Letter from Sigmund Freud to Oskar Pfister, February 20, 1909

Berggasse 19,
Vienna IX,
20.2.1909

Dear Dr Pfister,

I conclude with great pleasure from your letter that our differences begin only at the point at which influencing the thought process by emotional stimuli becomes permissible, and thus amount to no more than a useful variation.

In the historical sense of which you speak I too can call myself a protestant, and in that connection I recall that my friend Professor von Ehrenfels1 coined the term ‘sexual protestants' for us both.

Please do not assume that the ridicule and misunderstandings in the press affect me greatly. There are days when the uniformity of the reactions are somewhat oppressive, but not an hour when I doubt that the insights which you too value (not, I hope, over-value) will get through.

If you receive a small book2 from me early in March, please accept it as a token of my high appreciation of your efforts and co-operation.

Cordially yours,
Freud