Sigismund Schlomo Freud “One of the Greatest Psychologists in History” and/or “Neurotic and Ambitious Egotist who Sought Notice by Propounding Fantastic Theories”? Both Claims have been made.

Freud’s Birth: May 6, 1856 Freiburg Austria Father: Jakob was a wool merchant. Had two son’s from a previous marriage. Mother, Amalia was 20 years Jacob's junior and his third wife. His birth Place is now part of the Chec republic. The family was not wealthy. His father had married at 17, had two sons, was Widowed and married a second time (unclear what happened to that wife). He them married Amilia who was 20 years his junior. This family dynamic must have been confusing. Father is old enough to be grandfather. Half brother’s old enough to be his father. Sigmund's half-brother, Emanuel, was older than his mother and had children of his own when Sigmund was born. Thus Sigmund was born an uncle -- a year younger than his first playmate, his nephew John.

He was born with a caul, which his mother saw as a positive omen for the boy's future. Caul is part of the ambiotic membrane covering the head. It is easily removed. Thought to be an omen of good fortune.

His Sister Anna, was born in 1858 When Freud was 2 his mother had a second son Julius -- who died at 6 months. Anna, was born in 1858 When Freud was 2 his mother had a second son Julius -- who died at 6 months. His Sister Anna, was born in 1858

1860 – family moves to Vienna Four sisters (Rosa, Marie, Adolfine and Paula) and a brother (Alexander) who Freud named after Alexander the great! In 1859, the Freud family left Freiberg. Freud’s half brothers immigrated to Manchester, England.  Moved to Leipzig and then in 1860 to Vienna where four sisters (Rosa, Marie, Adolfine and Paula) and a brother (Alexander) were born. 

Anti-Semitism was rife in Vienna. Full citizenship rights were given to Jews in 1867. Thriving Jewish community, however, there was much prejudice. Karl Leuger (Mayor) 1897 and 1910. Leuger blamed the Jews for Vienna’s financial problems. Christian Social Party (model for Nazism) Because of the atmosphere of economic, religious and social freedom, the Jewish population grew from 6,200 in 1860 to 40,200 in 1870 and, by the turn of the century, it reached 147,000. By 1938, the Jewish population of Vienna peaked at 185,000 members. Karl Leuger huge anti-semite was elected mayor of Austria five times between 1897 and 1910. Leuger blamed the Jews for Vienna’s financial problems and roused the crowds with anti-Semitic fervor, while in private he still had a number of Jewish friends and dined at their houses. Antisemitism - his father told him when he was a pre-teen that he was walking down the street on day and a non-jew had come up to him and knocked his hat off and told him “Jew, get off the sidewalk. Freud asked his father, “what did you do”? His father said, he picked up his hat and walked on. Freud that this was humiliating and vowed that he would act differently if attacked.

Given Special Treatment Own room Took meals in his room so he could study more. Kept a dream diary (heroic themes) His parents thought he was special. (Fortune teller said he was). Freud was the only child in the family with his own room, where he could read and study. When one of his sisters took up piano, Freud complained about the noise and the piano was removed.

9 -year-old Freud entered the Leopoldstädter Kommunal-Realgymnasium, a prominent high school. By 12 he was fluent in 6 languages - German, French. Italian, Spanish, English, Hebrew, Latin and Greek.

Freud family portrait, 1876. Standing left to right: Paula, Anna, Sigmund, Emmanuel, Rosa and Marie Freud and their cousin Simon Nathanson. Seated: Adolfine, Amalia, Alexander and Jacob Freud. The other boy and girl are unidentified.

Martha Bernays Twenty-one-year old Martha Bernays was peeling an apple when Freud first saw her. Soon, he was sending her roses everyday and calling her "Princess." Within two months, they were engaged. Their letters to each other expressed their new-found feelings

At 17 attended University of Vienna. His plan was to study law At 17 attended University of Vienna. His plan was to study law. Dissected over 400 eels in search of their sexual organs. 1876 Freud spent four weeks at Claus's zoological research station in Trieste, dissecting hundreds of eels in an inconclusive search for their male reproductive organs.

Freud wanted to become a research scientist but their was a quota for Jews in the profession. With no real prospect of ever earning a livelihood from his scientific work Wanted to marry Martha, Freud made a painful decision: he decided to become a doctor. He graduated with an MD in 1881.

Internship Freud would spend three lonely years at Vienna General Hospital, trying his hand at surgery, internal medicine, and psychiatry, eventually specializing in nervous diseases. He rarely saw Martha. She had moved with her family to Hamburg (northern Germany). Every day he wrote long, romantic letters. Saw Martha only 6 times during 4 year courtship. Wrote her over 900 intensely romantic letters.

On September 14, 1886, after four years of waiting, 30 year old Sigmund Freud married Martha.  For the next nine years, she would be almost constantly pregnant, giving birth to six children. 

Freud and Cocaine Freud had read that cocaine was great for fatigue. The German army used it to stave off exhaustion. He thought it might help a few of his patients suffering nervous disorders. On April 24, 1884, Freud ordered his first gram of cocaine from the local apothecary (it cost 1/10th of his monthly salary). Tried it himself. Freud and Cocaine Published a paper “Uber Coca” that advocated the use of cocaine as a therapeutic adjunct. HE was unaware that it was addictive.

He sent some to his friends; he sent some to his fiancée. “ I took cocaine again and a small dose lifted me to the heights in a wonderful fashion. I am just now collecting the literature for a song of praise to this magical substance”.

Carl Koller Freud thought Cocaine might make him famous. Koller tried a cocaine solution as an anesthesia for his patients' eyes before surgery. Koller, not Freud became famous! Research on cocaine became widespread. Products containing Cocaine sold well.  Investigating the properties of cocaine, he recognized that the drug had anesthetic qualities, but he interrupted his researches for a holiday. Before he left he spoke of his research to two friends, one of whom—Karl Roller—made the decisive experiments establishing that cocaine could be used as a local anesthetic. The near-miss rankled. “Cocaine has brought me a great deal of credit,” he said, “but the lion’s share has gone elsewhere.” Coke-a Cola  In the US, an enterprising chap by the name of John Styth Pemberton brought out his own version of the drink in 1881. He was moderately successful, but in 1885, Atlanta banned the sale of alcohol. Clearly, something had to be done. So Pemberton changed the recipe, took out the alcohol, and sold his new drink under the name Coca-Cola. It was good, but not great. Disillusioned that his fortune hadn't been made overnight, he sold the entire operation to Asa Griggs Candler for a paltry $2,300.

Dr. Ernst Fleishl von Markow Developed a morphine addiction treating his painful thumb Freud treated the addiction to morphine with cocaine. Fleishl became addicted to coke and started mixing it was morphine. Died a horrible addicted death in 1896.

Wilhelm Fliess A Berlin oto-rhino-laryngologist. Theories: Reflex Nasal Neuroses (connection between the nose and genitals) Fleiss attended a course of lectures given by Sigmund Freud in Vienna and they later became close and influential friends Innate bisexuality – incorporated into Freud’s theory Fliess believed men and women went through mathematically fixed sexual cycles of 23 and 28 days, respectively.[1] Innate bisexuality Vital periodicity (Biorhythms).

Emma Eckstein Freud referred 27-year-old Emma to Fliess for surgery to remove the turbinate bone from her nose, as treatment for Nasal Reflex Neurosis. Emma hemorrhaged almost to the point of death and infection set in. The cause was a piece of surgical gauze that Fliess had left behind. Eckstein was left permanently disfigured, with the left side of her face caved in. Emma later became a psychoanalysis. Fliess remained close friends with Freud. He even predicted Freud's death would be around the age of 51, through one of his complicated bio-numerological theories ("critical period calculations"). In 1904 their friendship disintegrated due to Fliess's belief that Freud had given details of a periodicity theory Fliess was developing to a plagiarist. Freud died at 83 years of age. Freud ordered that his correspondence with Fliess be destroyed. It is only known today because Princess Marie Bonaparte(Napoleon’s great grand niece) purchased Freud's letters to Fliess and refused to permit their destruction.

Influences of Charot and Breuer

The Seduction Theory Freud’s First Theory of Neurosis? Described in letters to Fleiss (1895) and published in three papers in 1896. Freud initially thought that his patients were relating more or less factual stories of sexual mistreatment, and that the sexual abuse was responsible for many of his patients' neuroses .

Why Did Freud Abandon this theory Why Did Freud Abandon this theory? The Assault on Truth (1984) Jeffery Masson Rejection by medical community Fliess was sexually abusing his sons. Perhaps his ideas simply evolved.

The papers indicate that the patients did not relate stories of having been sexually abused in early childhood; rather, Freud used the analytic interpretation of symptoms and patients' associations, and the exerting of pressure on the patient, in an attempt to induce the "reproduction" of the deeply repressed memories. .

Freud also acknowledged that the patients generally remained unconvinced that what they had experienced indicated that they had actually been sexually abused in infancy.

Royal Road to the Unconscious Dream Analysis Free Association

Father’s Death in 1896 Begins collecting. Collected over two thousand pieces of art, ranging from statuary to jars to seal rings to painted mummy bandages.   Begins his self analysis which continues for four years.

Freud’s Analysis Freud’s Problems travel phobia fainted when around talented males addiction to cigars Analysis made his symptoms worse for the first year.

What he Discovered lust for his mother. hatred of his father. wishing the death of his bother. Reasoned these were normal parts of development (Oedipus Complex).

Freud and Humor “Jokes and their relation to the Unconscious” If a doctor enquires from a youthful patient whether he has ever had anything to do with masturbation, the answer is sure to be: “O, na, Nie” Onanie = masturbation in German.

Interpretation of Dreams Freud considered this his most important work, It was a record of his self-analysis. Book sold only 300 copies in 6 years. Wednesday Circle Interpretation of Dreams – published in 1899 but Freud had the publisher mark it as 1900. Only audience that was interested was the Jewish community.

Freud and Jung Video Freud’s protégé Travelled together By 1902 he had developed a small circle of followers – all Jewish, Met every Wednesday in Freud’s waiting room. – the Wednesday society. First meeting discussed the significance of smoking cigars (Freud’s habit – 20 to 25 a day). Introduces the idea of Freudian slips. Jung was Swiss and non-Jewish In April of 1906, Freud began a correspondence with a young psychiatrist named Carl Gustav Jung. They first met in person when Jung traveled to Vienna on February 27, 1907, and the two were fast friends. Jung later described his initial impressions of Freud as "…extremely intelligent, shrewd, and altogether remarkable." They corresponded extensively over the next seven years, with Freud viewing Jung as protégé and heir to psychoanalysis.

Invited to America to lecture at Clack University 1909 Given an honorary degree

Freud and Jung Jung proposed the existence of a second, far deeper form of the unconscious, which underlies the personal one. This was the collective unconscious, where the archetypes themselves resided. Freud dismissed Jung’s interest in religion and myths as being ‘unscientific.’ Collective Unconscious Carl Jung initiated the rumor that a romantic relationship may have developed between Freud and his sister-in-law, Minna Bernays, who had moved into Freud's apartment.  He suggested that the affair resulted in a pregnancy and a subsequent abortion for Miss Bernays. 

“Your allegation that I treat my followers as patients is demonstrably untrue. . . . It is a convention among us analysts that none of us need feel ashamed of his own neurosis. But one [meaning Jung] who while behaving abnormally keeps shouting that he is normal gives ground for the suspicion that he lacks insight into his illness. Accordingly, I propose that we abandon our personal relations entirely.”     SF, 1912

In 1912, Freud and Jung met in Munich at a professional meeting In 1912, Freud and Jung met in Munich at a professional meeting.   At Jung’s talk about his new psychoanalytic essay, Freud was overcome by a sudden fainting spell.  It is noted that Jung picked-up his estranged friend, and carried him to a nearby couch. 

The Inner Circle "Secret Committee" of seven men, including himself, that Freud organized in 1912 "to maintain the faith and to search out deviance" from his principles. To seal their compact he gave each a ring, thus closing the circle. "Secret Committee" of seven men, including himself, that Freud organized in 1912 "to maintain the faith and to search out deviance" from his principles. Freud charged Ernest Jones, Karl Abraham, Otto Rank, Sandor Ferenczi, Hanns Sachs and Max Eitingon with preserving his discovery and propagating it around the world. To seal their compact he gave each an ancient ring, thus closing the circle.

WWI 1914 - 1920 All 3 of Freud’s sons volunteered for the Austrian army and were sent to the Russian front. The war caused massive inflation and devaluation of currency. Freud lost all his savings and was left cold and hungry.

Freud's favorite daughter Sophie died in the influenza epidemic brought by the disease and famine of the immediate post war years.

Beyond the Pleasure Principle Duality of human nature that emerges from two basic instincts: Eros is an instinct for life, the drive toward attraction and reproduction; Thanatos the instinct of death and aggression, toward repulsion and death. One leads to the reproduction of the species, the other toward its own destruction.

By 1920 Freud was a household name By 1920 Freud was a household name. Most famous psychologist in the world. Samuel Goldwyn (who called Freud “the greatest love specialist in the world”) offered him $100,000 to write for the screen or work as a consultant in Hollywood.

1923 Mouth Cancer Had 34 surgeries over 16 years. Lost a large section of his jaw. Refused to stop smoking.

Freud claimed he never understood women Referred to them as the dark continent. What do Women want? In Freud's view, the little girl had to come to terms with her self-perception of being a failed boy. As he put it, "Anatomy is destiny." By the 1930s he was insisting that psychological differences between men and women were due to anatomical differences and could not be explained by different socialization experiences. Nevertheless, Freud always recognized that he did not understand women as well as he did men. He called them the "dark continent for psychology" (Freud, 1926/1959b, p. 212). Penis Envy.

Hitler 1933 Freud’s books were among the first burned. March 13, 1938 Hitler annexed Austria. Freud refused to leave. After office raided and Anna detained he agreed to leave.

Anna, Amilia and Freud escaped to London Princess Marie Bonaparte, great grandniece of Napoleon, who herself became a psychoanalyst, and who helped the Freud family escape from Vienna in 1938 as the Nazi grip tightened.

Freud's four sisters were not allowed to leave and died in concentration camps.

Cancer Returns Freud asked his doctor to administer a fatal dose of morphine and he died on September 23, 1939. Freud was 83.

Ashes are in a Greek Urn from 300BC Freud's collection of antiquities. When his widow died in 1951, aged 90, her ashes were added. Jan 14th, 2014. Thieves have tried to steal the ashes of Sigmund Freud and his wife.  They broke an ancient Greek urn that contained the couple’s remains after breaking into a cemetery in Golders Green, north London. The ‘irreplaceable’ urn, which was a gift to the founding father of psychoanalysis from Princess Marie Bonaparte, the great-grandniece of Napoleon, was ‘severely damaged’. The would-be thieves left empty-handed.