Description:

Freud Sigmund

Sigmund Freud Letter to Youngest Sibling, In the Year of The Ego and The Id

 

Single page autograph letter signed on Freud's personal letterhead, 6" x 8.5". Dated "Lavarone 8.8 23", and signed by Sigmund Freud as "Sigm". Near fine with expected folds, and trivial faint handling marks. Lovely bold contrasting ink.

 

A superb letter written by Freud to his youngest brother Alex (with whom there is much evidence that Freud's younger brother related to him more as a father figure than a sibling). This lovely letter was penned by Freud in the year that he had written his prominent paper, The Ego and the Id, an analytical study of the human psyche outlining his theories of the psychodynamics of the id, ego and super-ego;  which is of fundamental importance in the development of psychoanalysis. Although it is well known that Freud had substantial elements of "sibling rivalry and hostility" when younger, by the time of this letter he appeared more introspective and reflective. The letter written in German is transcribed below:

 

"Dear Alex -

I received the enclosed letter via Gastein. The letter sounds genuine to me. Please have someone go there immediately to find out if it really is true and, if so, be so kind and pay the 600,000 and charge it to my account.

 

It is still beautiful here but quite hot. My state of health is full of vexations, Martha is well except for her bowels, and both of the children (Anna and Ernst) are in excellent spirits.

 

Regards to you and Sophie, as ever.

Sigm"

 

Freud grew up in a large family being the eldest with seven younger siblings born nearly yearly (one died at 7 months).  Freud’s comments generally concerned the phenomenon of sibling rivalry and hostility "when the next child appears in the nursery".  He stresses that the eldest child has strong jealous and competitive feelings when the next child is born into the family. The eldest child, formerly the centre-piece of the family, is usurped by the entrance of the younger sibling. Freud suggested the rage constellated by being displaced and feeling the parental focus shift to the younger child is expressed by the older sibling through jealousy and competitiveness. Competitive feelings are described as hurtful, resulting in a sense of loss of parental love and resource, rather than a spur to achievement. Unlike mythic sibling stories that speak of love, loyalty and sacrifice, Freud leaves us with an impression of the wound that is inflicted in the primary sibling relationship, a wound which resonates with his own experience. Freud clearly draws a picture of this primal jealousy towards the new sib and also suggests that it may influence later stages of development. He may be unconsciously alluding to his own shock as his siblings continued to arrive almost annually.

 

Julius, his younger brother, was born seventeen months after Freud and died at seven months. Freud greeted the baby "with rage and wicked death wishes".  In 1897, when Freud was in the process of his self-analysis, he wrote to his colleague Fleiss mentioning his feelings of rivalry towards his younger brother and the guilt associated with his death. In a stream-of-consciousness writing style he explains "that I greeted my one-year younger brother (who died after a few months) with adverse wishes and genuine childhood jealousy; and that his death left the germ of (self-) reproaches in me … This nephew and this younger brother have determined, then, what is neurotic, but also what is intense, in all my friendships." His youngest brother, Alexander (to whom this letter is written), became Sigmund’s supportive follower, travel companion and suppliant ally and helper. Sigmund’s fatherly role to this brother is reminiscent of the confusion between the father–brother roles.

 

An important rare autographed letter to his brother - as it was Freud's childhood and family bonds which drove much of his analysis and self-reflections helping to propel his writing and Psychoanalytical theories.

 

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

 

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