Karin Mangs

The Swedish psychoanalyst Karin Mangs died on the 25 January 1984, at the age of 76. She had been working as a psychoanalyst in private practice in Stockholm since the middle of the 1950's and continued her analytical work until some months before her death. Illness forced her to give it up.

Karin Mangs had wide and intensive cultural and scientific interests and was in close contact with persons working in several fields of art and science, even distantly apart from psychoanalysis. But her own distinguished contributions were made in the psychoanalytic field. As an analyst, she was highly respected by her colleagues in the Swedish Psychoanalytical Society and it was quite natural that she was entrusted with comprehensive responsibilities as a training analyst, supervisor and lecturer in the professional education of psychoanalysts. For many of those who have met her during their analytical training and been intruduced by her in analytical work, she became a professional model through her profound knowledge, her deep understanding of human problems and her personal dignity.

As a lecturer and supervisor of clinical work outside the Psychoanalytical Society, Karin Mangs contributed to the disseminating of knowledge and understanding of psychoanalysis among practitioners in other fields of psychological work with clients.

Even more important was her influence as a writer. The basic textbook in the Swedish language on psychoanalytic developmental psychology, which she wrote in collaboration with Barbro Martell, 0 till 20 år i psykoanalytiskt perspektiv, was a pioneering and outstanding work in its field and is still an important source of knowledge of psychoanalytic contributions to the study of human development.

Karin Mangs was not only highly respected by her colleagues in the Swedish Psychoanalytical Society, she was indeed a close friend whom we remember with gratitude, love and veneration.