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Vienna IX, Berggasse 19
December 2, 1919
Dear Dr. Eitingon
Your kindness and affection have given me a stormy day. In the morning I received your letter announcing that three thousand
Swedish kronor had been put at my disposal, half of which, converted into Austrian kronen, would be remitted by the bank. As I was busy with four analyses in the morning, I had no time to think about it, and read the letter out loud at luncheon during which, apart from my wife, three sons and our young daughter (whom you know) were present. It had a strange effect: the three boys seemed satisfied, but the two women were up in arms and my daughter declared-evidently she can't stand the demolition of her father complex-that as a punishment (!) she wouldn't go to Berlin for Christmas. In fact, tomorrow morning I am going to send you a telegram asking you to cancel the remittance to Vienna, if possible. For what is the good of it? We don't lack useless kronen. I possess more than 100,000 of them and every day earn 900-1000 more. If on the other hand I were in need of foreign currency, which is so difficult to get here, I would have approached you anyhow, as I have already done about the marks. It certainly gives me a sense of security to know that you hold a store of Swedish kronor with the object of helping me out if I should have to turn to you. But once it has been converted into Austrian kronen, I wouldn't know what to do with it, and it wouldn't be easy for us to change it back. It is from this point of view that my telegram will be composed.
You really are the most reckless member of my family. You have already lent me 2000 marks, another 1000 to my sister-in-law, who also can repay you only in kronen; you have taken it upon yourself to finance Ernst until he gets his salary in pounds sterling, you send us quantities of material for life (food) and work (cigars) which we would not like to convert, and even with all this you still aren't satisfied. Your last precious gift, by the way, m