Letter from Sigmund Freud to C. G. Jung, December 22, 1912

22 December 19121 Vienna, IX. Berggasse 19

Dear Dr. Jung,

The main reason why the Vienna local branch rejected the proposed change of title was that the announcements, flyers, and so on, had already been printed or mailed, so that consideration for the publisher made it hard to envisage a change. It was really too late.

The matter is of no great importance and will cause no trouble, I trust. I do not think “therapeutic” was a good substitution; the pedagogues will soon find that the new journal will be just as receptive to their contributions as the old one was. —

I am sorry my reference to your slip annoyed you so; your reaction seems out of all proportion to the occasion. In regard to your allegation that since I misuse psychoanalysis to keep my students in a state of infantile dependency I myself am responsible for their infantile behaviour, and to the inferences you draw from this contention, I prefer not to judge, because it is hard to judge in matters concerning oneself and such judgments convince no one. I wish merely to provide you with certain facts concerning the foundations of your theory, and leave you to revise it. In Vienna I have become accustomed to the opposite reproach, to wit, that I ‘concern myself too little with the analysis of my “students.” And it is quite true that since Stekel, for example, discontinued his treatment with me some ten years ago, I have never said one word to him about the analysis of his own person. In Adler's case I have been even more careful to do nothing of the kind. Whatever analytical remarks I have made about either were made to others and for the most part after our relations had broken off. Consequently I fail to see why you feel so sure of the contrary.

With cordial regards,

Yours, FREUD