was faced by an enormous, stunning, blue-and-white star.
It was painted on an inside corner wall, close to the stairway.
I stood stricken, almost dumbfounded, by the star’s majesty and incredible power.
I had neither read nor heard of this wall painting!
Franz later said he thought it had never been photographed as the light is poor, and the distance from wall to camera would not be enough to get a good picture and do it justice.
This was the only moment when I was completely alone during this trip to Bollingen, and it was also the moment in which I felt closest to the singular spirit of Carl Jung.
Such glory in such a small and private corner.
I remained there for a time, imagined Carl Jung standing just there, painting an image of such incredible symmetry and mystery in this silent, narrow space and thought of how he must have needed, for himself, to paint this glorious star on this particular wall.
It seemed to me an act of highly personal spiritual intensity.
Even now, I think of it as my own special surprise, maybe a symbol for me of the hidden power of Bollingen. I have never forgotten it. A truly wondrous star, so close. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 48
We paused in the doorway as he explained how this third addition solved the problem of needing extra rooms for visitors, speakers, and family meetings. His voice reflected a genuine joy and pride in working with his father.
It began to reveal to me how in this attainment, this sharing a building process over the years, Franz and his father were bound together as much, perhaps more than at any other time during Jung’s later life. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 50
We went down the stairs again and out into the courtyard to visit the stone carvings: the famous Bollingen stone, the alchemical pictures, the tribute to Emma, and the list of family members and ancestors.
It was at this juncture that I was able to grasp something of the physical strength and stamina of Carl Jung, the man, as I moved from stone to inscribed
stone, each one so artistically and carefully wrought, seeing the carefully chiseled names of generations of the Jung family forever inscribed.
The muscles of my back and arms began to ache and twitch as I realized what must have been required in order to present so permanent a set of
messages to his descendants, both familial and spiritual.
Later, I wrote in my journal, “If ever any woman had a personal concretized animus
experience or incredible constellation, I have had one!” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 51-52
The following Wednesday, at the home of Els Glasser, we three were at our most relaxed, comfortable selves, people of the world enjoying our mutual interests, good conversation, fine food, and the pleasure of each other’s company and companionship.
I had also brought a copy of my paper on Emma’s letters to Freud, which pleased him. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 56
Franz then led us to Dr. Carl Jung’s consultation room, adjoining the library, where he saw patients.
Franz told us it had been changed some although it remained -still as a comfortable study.
This was the room Dr. Jung loved, where he could have total privacy and remain undistracted by the lake and its traffic. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 28
Franz told us a charming story involving his older sister Gret that occurred when he was nineteen and Gret was twenty.
On Carnival Night, they dressed up and attended, in complete masked disguise, a party for the psychological society and assorted guests.
After many teasings from guests regarding the obviously young guests, they were finally recognized by their parents who kept the others ignorant about their identity.
Carl suggested Franz sort of sidle up to tease Herman Hesse, a friend of the society, and pointed him out as a famous author.
Carl whispered the first name of a certain woman he knew about and mentioned that Franz might go up to Hesse and whisper her name with a sort of question implied.
When Franz did so, poor Herr Hess was brought to complete confusion and consternation since his interest in this woman was highly confidential.
Herr Hesse coughed, sputtered, and spilled his drink while the young masked guest moved away.
It took quite a few minutes for Herr Hesse to recover, while onlookers wondered what on earth had happened.
Carl apparently enjoyed the joke, and the young masked guests moved along to others, until, following Father’s orders, they left in short order. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 56-57
Franz had prefaced this story, saying he and Gret liked to enjoy pranks from time to time on parents and friends.
Franz followed this with another story, this about his sister Agathe meeting an American at a dinner party.
The man said, “You may call me Bill,” to which she replied most formally, “And you may call me Grandmother.”
This amused Franz enormously.
The story illustrated how extroverted most Americans seem to the Swiss, particularly with the social use of first names with new friends or just people they know minimally. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 57
At one time during my correspondence with Franz, I mentioned that my Jungian study group was working on the letters Emma wrote to Sigmund Freud.
I believe there were five. Franz replied he had not heard about these letters and asked if l would send copies of them to him, so I did, making copies from my husband’s collection of the Freud/ Jung letters and sending them off. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 58
Franz’s birth occurred just a few weeks after the move to the Seestrasse home.
The two older sisters, Gertrude and Agathe, were ages three and four at the time.
The architect for the new house was Emma’s cousin, Herr Ernst Fiecher, who lived in Munich. Dr. Jung wrote him shortly after moving in, “Emma thinks much of her new house while she conceives Franz.”
Carl Jung also sent a telegram at the time of Franz’s birth, dated November 27, 1908, to an unknown receiver: “Having dropped all my studies today because my wife is about to be confined, I at last have time to write to you.”
Later he writes: “Too bad we aren’t peasants anymore, otherwise I could say, ‘Now I have a son, I can depart in peace.”‘
This may be C. G.’s response to Freud’s telegram of congratulation: “Special Good wishes to your little son, who is now embarking on psychic labors we still have no conception of. Franz Carl is thriving, I trust.” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 64
In his presence, one also became aware that he [Franz], the only son of Carl Jung, was surely the living male whom Dr. Jung knew and loved best in the world.
Not an insignificant piece, that. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 65
As I gathered the notes and memories of this story, I came to understood that Dr. Carl Jung plunged with observant attention and enormous courage into the human unconscious and drew from it the inner forms of the archetypes.
But at the same time, he was constantly engaged in the process of making the inner forms visible in outer manifestations: in his mosaics, the multitude of small houses constructed with homemade mortar and sand, the Bollingen buildings, and in the powerful stone carvings, all of which manifested images of his inner world.
We are now aware, from The Red Book, of his pleasure in creating small, thoughtful, and wondrous paintings.
There was also the powerful drive to paint on walls.
Franz took part in many of the outward forms of Carl Jung’s psyche.
He began early on, first as a child collecting stones of the right color and size for the mosaics, then as partner in the building of the small towns on the seawall, then later as a young man aged fourteen as his father’s helper in the building of the first tower at Bollingen, and still later as designer and advisor on the additions to the Bollingen complex.
He was his father’s sensate comrade and, perhaps, a healthy balance for Carl Jung’s powerful intuition.
It was sensate Franz who consulted with his father as a young architect about paints that would last for the wall paintings at Bollingen.
Franz assisted his father in finding the tools for the stone carvings.
And it was Franz who came around whenever his father wanted help.
Franz’s own feelings about Bollingen were a mixture of respect and dismay, but he remained a staunch trustee of the Bollingen property, devoted to the principle that it must remain as his father designed it.
One could say that Carl Jung perfected the inner vision of the archetypes and also struggled to give them a tangible representation, while Franz took on a part of the manifestation of those outer forms, in a cooperative and thoroughly understandable, natural partnership.
Yet Franz might find this idea of a natural partnership with his father to be a huge surprise.
But one only has to visit some of Franz Jung’s houses, or go to Bollingen, to imagine how this must have been. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 65-66
During the times I was present in Kusnacht with Franz and/ or Els, there were many walks.
Franz liked his daily exercise and on several occasions invited me to accompany him when it was convenient or the weather permitted.
As we walked, Franz would often point to one or another house and tell me the story of its occupants.
Here is a story that comes to mind: Franz was talking about his younger sister, Helene, the one closest to him in birth.
He was telling me about the house he designed for her.
He had a part in choosing the property and finally acquiring it for her, and then he told her how things should be arranged.
Apparently he felt entitled to make the plans his way, and she, at one point, withdrew her invitation to have him design it since he constantly argued with her about how it should be done and what should go where.
Franz laughed as he told the story and said he finally realized he had to let her participate in making the plans and be more agreeable about it, since it was, after all, going to be her house!
This told to me with some humor on his part. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 67
Later, as we crossed a meadow, Franz spoke of his father as a deeply religious man, and he mentioned his own efforts, since his father’s death, to learn as much as possible regarding this side of his father.
He also told me about a letter he’d received from a group near Los Angeles wanting to visit Bollingen in May.
He said he is often plagued with these sorts of requests and reserves his decision on whom he does or does not find suitable for such a visit.
He led me to understand the criteria for his decision has to do with what sort of real familiarity the requesting people actually have with his father’s work. He also mused on why a request from Peter Mudd of Chicago to see Bollingen had not come from Dr. Mudd, whom Franz knew from the Jung Institute. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 68
About the time when my mother Emma died, in 1955, my father suffered a period of depression that seemed to last a long time. I shopped around and
found a good stone for carving and had it delivered to the house.
It didn’t challenge my father for a while, but soon I heard the tap-tap of chisel on stone and knew my father was somewhat recovering.” This was the large
stone that sat in the Seestrasse garden. ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 69
It was Franz’s sensate skill and his loving sense of his father’s needs that must have provided Carl with many hours of relief, exercise, and the silent demands of time and patience necessary for the artist in him, alongside the gifted scientist and practicing psychiatrist, to survive his lifetime and make way for the creation of so many true art works that may well last for hundreds of years. ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 69-70
Dear Mary Dian, August 20, 1989
Time bas passed since your very nice visit.
Els and I are still enjoying our talks in Kusnacht and more recently your long letters, which I am sorry have to be answered in my handwriting, and I hope you have not too much difficulty to decipher it.
If someone were to make a critique of my work, they must first look at the plans.
I was very careful about the smallest detail of moldings and woodwork and prepared desks and tables and wide comfortable beds.
I made a cradle on wheels and liked to design from the basic concepts of style from earlier times, but with every possible convenience.
I was a stickler for every possible detail.
There were ten houses in Kusnacht, a few in Baden, Zurich, all in Switzerland. Assisted witb one near Florence, kitchens, particularly.
People still compliment me on the comfort, particularly, and the convenience of my houses.
I also designed a Catholic Church while in a Catholic regiment, but I didn’t get to build it.
Now for our “business” about my interest in American prehistoric times.
I thank you very much for taking my interests in earnest and sending the list of books on archeology that might interest me.
In reality it is not so urgent or important.
So do not try to trace half of American archaeologists to run after the Folsom points, which are actually just one of my tiny little dots of a very vast field absolutely unknown to me, as I read last fall something of these Folsom points.
It is just that name that keeps in my memory.
In reality, my interest lies more on a general level: How come it is that a huge continent has lost nearly all facts of early populations?
As far as I know, one has today the theory that the population of America (North and South) has come from Alaska or Siberia in a time when Bering (Bering?)
Straights was still land.
It seems to be a fact that Asiatic and Eskimo people have wandered down south during thousands of years.
Surely they must have left some traces of the last 700,000-500,000 years as we find them in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
In all these countries, the last 100 years have brought to light a rich material in bone and stone tools, besides parts of human skeletons to have archaeologists show a line of development which begins earlier than one million years and can be followed down to our present time.
I am sure, something similar can or already has been found in USA, at least in places that had never been covered in that time.
Prior to Folsom seems to be Clovis Complex, and certainly much older paleo-Indian complexes, and not only in the southwest.
For my more general interest, a book as mentioned under B or C, (Bryan, New evidence for Pleistocene/Revins or Ericson, Taylor Burger, Peopling the New World) would be very interesting.
If ever you could get such a book, please send me a copy of the chapter or a summary, so I could judge it.
But please do not haste, it has all its time.
Many thanks for your help.
As you wrote in your letter to Els, the book C. G. Jung: Word and Image can’t be found in Kansas City. It came out in 1979 in Princeton, New Jersey, 08540.
You could ask for the series of Bollingen Books, series xx.
Let me close my letter with best greetings from Els, who is talking of a Tele-party with Kansas spices.
She certainly will write you one of these days, and from me my best compliments.
Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 72-73
In retrospect, Franz carried in his presence a commitment to a very singular, very specific mode of hospitality that respects the history and tradition of the family and indeed something of the spiritual essence of his father and his place in the world order.
But in no way was Franz Jung a mere tour guide of his father’s intimate surroundings.
He was, instead, a man who managed to be cordially apart from the world of psychological inquiry while still maintaining a healthy respect for his father’s work and a lively interest in the people who associate themselves with the Jungian world.
Something of his own poise in this effort seemed to have been a rather remarkable achievement of selfhood.
He was both engrossed in his father’s story and somehow also quite free of it, a man involved, yet quite comfortably apart. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 76
Dear Mary Dian February 15, 1990
Thank you so very much for your call, announcing your visit to Kusnacht for April 1990.
I asked Els Glasser if she could let you have her spare room.
She is happy if you could accept her room, which is very suitable, and no bathroom adjacent, but it would make things much more practical and she and we can see you as much as time allows.
I do not know exactly the reason of your coming, I would be glad if you could write me occasionally to tell me the purpose so I can prepare myself a bit in advance.
Even if you came to Zurich at quite another night, your staying at Frau Classer’s room is by no means for you an obligation to reserve your time for us!
You are certainly absolutely free to do what you want.
But we both welcome and are happy to see you here, even if your time is also for other people.
I had a busy week with invitations, both active and passive, some boring, some nice, birthday celebration (my own!), burials, memorials, etc.
I am glad to return about next week to a normal way of life!
I hope you and your husband had a good Christmas and look forward to your answer,
Kindest regards, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 79-80
Before we began to talk, I had a fleeting moment upon entering the library door that Franz’s father was here in the room with us, sitting in the library
chair by the window at the other end of the room, perhaps reading.
I mentioned this sensing to Franz.
He began speaking of Lilly and Emma as being “here in the house with me from time to time; they comfort me,” he said quickly. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 81
He went on to tell me of the death of Mary Dian Molton his friend’s wife and seemed morose.
“Death is such a common part of life,” he added.
Our conversation then veered to a local barn somewhere in the area where tile are reported to fly in some sort of telekinesis.
A young girl, they say, is known to be present.
For some reason, I think of incidents in Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Carl Jung’s memoir, of similar experiences and recall also that his sister Gertrude might have been present for those events, as well.
The pairing of young girls with stories of this nature has remained in my mind. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 81-82
Franz liked to discuss the threads of his father’s work that interested him particularly over the years.
He also mentioned Marie-Louise von Franz’s work, Psyche and Matte” and gave me the name of Bob Henshaw to secure a copy.
I was once again struck by the impressive knowledge Franz had on what has been written in the Jungian corpus, as well as the seemingly faultless
recall he has of the biographical data of his father’s life. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 82
He then told me of his trip to London, carrying Freud’s letters to Jung in a suitcase to meet with Ernst Freud.
The Freud archives have had a professional curator, Mr. Patterson, for many years.
But up until the time Frau Aniela Jaffe became Jung’s official secretary, much of what went on at his father’s desk was managed by whatever available help was at hand, and often things fell by the wayside. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 83
As the shadows of evening began to drift through the room, Franz spoke of Carl Jung and Emma.
“Their presence is with me here,” he said, “and it comforts me.”
For a fleeting moment, I saw Carl Jung at his desk in the corner, across the room, watching us.
I shook my head to clear it … the floor creaked.
Franz quietly said, “For me, death is so much a part of life.” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 83
Franz again spoke of the difficult months following Emma’s death when his father was in deep grief
He found no comfort in either his work or painting in the Red Book.
It was then that Franz purchased the sizable stone and presented it to his father.
Soon, Carl Jung was working with the stone, which helped him with his grieving process.
“By springtime, Father was once again able to work and began additional work at Bollingen with more stone carvings and an addition.” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 93
Franz then took me to a mysterious stone carving placed over the burial place of his last beloved dog, Jogi.
“He was my friend for fifteen years,” Franz said.
We walked to the little garden house with its brick floor where the early mosaics were made with colored mortar.
“Father also used this spot for analysis with his patients when the weather was fine,” he said.
A sea wall provided a pleasant, sheltered place where the family would often drink coffee.
Here Franz and his father constructed the little village.
The remains of a castle lie here on the seawall with the composition arches from Franz’s childhood building set still encased in the mortar. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 93
As we strolled along the water’s edge, Franz pointed out the two great poplars, nicely trimmed.
The one nearest the lane, struck by lightning on the night of Jung’s death, called to me, and I placed my hand on the cool, craggy bark for a moment.
I picked up a brown curl of poplar wood that had tumbled to the ground years before and asked if I could keep it.
Franz nodded yes. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 93
Marianne’s husband, Walter, is still alive.
Her death in 1965 was a great sadness for the family. Franz talked of his concern regarding the future of the house after his death: who might carry on, as he has, the task of caring for the library, answering correspondence, entertaining visitors. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 94
The first and most logical succession, in terms of knowledge about C.
G.’s work would be Lorenz, the youngest, who is an analyst.
However, he is unmarried, very ill with cancer, and unable to accept the challenge of taking over. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 94
And so, the question of the Seestrasse house is unclear, although the fate of the property is largely secure through the family corporation.
The chairman of the family affairs is Lutz Niehaus, Agathe’s oldest son.
It is he who assists the family in making decisions regarding the care of Bollingen. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 95
I told him I had read somewhere that phenomena such as telekinesis are often connected to the presence of a quiet young woman in early adolescence, and I had wondered if the presence of Carl Jung’s sister Gertrud, who died at a young age, had ever been associated with the unexplained incidents of the split table and the shattered bread knife that Carl Jung recorded in Memories, Dreams, Reflections.
Franz replied no-most often his Grandmother Emilie’s presence and her interest in spiritualism was mentioned in regard to those events.
I asked Franz for his recollection of these two women.
He smiled and launched into stories he had earlier told me: his grandmother lived in a house nearby on Obere Heslibachstrasse maintained by the family.
She was a delight for him and his younger sister Helene to visit, and they often stopped by on their way home from school.
Grandmother was fascinating to the children because of her grumblings about spirits whom, she said, invaded her kitchen and upset things.
The two children played bad jokes on her and she scoffed at their nonsense.
There was a glassed-in veranda on the front of the house that Grandmother used as her sleeping room.
Franz once more told the story of his grandmother pasting white Star of David, cut from paper, on the door, and each morning checking to see if the seal was broken.
On the days when seals were broken, she would grumble about their intrusions and impudence and unwelcome visits while plying the children with fresh baked biscuits or other treats after school.
All this was deliciously mysterious for the children. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 95
I asked him if he enjoyed a relationship with members of his mother’s family, the Rauschenbachs.
Franz immediately began to speak of his favorite aunt, Margaret, from Schaffhausen, Emma’s younger sister by two years.
“A woman of fine taste,” Franz said. She became his confidante as he grew into young manhood.
She had three sons, the eldest of whom was Franz’s age, and she was apt to chastise her sons with remarks like, “Why can’t you be more like Franz?”
Franz confessed that at the age of eighteen, he was somewhat of a dandy and felt some resistance to sharing his escapades with his mother and father.
But Margaret always provided him with a sympathetic understanding. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 96
“I was given, by my parents, somewhat of a free life.
I grew like a small tree, a little wild and unprincipled.
No one asked me what time I came home, or if I had written my compositions for school.
I was just accepted, and around, but the household was so busy that I did what I pleased.
For example, what sort of a family would have allowed me to own my own motorcycle without anyone even knowing it? ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 96-97
“It was not that I felt I had displeased my parents.
In fact, I always felt that I was totally accepted, and I knew that I pleased my father.
Perhaps that is why I never felt any great ambition in my own career, but preferred to work on a small scale without taking on partners to build a large architectural firm.
At any rate, I recall that as a family, we were probably not too closely integrated with each other. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 96-97
“Much later, when I found myself to be the father of four sons, I went to my father and said, ‘How shall I be a father to these boys?’
Carl Jung replied, ‘You should let them alone, they will grow up like trees. Be happy none of them is a Dooble, a simpleton.’
I realized this was his attitude about his own children as well! ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 96-97
As we began to clean up after our supper, Franz mentioned bicycle trips with his father. I asked him to recall them for me.
The trips, lasting two to three weeks, occurred in three successive years-1921, ’22, and ’23 when Franz was 13, 14, and 15 years respectively.
The first visit was along the Po River toward Venice, the second east to Palmas, and the third to the Lake of Galdar. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 97-98
We enjoyed seeing the ruins together in Padua and Verona.
There is a town on an island with a castle in the middle near Turin, like a mandala.
We traveled the moraines and very straight roads built in the time of Napoleon, seven times up and down, and made the enormous climb of 300 meters for a splendid view.
Father was very interested in all the geologic formations, rivers, erosions, and boulders.
At Turin, we visited the famous pilgrimage church of the seventeenth century.
Father also showed me the red light district. I was then fourteen years old and asked the meaning of the red lanterns.
He warned me, “Don’t go there.” ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 98
Dear Mary Dian, April 24, 1990
Time has rushed on since you left here on the 7th of April.
I had all days “something on my hands or up my sleeve.”
Visitors again coming and going.
Nice visit on Easter at Olga and Peter’s, and on E. Monday also Andreas together with Olga’s father who has the same age as myself.
He is a simple but clever man with a lot of humor, and as he had only a wife and three daughters and one son, he once upon a time just walked away from his home duties.
He is owner of two apartments high in Mt. Valais out for grazing costs as he lives in Bern.
But in summertime it is very romantic to live in such a hut at about 6,000 feet height, a bit uncomfortable and somewhat cold, but the cow bells all day and night about gives you company and for some Swiss the feeling of being close to nature!
We have still no real spring, cold, rainy and heavy clouds, but today I saw the first time in my reeds before the house on the shore a duck with three ducklings not older than 2-3 days.
They breed somewhere near the water, in the boathouse or under the bushes near the lake and then one day, I wonder!
They are all in the water, lively and the mother extremely wonderful and caring.
The male duck is not so important.
Sometimes he keeps away other ducks or water birds in the first days, later he is no more interested in his family.
But the female keeps her brood together till they are well grown up.
Now I had a letter from my friend Francis Slocomb from Virginia Beach.
She has again plans to leave there for a better place.
She wrote me that she would prefer to work at a university as she did some years ago, to teach on Jungian Psychology, and beside that write for journals in that branch and eventually having also some patients.
Her situation in Virginia Beach is not too well based, as she can not find enough clients to live by such an income.
She is a widow with not much money in the background.
She should find a place where she would nave a regular income which would give her the chance to write and teach, which I am sure she could do very good.
Thought I could give your address to Francis in the case she would consider also to come to Kansas City.
I do not know if this could be a temptation or not, but I just wanted to know if you could be interested in such a possibility.
Next Saturday comes my friend Karen Helhoase from Denver.
She is touring Italy to get some real impressions for her new book about painting.
In May is announced Dr. Tom Kirsch from San Francisco, Murry Stein, and Dr. Thidd from Chicago for a visit at Bollingen, which I cannot deny.
At the end of May, Els and myself are again at the Isle of Sardinia.
As she most probably has not yet written a letter For you, she sends you her warm most greetings.
Your gift flower is still in bloom.
Many thanks for that fine gift.
With kindest regard, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 105-106
Dear Mary Dian, May 11, 1990
Many thanks for your letter.
I feel happy that you came safely back to your family and to your work, and that also for you, life is going on as it should.
I send you some pictures of your visit in early April.
Els is very proud of her photographer’s skill, and I think these pictures are a very nice remembrance of our discussions.
You look very photogenic is that red jacket! Els sends you her best greetings.
Now to your project to present me to the literature.
I have no enthusiasm at all; on the contrary, I hate it.
I just refuse to join in For such a work, sorry.
It is not shyness as you think. I know what I am and what not.
And if I want to become mentioned in literature or anywhere in public, it is my business, certainly not yours.
You have much more vital and important work to write about that are of interest and necessary
For public life and the world.
Earth will keep on turning around also without Franz Jung being mentioned-that everybody is sure about.
So my dear, Mary Dian, please do not set aside your work because of thinking about me, and what questions you would asking me in due future, and look for other trips instead east to Europe in the fall, better to west, there are also lying secrets in China or Australia which are far more worth to be found and described, and take your husband with you, he will enjoy seeing a part of the world that he probably has not yet visited.
The last weeks were rather busy, I had a nice visit by Karin,
the woman from Denver.
She passed on her way to Italy, 2 days at Kusnacht.
She was lucky as we had two perfect, sunny and warm spring days, so we had two beautiful walks along a little lake on the other hillside and through the beautiful beech-woods with the young leaves.
Four days later I had visitors, one a teacher of a Koran school in Spain, at tea, and not unexpected by myself a discussion of Jung’s ideas was nearly impossible, because neither they knew much of Jung, nor myself had any knowledge of Mohammed’s philosophic ideas.
Today I had Dr. Tom Kirsch with his wife from California and Dr. Mudd from Chicago for an afternoon at Bollingen.
Unhappily, it was a cold and rainy day, so the place was rather gray and cool, which suited the introverted architecture not at all bad.
I guess they were all the same much impressed about the meaning of such a work, in which my father had invested so much energy and spirit and unconsciousness.
What a difference of our time, compared with 4000 years earlier ideas in Egypt where they constructed for their dead, things and gods of realizations in stone.
We are extreme barbarians in mind and in practice.
I just read through some reports of 1930 excavations in Egypt.
Excuse my going away from our subject.
Let me dose, I want to post this letter early that you do no take decisions which will complicate the situation even more.
Kindest regards, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 106-107
Dear Mary Dian, August 5, 1990
Thank you very much indeed for your letter of July 24th and the tapes with the wonderful music of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Your tapes have arrived for me at the right moment: I am listening to Bach and Handel … and I am crying and have a very heavy heart: Franz’s son Lorenz, in since a month at the hospital in Mannedorf died last night! – For Franz it is awful and he needs all my help in this time of mourning.
We are both very, very sad.
With all my love,
Els (and Niko) ~Els Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 110
Dear Mary Dian,
please understand that I cannot write you more at the moment.
And you certainly understand now why Franz was not able to accept your proposition to finish your project.
I still remember the pleasant time of your visit in Kusnacht, I like the picture of you and your husband, and I like your cat, and I still have your flower pot.
With all my love, Els (and Niko) ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 98
Dear Mary Dian, August 8, 1990
Thank you for your nice note and the picture of the satiated squirrel.
Glad to hear that all is going so well your way.
Things in Kansas City sound like they are really popping these days.
I hope that it is not as hot there as here.
We are having a regular heat wave this past couple of weeks here.
Temperatures are at or over 100 degrees daily.
That is really something for us as we have never seen/experienced such a hot time here before.
We have not been over to see Franz Jung.
We ran into Els Glaser a couple of times out walking her dog.
Franz was quite busy for a while and then took off for an extensive vacation to Sardinia.
We did not hear from him when he got back, so I wrote to him.
I just heard from him in the last week or so, and it is not a good time to come around to visit with him.
Perhaps sometime this fall we will see if we can get together.
We are doing well.
I am writing to you on paper from the post office, where Ella is spending some time these days although there is no sleet or snow to impede her getting the mail out and there has been very little rain.
She is doing fine, enjoying the work and the early morning cool to be out walking in. She sends her greetings to you. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 110
Dear Mary Dian, September 9, 1990
Thank you very much for your letter, Aug. 24th which is full of warm feelings.
It is really an awful thing to lose a son, well, he was a man in his best age of 47 and it is not just the point to speak of “a son.”
He was very, even too detached, since many years, even so during lifetime of my wife.
I think it began when he was going away from home about age 16 or 18, but later returned for three years again, during his time at the Technical School.
But later he preferred to have his own little flat for the most part of his student-time and later as a microbiologist went in some way concealed from Mother and Father and his next relatives.
So it came that my wife and myself missed the best part of that son’s life, and only in the last years of his mother’s illness he came regularly, weekly, to talk with his mother.
I was more or less excluded from those conversations, and thinking of the extreme discretion my wife offered, I had very little insight in the development of that young man.
It changed only after death of my wife in 1983, when Lorenz and myself became quite good comrades, but our inner circles never crossed each other, occasionally, there was an occasional touch or one felt the near neighborhood!
I only now begin to find together some threads in the very, very complicated net of weaving of his life, going through his files of letters, trying to find out behind a name of a person, who wrote me a very personal letter for condolence, also the personality and the feelings of the writer, who seemed, and was also in reality, the best friend of my son, a human being I had never heard of before.
That makes it a bit difficult for me to realize that for years and years, I stood aside, on “the other side of the trolley,” and Lorenz too was in a way on the “other side of a mountain.”
We only knew for some weeks, or even more, that he is probably still alive, continually on a journey through Spain-England, Yugoslavia, or so but certainly no address.
Thank you very much for the beautifully formulated letter, one sees that you are a gifted writer.
Then I was very touched by your good idea to send me that cello-suite by Bach on a tape.
It is beautiful and quieting to listen to the deep tones of Yoyo Ma’s play.
It is a music which fits exactly in my somber mood.
To give me a lift, I have at my recorder some impressive tunes.
If I can get it on a tape, mine is a C-D disk, I will send it.
On Wednesday I have the Squires couple for tea.
With many thanks, love, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 111-112
Dear Mary Dian, October 10, 1990
Some days ago I posted for you a music-tape I mentioned in my letter weeks ago.
I hope it will safely reach you.
An American singer, Barbara Hendricks, · whom I heard several months ago at Zurich, is singing different compositions by Mozart, all ‘sacred arias’ with
that delicate reserve and careful restriction for my taste this special music needs.
It gave me a lot of comfort during the long last months of Lorenz’s illness and still means much to me, and brings peace and consolation whenever I feel bad.
During the last days, I began to sort out my sons letters and manuscripts, giving back some items to friends, dream-materials to clients etc., and I see every day more behind a screen, sides of a man, which I have never known before.
He certainly had the qualities to become a very good psychologist, it is really a sad loss to everybody, who had known and worked with him.
Yes, his skin was not thick enough and his sensitivity too fine for such a difficult profession.
And then he had a lot of resistance, to be reminded that he was a grandson of C. G. ].
Never the less he was a very loyal representative of my father’s ideas, and was the only one in my family who readily knew and understood the writings of C.G.
His resistance was mainly against people, who came to him more or less out of curiosity, to get an impression how a grandson of a famous man is doing his job, not of inner need or deep problems.
Lorenz thought always, that a lot of such clients were taking his short time and energy, he had so many projects in his mind, but he had to leave them behind with his dwindling forces.
You certainly know these melodies, but nevertheless, I felt compelled to send some thing meaningful for me to express my gratitude, I was so touched to get your message.
My son Andreas has gone to Greece for 14 days of holidays with his whole family a wonderful program, driving through Greece, with the boat through
the Aegean to Rhodes and Crete and bathing somewhere in the still sunny and warm dear water of a shore near Cape So union, on the foot of a marvelous Poseidon temple-ruins.
Els joins me daily, we have a good household together with a rich harvest of fresh vegetables and fruit.
With kindest regards and much love from Els.
She is busy preparing our lunch.
Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 112-113
Dear Mary Dian, August 22, 1991
With great pleasure I got your message of July 17th announcing the visit of Lawrence Hester, in fact both came the same day. “Larry,” as you call him, called me up early at about 9:00 A.M.
As usual, I bad difficulties to understand bis name, and at eleven your letter came, so I bad the necessary introduction for the afternoon of the visit, the same afternoon at three P.M.
I am so sorry for you that Frank Szasz bad to die to quickly and unforeseen.
You have my deepest sympathy for what that cost.
He was a kind man full of life and jokes and deep thought.
After Larry came on Monday I saw him a second time, but only on a very short lunch at Hotel Sonne, together with the group with whom be was traveling.
Larry was leading the 15/16 people through Switzerland with a bus visiting all places of importance.
As I could not manage by myself such a crowd, I asked Casey only to come by at three o’clock which he probably did not like so much as he was rather short with me.
He was a quarter of an hour in the library and as I did not know either him or his famous grandfather, I had no questions to ask him.
Some of the audience during the lunch were asking those unanswerable and silly questions, as “What did you like best about your father” or “How did your father impress you?”
One woman of the group wanted to know about my mother.
What can one answer between bites of salad?
She certainly was the best mother of all and an exactly fitting wife for such a husband.
She had the reins in hand, invisible but effectively, and could lead or stop whenever she would feel neglected or let out of the play of life.
I hope the eyes of your husband could be cured for good.
It is really a hard time when he can no more read and see everything daily life demands, and for a man it is so difficult to need help for everything daily life demands.
Happily, I am fairly well off my eyes are not too bad, at least one is good enough.
I can drive without spectacles and the other eye does only help a bit as everything is blurred and cannot be corrected.
This long and persistent inflammation of the eyelid is a bit irritating but it is chronic, and I can live with it.
To my great surprise, Larry brought the little present from you, the CD: Schubert OP Dp 56 with Yoyo Ma at the cello.
Thank you very much for this remembrance of memorable music; it was a nice idea of you to send it to me.
My life is going very very quiet, for, yes, once again some visitors from abroad, letters to places all over the world, and some nice friends whom I see occasionally.
At the end of August there is a congress of international Analytic Psychology people at Zurich, 700-1,000 gathering for a week, and as it happens some of them want to contact me, which it is not exactly my preferred wish.
But at least at the opening of the festival at the 20th of August, I must take part.
Though the congress is not in honor of CG] but as it is in Zurich, the management can not avoid to remember CG] and to invite some of his living descendants.
We have a fine summer and beautiful lake here to swim!
Give my compliments to your husband and best wishes for you.
Kindest regards, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 119-120
He mentioned how difficult his birthday is as it coincides with the anniversary of Emma’s death, Lilly’s death, and their anniversary.
He said, “We all lived here, and they are all still here, especially in the winter at night when it is dark and warm inside.
When I assemble the living family, they do not know whether to celebrate or mourn or pick up the strands of history,” he added. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 98122
My life is just too uncomplicated to say much about it.
Everything happened as normal as possible and I was happy to choose my works after my own wishes and possibilities,· to earn money with my profession was happily a second or third motif and never a need!
As I was not every ambitious, I had a happy life professionally and being the son of C. G. I had all the time learned a little to handle the discussions, misunderstandings and make good again with my dear wife and children.
I would have all the difficulties to remember my facts of life even if I were interested to go back in previous times.
And then I think that my person is for nobody an example how to live life.
If I were not the son of C. G. nobody would ever turn around because of myself.
All my works and all what I did besides, I have done for private people and very rare for instance for a school or for industries. ~Mary Dian Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 98124
Dear Mary Dian, November 10, 1992
I am very sorry to tell you that Els passed away Nov 5. in hospital.
She had a deadly heart attack and died in minutes.
Only the night nurse was with her, and I had dined 3 hours before with her in her room in hospital in a relaxed and easy giving atmosphere!
Though she had some warnings (dreams) before we did not thought that death is just standing at the door.
I feel very lonely, it is for me a big loss! Good by and take care.
With kindest regards, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 126
Dear Mary Dian, February 12, 1992
Yours is a perfect letter of condolence. It could not be better.
It was
a nice idea of you to put as letterhead a photograph you took at Els’s living room during your stay.
I realize how much you enjoyed that visit years ago, and also how real you judge my relation with Els.
She was for me, I was for her, so we lived in the last years, and I am very grateful to God that we had such a good time together.
It is not so sure in my age to find a partner of such qualities after the much too early death of my dear Lilly, my wife.
And even if you have the chance far meeting, it is not a matter of course that you understand each other as we did.
We could give us both the necessary freedom and the warmth we needed in the right time.
I am glad that you had such good memories far Els and that you liked her.
The situation when she obviously approved your kitchen work, which was a big honor far you!
First very nice and so typical for Els spontaneous reactions.
You do understand me with my grieving, and you can feel what I have lost.
That is quite enough to help me, more is not helping.
Words do not bring consolation, much more the feeling of comradeship, going together, our memories flow together and accompany Els on her way from life to death.
It will be a long way and a large stream of feelings, but I am sure she is held in it.
Thank you for taking part in it.
At the moment, I am not seeing what is coming, what will make sense and how my life is again becoming useful to my surroundings.
I have no more friends, some women “friends” much younger, mostly abroad, and my family around me.
This is not exactly helpful, as I see mostly, that I need somebody who is looking after me, who is dividing his or her time with me, and leaves me a kind of duty of daily work I have to do.
With Els we had it.
No day passed without being in contact and our being had these and seemed to be useful.
At the moment, I feel rather that I am a burden, far myself for my next in the house, though everybody is very kind to me.
I am invited far walks, for lunch, to suppers, my grand-children come to me to ask or bring little things, etc.
Even the big dog is one of them, entering the library to greet me, what before he never did.
But all is not so inspiring. My fancy is not taken by anything.
I am not engaged in any new idea. I know I cannot always look back to the time with Els, but I should look forward to new horizons.
But where are they?
As I am a “non-believer” I know that help first comes from myself and only afterward eventually God will help you, so I follow one of my granddaughter’s recommendations: “Don’t give up Grandfather, keep to it, don’t let go!”
We will see what comes, what is flowing in my life’s stream, what is washed on my bank.
Have a good time, be happy and safe and sound!
Kindest regards, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 128-129
Dear Mary Dian, December 7, 1992
All my best wishes for the coming Christmas-days and hoping that the New Year will bring to the world some better days than we had anno 1992.
Just some two days ago, I had a parcel from Kansas City with a CD record with Jessie Norman singing Christmas carols, incl. Stille Nacht …. I think that this gift comes from you, many thanks for this nice surprise.
It is astounding that such a singer, with this world famous marvelous voice, is singing all these simple but deeply moving melodies, traditionals, all over the country.
This is a most welcome gift now, as it brings me old times when we used to sing under the Christmas tree, or even before in the village from house to house to get some Christmas cookies! ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 131
Mary Dian Molton
Now my grandchildren are playing with instruments, Susan flute, Joplin piano, but singing is no more in use, as nobody has a voice, not even the aunts of Susan and Sophie, who are school masters.
But they accompany sometimes with recorder-flute.
On the 25 and 26 I normally am invited with my other sons, but this year till now nobody has said something.
It may come. I wish you a very quiet and peaceful day.
Kindest regards, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 131-132
I told him about my family and how we were going along and mentioned a workshop I’d participated in on Bollingen.
Franz said his son Andreas was making photography archives for Bollingen.
He said two sisters had come for tea yesterday and recalled wood chiseling, cupboards high up, things his father made seventy years ago.
He remembered his father sitting on the veranda of the summer house, chiseling, carving, dragons, devils, and snakes-symbols.
It was a lovely conversation and my memories of Bollingen were once more revived.
The last full letter that came from Franz is dated over two years before the event of his passing. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 98132-133
Dear Mary Dian, December 20, 1994
I thank you very much for your thoughts and greetings for the coming Christmas and the New Year.
We will have a quiet “festival.”
It is more a day of memories of the years and my Dears I have bad to leave behind, so my feelings are rather engaged and touched by all those uncontrollable happenings that life is serving through us through more than eighty years.
Yes, when I was a young man, all my thoughts and my wishes were directed ahead, upward, chasing after ideals or ideas sometimes not to be realized.
My grandchildren are in this stage, and when I am talking with one or the other, they can listen to me telling bow I was in older times, and comparisons to our present times.
They begin also to realize the problems of modern times, and the wishes, although they are still likely to see the problems, social, religious, moral, and think about it.
They have to carry their burden earlier than I bad in my youth, thinking that the whole world is on my own disposition!
I am not enthusiastic at all.
I accept that the coming year is one more way toward the end, or better the gate to eternity of a spiritual life, and such ideas are always around in my bead now.
At the moment it is astronomy, the question where do we come From, and where are we going, which bas my full attention.
So I am very glad the Hubble telescope bas been repaired, and I hope with success!
I wish your family, your husband and children very good year ahead!
Love and greetings, Franz ~Franz Jung, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 133
But I do know that Franz spent the later years of his life, after both parents were gone and his boys raised, by returning to the family home with one visible ambition: to be of service to his father’s world as best he could, and he did so with great respect.
This seemed to be a contract that suited him, given his social and generously extroverted skills, well indeed. ~Mary Dion Molton, About Franz: Remembering C. G. Jung-A Son’s Story, Page 138
