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328A
Allenstein
16 December 1917
Dear Professor,
These days mark the 10th anniversary of my first visit to you in Vienna just after I had started my practice! It has in recent times looked rather more likely that I shall be back in Berlin in the foreseeable future and that I shall then also be able to visit Vienna again. Plans for the future are thus beginning to assume a somewhat more definite shape.
A week ago I had to escort a sick officer from my hospital to Bremen, and therefore had the opportunity of spending two days with my mother. I made use of a short stay in Berlin to visit privy councillor Bonhoeffer and to discuss with him the question of my Habilitation. I knew that B. is quite generous and that he has kept apart from all attacks made against us. He was personally quite accommodating, drew my attention to all the obstacles, and, although he was honest enough to make no promises, was not in principle opposed to the idea. He said that he would enquire of Bleuler, among others, about my scientific qualifications, and he also asked me for a list of my publications. The matter thus does not seem completely hopeless to me. One point was not discussed but is of some importance. B. may well be afraid that a follower of an “extremist” school of thought would use his lectures to wage war against the established school of thought. It would have been appropriate to reassure B. beforehand in this respect, but I said nothing of this, either in our discussions or in a letter I wrote to him today, because I was afraid of giving a wrong impression. The thought has occurred to me that a letter from you, dear Herr Professor, mentioning not only my scientific qualifications but also my personal qualities along those lines, might be helpful and reassuring in this respect. I am, however, not quite sure whether this would be the best way, and I shall leave it to you to decide whether to write or not. I think a reassurance that there would be no reason to fear unpleasant incide