9 September 1932  The Plat, Elsted

«FL»Dear Professor,

«IP4,0»I seize the first peaceful moment to write to you.  In the first place will you allow me to express my sympathy over the difficulty that has arisen with your oldest and dearest analytical friend.  I know that you will not be tempted to copy the old Kaiser ("«MDUL»mir bleibt«MDNM»....")«FN1.××The words "mir bleibt (auch) nichts erspart" (I am also spared nothing) were allegedly spoken by Kaiser Franz Joseph I after the murder of the heir apparent Franz Ferdinand and the outbreak of World War I.» because your calibre is too tough, and you are surrounded both by affection and by followers whose acceptance of the unconscious is unbreakable.  Nevertheless, how painful it must be I can imagine.  To Eitingon it came as a shock of surprise, to you probably less so.  To me not at all, for I have followed F's evolution (including the pathological side) closely for many years, and knew it could only be a question of time before this denouement arrived.  Abraham and I drew him forcibly back from the precipice at the Rank time, and lately Rickman's regular reports of his analysis showed me clearly the direction things were going.  His exceptionally deep need of being loved, together with the repressed sadism, are plainly behind the tendency to ideas of persecution.  My reaction was therefore very simple: first the cause, then everything to keep him with us.  The first excluded the possibility of his being President ‑‑ in that I agreed with the firm attitude of Eitingon and van Ophuijsen.  But the second made me oppose both these two and also Brill.  They wanted at all costs that Fer. be asked to withdraw his Vortrag and to postpone as long as possible the expression of his ideas ‑‑ to avoid scandal.  On the contrary I insisted that there would be less scandal if we kept it inside the Vereinigung and that we were quite strong enough to digest the ideas ourselves without harm coming.  It would have fed the pathological ideas to have told him that his Vortrag etc. was too wicked to be presented to us, and that might end in his publicly withdrawing from the Vereinigung.  I gained my point, and so far as I can judge the advice was successful, for Fer, finding himself welcomed and listened to, visibly expanded and day by day identified himself ever more with the interests and plans, business, etc., of the Vereinigung; he felt himself one of us, which is what I intended and which I am confident will do us no harm.  He is, I am afraid, a sick man ‑‑ also physically ‑‑ and the impression he made was very pathetic.  To me personally he was affectionate, and I think I was able to help both him and his wife.  It is terrible ‑‑ but also unprofitable ‑‑ to make comparisons with the brilliant past.  One can only accept the facts, do the little possible to help, and again to learn how one underestimates the difficulties in the way of retaining a full acceptance of the reality of the unconscious; most people seem to have a limit to their power in this respect.

As for the Presidency, I thank you for the kind message of congratulation you sent through Anna.  To speak plainly, the task was not quite welcome to me.  I had thought that if I ever accepted the position again, it would be in some years' time after I had given up some work (Clinic, Institute or «MDUL»Journal«MDNM») which my group still wants me to function; how that will be possible now I do not yet know, but a few months' reflection may show that it would be wiser to divide up the work in London ‑‑ as has always been done in Berlin and Vienna.  Of course I feel quite happy about being able to carry out the duties of the International, which are so familiar to me.  And I am confident that it will be a pleasure to work together with Anna, for we always understand each other easily; I am very glad she consented to continue.

My impression of the Congress was throughout excellent.  I have rarely known one with a better «MDUL»Stimmung«MDNM» [mood], friendly and confident.  The scientific part was well maintained, if not remarkble.  In my opinion no outstanding paper, eight excellent ones, three poor ones (Schneider, Steiner and Fr. Behn. Eschenburg), the rest good.«FN1.××See "Report of the Twelfth International Psycho‑Analytical Congress," in «MDUL»Journal«MDNM», 14(1933):138‑180, especially Ernst Schneider, "The Psycho‑Analysis of Tics," p. 152; Maxim Steiner, "What does the Specialist in Sexual Diseases owe to Psycho‑Analysis." pp. 143‑144; and Hans Behn‑Eschenburg, "Contributions to the Pre‑history of the Oedipus Complex," p. 144.

»  Of the personalities, Brill was in splendid form and was most helpful,  Rado has improved, Alexander very accessible, Eitingon as usual, ditto van Ophuijsen, Laforgue rather quiet in the background, Weiss much improved scientifically and otherwise, Roheim very good indeed ‑‑ of the rest «MDUL»nichts neues«MDNM» [nothing new].  You know already of Harink.«FN1.××Likely J. Hárnik, member of the German Psychoanalytic Society, who presented "The First Post‑natal Phase of Libidinal Development," «MDUL»Journal«MDNM», 14(1933):146.

»  The paranoia is very advanced, fully manifest and very disturbing to the peace of the congress.  It is a great pity, for he was a very talented fellow.  On the other side I had a most delightful impression of the three young Viennese you have chosen as editors.  I saw a great deal of them, and it was easy to plan out cooperation which I hope will be fruitful.  A stroke of great luck to have these three, and I expect great improvements from them which we have needed.

Of the Verlag Martin will tell you everything.  He made a most excellent impression throughout, in capacity and character, and we all feel we can safely rely on him.  It proved impracticable, for various reasons, to make a committee as small as you and I wished, but this will be no loss as the administrative sub‑committee is exceptionally small (especially in practice).

After a strenuous time I am resting two or three days in the country, and hope you are enjoying your holiday.  affectionately  yours always

Ernest Jones