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Küsnach-Zürich, 5 May 19101
Dear Professor Freud,
Enclosed are the choice documents of modern times: Germany and America! The contortions of the latter are priceless. The so-called freedom of research in the land of the free has indeed been well guarded—the very word “sexual” is taboo. There's nothing more to be said about that liar and clown Friedländer except that it was a thousand pities Löwenfeld mentioned him at all. He won't do him the same honour a second time, I hope.
This evening I shall have a talk about the Society with Dr. Maier, my successor with Bleuler. The latest proposition is: out of gratitude for their2 friendliness and helpfulness towards us, we should hold our meetings jointly with them, i.e., present them everything on a silver salver, at no risk to themselves and with no demands upon their backbone. Their naïveté is so staggering that I was dumbfounded. These good people are imitating the neurotic evasions of alcoholics which they themselves pillory so relentlessly. The general wail about coercion is thoroughly understandable if one has ever been present while Bleuler was interrogating an alcoholic. The decision is to be next week. After that no quarter will be given. Let Bleuler and Frank go ahead and found a Society together. It will doubtless produce marvellous results for ΨA.
I still have not heard from America whether they are reacting to my missives or not.
Deuticke really is a bore. Never yet has the printing been so abominably slack. I shall write to him today.
The wood symbol is extraordinarily interesting. The “old furniture” struck a familiar note, but I knew nothing of the wood. I have two