Letter from Karl Abraham to Sigmund Freud, July 29, 1913

164A

Noordwijk aan Zee, Pension “Ozon”
29 July 19131

Dear Professor,

After Eitingon had told me your views about a possible paper, I turned to Jung to find out his intentions regarding the discussion. I reminded him that already in Munich we had said that perhaps only the main paper, not each individual one, should be followed by a discussion. I have just received the reply, which I enclose. Unfortunately it does not meet with your wishes.2 But I think this need not be decisive. After all, we are having our preliminary meeting on 6 September. It would be so simple if one or two of us were to undertake any necessary replies to unpleasant remarks in discussion, so that you would not have to bother with them! You might, in fact, just have to make a short closing statement.

I do hope you are willing to make the Congress into a real congress by reading a paper.

I do not wish to use many more words to plead with you, dear Professor, to do so. I would just like to remind you that presumably this time quite a number of young people will come to the Congress. The Congress would lose its most attracting force if you were there as a silent listener.

I hope you and yours feel really comfortable there; now the weather is probably more favourable than it was at first. We are splendidly looked after here; we shall spend the next weeks partly resting by the sea and partly visiting the old towns.

With cordial greetings to you and yours, also from my wife,

yours devotedly,

Abraham