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Berggasse 19,
Vienna IX,
28.5.1911
Dear Dr Pfister,
Many thanks for telling me your plans. The great difficulty, I think, will arise in fitting the complex-psychology into the psycho-analysis, for the distinctive marks of their divergent origin have by no means been eliminated. Your attempt at a synthesis will be keenly awaited and eagerly examined. So go ahead, and in no circumstances let yourself be help up for long by Siebeck; I almost have the impression that you will after all have to go to Deuticke, who will zealously promote sales in the circles that concern you.
I find it very intelligible that we attach so little value to appearances at congresses.1 Public debate of psycho-analysis is hardly possible; one does not share common ground, and against the lurking affects nothing can be done. Psychoanalysis is a deep-going movement, and public debates are bound to be as useless as the theological disputations of the time of the Reformation.
In the discussion you sent to me about Count Zinzendorf your openness and clarity stood out magnificently against the fulsome reserve of your opponents. The latter is certainly not the worst that one comes up against, but you see how in discussions of this kind you merely talk past each other….
Our congress, which you must not miss, does not include a Sunday. The dates are September 21 and 22.
With cordial greetings, Yours,
Freud