BRITISH PSYCHO‑ANALYTICAL SOCIETY

                               5 December 1925  London W1

Dear Professor,

«IP4,0»I have not heard directly from Berlin for a little time, but Eitingon tells me that Abraham is in hospital facing the possibility of a gall‑bladder operation.  We shall all be happy when this painful illness comes to an end. «FN1.××Abraham's fatal illness resulted from a series of complications that began with an infection of the lung by a foreign object during a visit to Holland in the previous May (H. Abraham and E. Freud, 1965, p. 382 n. 1).»  I am myself at present in bed for a few days, a thrombosed haemmorrhoid having complicated in a painful way a severe influenza cold.  I hope that you at least are in good health.  I had hoped to come to Vienna at Christmas, but shall have to postpone it till the Spring, when I will surely come to see you.

In my Congress letter to you, I omitted any reference to the film affair, «FN1.××"Geheimnisse einer Seele" (Secrets of a Soul) was produced by Neumann Produktion G. m. b. H. on behalf of Universum Film‑Aktiengesellschaft (Ufa) and directed by the important motion‑picture director G. W. Pabst.  Although Freud did not give his authorization, Abraham nevertheless supported the project, see H. Abraham and E. Freud (1965, pp. 382‑385, 399).  The film's release caused a commotion among analysts which is detailed in Jones (1957a, pp. 114‑115; 1957b, pp. 121‑122).

» but it has now become actual in England, so I should like to define my standpoint.  It is, I am glad to say, identical with your own.  I regard it as unprofessional to depict one's own medical work in any such way before the public.  Also to link up one's scientific work with commercial transactions opens the way to unforeseen possibilities of trouble.  I think, and very many with me, that Abraham committed an error of judgement in acceding to the Ufa request.  He forgot for the moment the responsibility of his official position.  I cannot blame him, for not only did it happen at the onset of his illness, but the error was dictated by just that innocence and optimism which are otherwise such valuable traits in his character.  The other people concerned I cannot regard as so blameless.  I spent many hours at the Congress discussing both in company and individually the whole matter with Sachs, Storfer and Bernfeld.  Storfer is a pathological personality who has to be humoured, so there is no more to be said.  But I was disappointed to find that both Sachs and Bernfeld allowed their artistic ambitions and jealousies to triumph in a most narcissistic way over other considerations, and nothing that I could do was able to influence them.

There was a great deal of adverse criticism of the matter at the Congress and there will, I am afraid, be more.  Some newspaper notices suggesting that the film might appear in England also led to a heated discussion at our Society meeting this week.  It was not easy to quell the feeling, which wanted to express itself in the form of some precipitate action.  The members unanimously complained, and with some justice, that they had been forced by the President of the Association, without their knowledge, to bear the odium of a situation of which they themselves disapproved.  It is certain that if the film appears in England there will be much justified criticism of the methods of psycho‑analysts.  The newspaper notices all say that you have arranged the film because of the failure of psycho‑analysis to get accepted by other means.  We shall at least take steps to dissociate you from the undertaking.

Now to turn to pleasanter topics.  It is with great pleasure that I am despatching today to you the Fourth Volume of your '«MDUL»Collected Papers«MDNM»'.  Both it and Part IV. of the '«MDUL»Journal«MDNM»' had been ready for a month but could not be issued before because of some strike.  The undertaking must have seemed to you slow, but at least it had the merit of being sure, which you sometimes doubted.  I am also having despatched to you from Paris a copy of the French translation of my '«MDUL»Papers«MDNM»', which has just been published. «FN1.××Jones (1925b).

»

Can you tell me anything about the progress of a Dr. Power, whom I saw on her way to Vienna some time ago?  I have a patient whose life is somewhat involved with hers.

I will finish with an amusing anecdote.  A certain George Smith, «FN1.××George Smith (1840‑1876), British Assyriologist, deciphered the Chaldean account of the Deluge from Layard's tablets.

» one of the keenest interpreters of Assyrian characters, had to wait impatiently for some days before he could examine an important tablet which was being cleaned.  Then as soon as he finished interpreting it, he jumped up in a state of excitement and, to the astonishment of the bystanders, began to undress.  It is a neat confirmation of the pairedness of the instincts, is it not?

With kindest regards,  Yours always,  [Ernest Jones]«FN1.××Not Jones's signature, but signed "Ernest Jones" and initialed by secretary.»