Letter from Sándor Ferenczi to Sigmund Freud, November 22, 1914

Pápa, November 22, 1914

Dear Professor,

My long silence must have a resistance at its base, but I don't know what could have activated it.

Ψ analytically stated, my situation can be characterized as follows: I feel quite well in the homosexual military situation; something in me seems to be quite satisfied with the state of affairs. Certainly my intellect bridles against this kind of squandering of life and time; for that reason I mobilized everything possible in Budapest to hasten my transfer.—The nightly states with the dreams that accompany them reveal something like the following: if my dream work succeeds in somehow reconciling the homo- and hetero-sexual current, I sleep well and wake up refreshed; otherwise I get my states.—I would like to write down for the Zeitschrift a very interesting dream that generally explains the biblical episode of the downfall of Sodom and Gomorrah.1 Analysis shows that Lot's wife became a pillar of salt not only because she looked back at the burning cities, but also because salt at the same time symbolizes the perverse manner of sexual satisfaction in those cities (cunnilingus, etc.). (At the same time an explanation of the Hungarian saying: “Even an old buck likes to lick salt.”)

Officially I have something more to do here, especially since I take my hygienic tasks seriously. Because of that I have already been suggested for promotion by the commandant, so I will soon receive the title “Chief Physician.”—

Today I will receive dear guests from Budapest: Frau G. and her sister2 are coming to inspect my home in Pápa.

In the meantime my incognito here has been ignominiously destroyed; the young ladies had me summoned to give a lecture about psychoanalysis. I hope I will be able to write my—regretful—refusal from Budapest. On the other hand, I must say that great obstacles stand in the way of a transfer in the middle of the war.—

I thank you for sending me the proof sheets. They are admonitions, as it