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May 25, 1965. PANEL ON MELANIE KLEIN. Jacob A. Arlow, M. D., Moderator; Charles Brenner, M. D.; Alexander Bromley, M. D.; Manuel Furer, M. D.; Elisabeth R. Geleerd, M. D.
Dr. Arlow explained that the panel was an outgrowth of preparations for a discussion between Kleinian and other analysts at the 1965 International Psychoanalytic Congress. Dr. Brenner described past interaction between the two groups where both a mutual willingness for communication and a defensiveness on the part of the Kleinians were found.
Dr. Bromley summarized the historical development of the Kleinian movement. After being analyzed by Ferenczi and Abraham, Mrs. Klein moved to England in 1925, where her ideas received enthusiastic support from Jones and others. 1925 was a time of transition. The Ego and the Id, published in 1923, was not translated into English until 1927. Many analysts lacked the theoretical discernment to evaluate the implications of Mrs. Klein's theories on the earliest stages of development. Gradually the Kleinians became more numerous than the freudians in London, just as at present they prevail in South America and have great influence in France. While a complete split into two societies and two institutes was never accomplished, a compromise was reached in 1946 and both groups exist under the same roof. Dr. Bromley emphasized Freud's disagreement with Klein despite the Kleinians' belief to the contrary.
Drs. Bromley, Geleerd, and Furer summarized Melanie Klein's ideas.
Object relations, formed fantasies, ego, and superego exist from birth. The death instinct is stronger than the life instinct at birth and therefore expresses itself with great intensity, causing the infant to fear annihilation. In the first three months of life—the time of the schizo-paranoid position (earlier called the paranoid position)—the child uses projection as the main mechanism for warding off dangerous aggressive impulses. Hostile desires to attack and bite the mother's breast and insi