Johan H. W. Van Ophuijsen

Dr. Johan H. W. van Ophuijsen was born on 12 November, 1882, in Sumatra. At thirteen he returned to Holland to continue his education. While yet at secondary school he became interested in hypnotism and suggestion and accumulated a small library on these subjects. He first encountered the name of Sigmund Freud through Freud's translation into German of Bernheim's book on hypnotism. In addition to a strong scientific bent he was gifted musically, became a talented organist, and was particularly fascinated by the works of Bach, to such an extent that at one time he contemplated making his career as organist.

He graduated from the University of Leiden Medical School in 1909. He had studied neurology with Cassirer at the famous clinic in Berlin where such men as Oppenheim and Lewandowsky had worked. He had studied the psychiatry of his day and, like many others, found it inadequate to explain the behaviour of his psychotic patients. While at medical school he read with eagerness and excitement about the new science of psycho-analysis, and immediately on graduation he went to Bleuler's Clinic at Zürich. There he stayed for four years, and during this time became determined to follow as a life career the science of analysis.

In 1913 he returned to The Hague to become one of the Dutch pioneers of analysis along with van Emden, van Renterghem and Dr. J. and Dr. A. Starcke. In 1917 he helped to found the Dutch Psycho-Analytical Society, of which for seven years he was the president.

Through his efforts and those of his Dutch associates there came about what Freud called 'the first official recognition of dream interpretation and psycho-analysis in Europe', given by Dr. Jelgersma, a psychiatrist, and the rector of the University of Leiden, in his official address on 9 February, 1914.

In 1920 van Ophuijsen organized the first International Psycho-Analytic Congress after World War 1. From 1925 to 1936 he was an important figure in the International Psycho-Analytic Associa