Hosted by the Spanish Psychoanalytic Society (Barcelona) and the Madrid Psychoanalytic Society, the 33rd International Psycho-Analytical Congress took place in Madrid from July 24 to 29. Attended by psychoanalysts from thirty-three different countries, some from behind the Iron Curtain, all partook of a varied series of scientific presentations and social programs throughout the six days of the meetings. Because continued meetings of the Helsinki Pact Human Rights Commission pre-empted the Congress Hall at which the IPA was to meet, last minute arrangements were made in a large hotel which proved more than satisfactory, allowing for a more intimate meeting between the more than 1600 registrants present.
The theme of the Congress “the analyst at work,” had been set by the Program Committee, chaired by Leonard Shengold (New York) with Edward Weinshel (San Francisco) as Secretary. This theme had been chosen not only to allow for the presentation of the actual work of the psychoanalyst, but also with the feeling that regardless of theoretical orientation, the work that analysts do is the common basis of their identity and mutuality. By emphasizing this commonality and insisting upon the presentation of the clinical basis of psychoanalysis, the various scientific sessions allowed for a greater interchange between the presenters—Anne-Marie Sandler (Jerusalem), Vann Spruiell (New Orleans), and Myrta C. de Pereda (Uruguay) — and audience, both in the plenary sessions and in the prearranged discussion groups derived from those plenary sessions. Each of the three main speakers at separate plenary sessions gave a detailed case history and several sessions from an ongoing psychoanalysis. This account included a report of the reaction and thinking of the analyst, enabling the audience to share the analytic experience of the analyst as it actually occurred during a session. These presentations were well attended and aroused great interest. Scott Dowling (Cleveland) and Samuel Ritvo (New Haven) presented a child and an adolescent case using a similar format. Members of discussion groups following these plenary sessions seemed able to empathize with the analyst's situation and to avoid attempts at second guessing or “supervising” the clinical case. Rather, there was an interchange of varying technical approaches to the same clinical material and exchanges of similar clinical experiences derived from the practices of the various analysts present.
These discussion groups, as well as the special discussion groups and scientific papers, were attended by an audience made up of analysts from all countries and all societies. Since the registration represented the approximate geographic distribution of analysts within the International Psycho-Analytical Association (forty-two percent North American, twenty-four percent Latin American, and thirty-four percent European) there was a mixture of analysts possible for most settings. Language barriers tended to be broken down partly by the fact that many are multilingual and partly by the availability of simultaneous translation in many sessions.
The Pre-Congress meetings on Training utilized a theme similar to that of the main Congress. The Pre-Congress theme was “On Being a Training Analyst.” Open to all training analysts who are members of the IPA, this meeting concentrated on the experience, both positive and negative, of being a training analyst. Pearl King (London) set the stage in her opening address for a discussion in twelve small groups of the advantages and the disadvantages, the trials and tribulations, as well as the pleasures of being a training analyst. After a day and a half of small group discussion, all came together in a closing plenary session at which David Sachs (Philadelphia), Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the Pre-Congress, gave a summation of the discussion in the various groups. There was then an extensive discussion from the floor in which many participated.
Members of discussion groups following plenary sessions seemed able to empathize with the analyst's situation and to avoid attempts at second guessing or “supervising” the clinical case.
A special feature of the Scientific Program of the actual Congress was the prepublished papers by Harold Blum (Great Neck, New York), Joseph Sandler (Jerusalem), and Willie Baranger (Argentina). These appeared in the International Journal of Psychoanalysis but did not form the basis of the various plenary sessions. Leo Rangell (Los Angeles), in his closing summation of the themes of the Congress, used the differing approaches presented in these papers as a basis of his discussion of many presentations during the Congress. The final day of the Congress also saw two full panel presentations, one on female sexuality, chaired by Rebecca Z. Solomon (Hartford), which included a presentation by Janine Chasseguet-Smirgel (Paris) and a special panel on applied psychoanalysis around the theme of “Don Quixote,” chaired by Harry Trosman (Chicago). It was the first time that a major panel at an IPA Congress had been devoted to a topic in the area of applied psychoanalysis.
Many members of the American participated in special study groups. Homer Curtis (Philadelphia) chaired a group on “Empathy and the Timing of Interpretations”; Samuel Guttman (Pennington, New Jersey) chaired one on “The Psychoanalytic Point Of View: Basic Concepts and Divergent Views”; Charles Kligerman (Chicago) chaired a group on “Heinz Kohut's Contributions to Psychoanalysis”; and Roy Schafer (New York) chaired one on “The Resistance to the Emergence of the Transference.” There were two continuing special discussion groups —that of Robert Wallerstein (San Francisco) on “Research on the Psychoanalytic Process,” and the workshop on the “Effects of the Holocaust on Survivors and Their Children,” chaired by Milton Jucovy and Judith Kestenberg (Great Neck) and Martin Bergmann (New York). Of the forty scientific papers presented in individual sessions, nine were presented by speakers from the American Psychoanalytic Association and four from the Canadian Psychoanalytic Association, which together represented the contributions from the North American sector of the IPA.
Of particular note was a memorial meeting to Anna Freud held the Sunday afternoon prior to the formal opening of the 33rd Congress. This meeting was organized by the International Psycho-Analytical Association on behalf of all of its component societies as a memorial to Miss Freud who was an honorary member of almost every society of the IPA as well as being the Honorary President of the IPA for many years. The overflow audience heard presentations by Clifford Yorke (London)
and Albert Solnit (New Haven), among others, all of whom touched upon the facets of Miss Freud's many contributions to the field of psychoanalysis. The memorial meeting was presided over by Adam Limentani (London), President of the International Psycho-Analytical Association.
Another innovation of this Congress was that the Association for Child Psychoanalysis cosponsored with the International Psycho-Analytical Association a panel presentation during the course of the scientific meetings of the Congress, rather than holding a separate meeting outside the regular Congress time as it had done previously.
On the administrative side, there were several events of interest. The membership of the International Psycho-Analytical Association is increasing by approximately 550-600 members per year, with the largest number of new members coming from Latin America and Europe and a relatively small number coming from North America. Reflecting the increased importance of Latin America was the election of Angel Garma as an Honorary Vice President. He was honored for his pioneering efforts on behalf of psychoanalysis in Latin America where he was the first training analyst in Argentina and for many of the societies throughout that continent. Notable was the approval of study group status within the IPA of a group of psychoanalysts residing in Hungary. This direct affiliation with the International is the first in an eastern bloc country since the end of World War II. Previously, some of the Hungarian analysts had an unofficial direct membership in the IPA, but now this official affiliation is permitted to them. A new study group was established in Greece and a sponsoring committee chaired by Joseph Sandler (Jerusalem) was appointed to help it develop. The Provisional Society of Mendoza, Argentina, was accorded full society status while the Monterrey, Mexico, study group was given training privileges. Francis McLaughlin (Baltimore), Treasurer of the IPA, reported that the appeal for funds to assist colleagues in Poland had met a wide response, particularly in the United States, and that the funds had been used to provide material assistance to our colleagues there. They in turn expressed their appreciation to the members of the IPA who contributed to their support.
In the elections at the Business Meeting of Members, Adam Limentani (London) was reelected President for the next two years, and Francis McLaughlin (Baltimore) was reelected Treasurer for the same period. Robert Wallerstein, Albert Solnit, and Otto Kernberg were elected Vice Presidents and Kenneth Calder was named Associate Secretary for North America. Edward Joseph, as Past-President, continues on the Executive Council, completing the roster of members of the American Psychoanalytic who serve on the Executive Council of the IPA.
The final decision of the Business Meeting of members was that the 34th Congress of the IPA will be held in Hamburg, Germany in late July, 1985 while the 35th Congress will be held in Montreal, Canada in July, 1987.
Among the many enjoyable social activities during the week, I should note particularly that the Organizing Committee of the two Spanish Societies arranged for the Prado Museum to be opened to the membership of the Congress on a special evening as part of the official IPA reception for Congress participants. In addition, there was an opening reception at the Congress Hall and special entertainments that included a mock bull fight, flamenco dancing, and a farewell dinner which featured Spanish music, dancing and excellent food.