Letter from Sándor Ferenczi to Sigmund Freud, May 27, [1910]

Budapest, May 27, [1910]1
VII., Erzsébet-körút 54

Dear Professor,

Left completely in the lurch by my professional colleagues and the older doctors, I organized the course for young, enthusiastic students, who are overjoyed finally to hear something new and beautiful after their arid university lectures. I lecture three times a week from nine to eleven in the evening. I chose ten auditors from the large number that applied: two doctors (very young ones), a pedagogue, four medical students, two law students, and a specialist in music.2 The last (a Ph.D.) is a valuable acquisition. After a brief introduction, I immediately began with the analysis of a case of hysteria and explained hysteria in light of this case; naturally, also the interpretation of dreams and the ancillary questions (myth, joke, everyday life, etc.). The lectures late at night and after the exertions of the day take up a great deal of my energy, but the great interest of the audience makes me forget all fatigue. In the fall I will found the branch society with the better elements of the course and then, of course, also bring in Stein and Décsi.

The eagerness of the Vienna circle is precious; we hear too little from Zurich. The Zentralblatt will surely prosper; I, too, will eagerly take part in it. I can find places for only a few articles in Hungarian.

I am writing this letter late at night and am rather exhausted, which accounts for its laconic brevity and incoherent content. I only wanted to give a sign of life on my part and thank you for your kind letter.

Kind regards,

Dr. Ferenczi

The Essence of Witches is here.