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Unperturbed by a letter from a London publisher (1924), saying that the latest news from America suggested that “psycho-analysis was in decline already, the subject having suddenly gone ‘flop’”, Dr. Jones set the course by which the International Journal and the Library became highly respected means of communication and worthy archives of psycho-analytic development. (Payne 1958, 308)
Although the idea of an English language journal had first been mentioned in 1913, it was not until after World War I that the idea came to fruition. Jones tells Freud that the time is ripe for an English language journal in the same letter in which he mentions his grief for the recent death of his young wife. Coming not long after the devastation of the First World War, the new journal becomes a sign of survival and of life over death, of creativity and action in the wake of mourning.
You see I can look forward in life, although I have been through hell itself these last three months. It has been an indescribably terrible experience, signifying more even than a tremendous loss—owing to my inner psychical situation and the poignant circumstances of my wife’s death. But I am surely winning through, and have learnt very much by it. (Jones 1918, 326)
Freud replies on 22 December 2018: “Needless to say we are all impatient to get your contributions to the Zeitschrift and see you taking an active part in the new career, opening for ‘her’.”
Different agendas, personal rivalries and financial issues were at stake. Freud writes to Jones in January 1919:
As for the journal, I hope you know, that both periodicals, Zeitschrift and Imago, have become official with the “European” groups. I hope also you have heard by Sachs, that we are setting on foot a ψα Verlag. Now Rank developed the idea at the same time as you, that you should bring out an English edition of the Zeitschrift (or both), all the papers getting translated into the two languages.
Meanwhile Abraham wanted to resuscitate the Jahrbuch, wh