The Secret Committee of the early history of psychoanalysis was formed in 1912 in order to oversee the development of psychoanalysis and protect the theoretical and institutional legacy of

Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts i ...

’s work.

Historical context

The Committee was formed at the suggestion of Ernest Jones in response to Freud’s concerns over the consequences of disputes over theoretical issues in psychoanalysis. These had already resulted in the acrimonious departure of Adler and Stekel from Freud’s inner circle of followers and by 1912 Freud’s relationship with

Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, phi ...

was reaching the point of terminal breakdown. In this context Freud wrote to Jones endorsing “your idea of a secret council composed of the best and most trustworthy among our men to take care of the further development of psychoanalysis and defend the cause against personalities and accidents when I am no more”. The Committee membership comprised Ernest Jones who served as the chairman,

Sándor Ferenczi Sándor Ferenczi (7 July 1873 – 22 May 1933) was a Hungarian psychoanalyst, a key theorist of the psychoanalytic school and a close associate of Sigmund Freud. Biography Born Sándor Fränkel to Baruch Fränkel and Rosa Eibenschütz, bo ...

Otto Rank Otto Rank (; ; né Rosenfeld; 22 April 1884 – 31 October 1939) was an Austrian psychoanalyst, writer, and philosopher. Born in Vienna, he was one of Sigmund Freud's closest colleagues for 20 years, a prolific writer on psychoanalytic themes, ...

, Hans Sachs, and

Karl Abraham Karl Abraham (; 3 May 1877 – 25 December 1925) was an influential German psychoanalyst, and a collaborator of Sigmund Freud, who called him his 'best pupil'. Life Abraham was born in Bremen, Germany. His parents were Nathan Abraham, a Jewis ...

. Max Eitingon joined the Committee in 1919.

Anna Freud Anna Freud (3 December 1895 – 9 October 1982) was a British psychoanalyst of Austrian-Jewish descent. She was born in Vienna, the sixth and youngest child of Sigmund Freud and Martha Bernays. She followed the path of her father and contribut ...

replaced Rank in 1924. The Committee first met on 25 May 1913 when Freud presented each member with a Greek intaglio mounted on a golden ring. They all undertook not to publish work which could be seen as departing from any of the fundamental tenets of psychoanalytical theory without prior discussion in the Committee. As well as regular meetings, the Committee established a practice of sending circular letters as a means of communication. Jones intended the immediate political objective of forming the Committee to be the isolation of Jung and ultimately to force his resignation as president of the

International Psychoanalytic Association The International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA) is an association including 12,000 psychoanalysts as members and works with 70 constituent organizations. It was founded in 1910 by Sigmund Freud, from an idea proposed by Sándor Ferenczi. Hi ...

. Though this transpired in 1914, his ambition to succeed Jung, endorsed by the Committee, was frustrated by the outbreak of war.

Later developments

The Committee functioned well for a full decade, despite a world war, but dissension involving Rank and Ferenczi led to its dissolution in 1924. It was reconstituted later the same year, with

replacing Rank, and resumed the practice of sending circular letters. After the death of Abraham in 1925 and Ferenczi in 1933 it ceased to function.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Inner Circle (Psychoanalysis) Sigmund Freud