Graphologists worldwide deserve a visit to 20, Maresfield Gardens, London NW3. Sigmund Freud(1856-1939) and Anna Freud (1895-1982), his daughter, both lived here. Two years before her death, Anna sold the property to the Sigmund Freud Archives, to be converted into a museum; it opened in July 1986. The current displays include the analytic couch of both father and daughter, a portrait of Sigmund by Salvador Dali and numerous antiquities.
Patients would recite their inner-most feelings to Anna who would, out of sight, be weaving or knitting. Patients on Sigmund's couch were also out of sight, but surrounded by the objects from Greece, Rome, Egypt and the Orient. Freud used the objects in psychoanalysis, he said, "I illustrated my remarks by pointing to (them). They were, in fact, I said, only objects found in a tomb, and their burial had been their preservation". Therefore patients should allow negative thoughts to avoid preservation by externalising them.
In 1933 psychoanalysis was banned by the Nazis and the Freuds settled in Hampstead in 1938 where Freud died of cancer of the palate in September 1939.
Numerous graphological analyses have been made of Freud, three of which were certainly seen by the man himself.
One report on Freud in his early seventies was written by Robert Saudek. Freud "stigmatized it as a bad joke" (Jones 1957.pg.160) These extracts are from the analysis: "His ambition is boundless, he believes in logic ... a monomaniac ... he overdoes things ... he cannot stand criticism and opposition ... what a suspicious old gentleman he must be".
Another report mentioned in Freud's essay on Telepathy, (1921) was produced by Raphael Schermann. Freud was again not impressed.
A third report is mentioned in Schweighofer 1976.pg.23: "In 1928 Viktor Von Weizsäcker presented Freud with a handwriting analysis that his cousin Lucy von Weizsäcker had done, but it made hardly any impression on him. This analysis was poorly equipped to convince him of the potentials of graphology".
In December 1939 the French Graphology Society used Freud's handwriting in issue Number 17 of La Graphologie.
Nadya Olyanova (1960.pp.176-178) referred to Freud as a genius and analysed his writing at 26 years:-
"A prude! Adherence to conventional forms as well as paternal, protective instinct. Within him was a terrific struggle between the dictates of turbulent emotions and a mind which could be clear and scientific in its reasoning. Drive and determination, but also full of self doubt."
"He could be aggressive in a querulous way, besieged by changing moods."
"He could be exacting, demanding, efficient; he was relentless in probing the truth to the bitter end."
"His intuition was uncanny"
Olyanova (1960.pp.160-1) also analysed the writing of Freud at 72 years, seriously ill:-
"Keen intellect with a leaning toward people. A man of tenacious drive and optimism."
"If we had seen this handwriting without the signature, we might have described the writer as a madman".
Torbidoni (1971) produced a three page analysis of Freud's writing in an Italian journal:-
"impulsive and passionate temperament ... often worried ... will not stop before achieving a result ... active even aggressive relationships with others ..."
Hartford (1973.pg.242) limited himself to the following comments:
"It has also been noted that the replacement of capitals by small letters - as in the case of Freud's signature - may represent the same rebellion from the norm as its opposite."
Mendel (1947)
"Freud has interpreted the illegible hand of doctors, for instance as part of their professional pride and secretiveness; they do not want the layman to understand their notes obviously reserved for other doctors or pharmacists."
A much more ambitious work was published in German in 1976 by Schweighofer and translated into English in 1979. "Graphology and Psychoanalysis. The handwriting of Sigmund Freud and His Circle". Freud alone is analysed over thirteen pages (pp.21-34).
Here are some extracts:
"pronounced individuality"
"an unusually strong experimental ability in the "animal" sphere of the physical, of instincts, drives, affects and feelings"
"The intensive experience of his own ego and the trend toward clear, analytical thought and action (is characteristic)."
"an unusual suggestive ability"
"strong motivational forces, a never slackening activity, and an inner dynamics that knows no rest and constantly takes on new tasks"
"strong trends toward self-restraint and repression - toward a compulsive suppression of the overwhelming drives"
"A great deal of directness, original naturalness and impulsiveness"
"Strong dependency on bodily states and processes"
"Overcoming of and a self-detachment from the realm of the physical"
"intellectual interest and curiosity"
The work of Sigmund Freud initiated a specific school of psychoanalytical thought and practice that was promoted in Britain by Ernest Jones and others. Jones (1879-1958) was a lifelong disciple of Freud who, as early as 1913, founded the British Psychoanalytical Society and the International Journal of Psychoanalysis in 1920. Incidentally he lived at 19, York Terrace East, London NW1.
Freudian psychoanalysis is a general theory of psychology, a therapy and a method of research. It differs from psychotherapy in that the latter is a treatment whereas psychoanalysis is an educational process whereby the person learns about his hidden self. The techniques of free association, dream analysis, transference and resistance to analysis assist this process. The work of Freud has revolutionised the popular view of human nature in the West and has penetrated into most aspects of culture, including graphology.
An excellent account of Freud can be found in the Renna Nezos book Advanced Graphology (Scriptor 1993 pp.295-313). The basic thesis is that the conscious and the unconscious can be seen in written strokes. This basic explanation of the handwriting can enhance a personality portrait. The work of Dr. Christian Dettweiler (1915-1995) is influenced heavily by Freud, as were the teachings of Felix Klein (1911-1994); reference to any of the many published works is evidence of this.
We must return to Germany, France and Switzerland to trace the early paths made between graphology and psychology. Professor Gille-Maisani wrote: "Simultaneously, around 1930: in France Dr. Pierre Menard introduced the notion of repression: in Germany Ania Mendelssohn (Teillard) introduced the Freudian Stages: in Switzerland Max Pulver developed the theory of Symbolism" (1994 Pulver translation foreword pg.7)
The subject is deep and this article aims to arouse an interest in further study. A visit to the house of Freud provides an ample trigger to do this. Such terms as ego, id, super-ego; oral, anal and phallic stages; the Oedipus Conflict are inherent in our language. It is the duty of the modern graphologist to familiarize him or herself with Freudian psychology.
ANON (1939) Autograph. Sigmund Freud. La Graphologie, SFDG. No.17. Decembre
FLEM, Lydia & RILEY, Monique
Freud ou l'écriture de l'inconscient
(La Graphologie, SFDG, No.210 April 1993. pp.10-38)
FREUD S. (transl. STRACHEY et al)
The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud.
Vol.22 (1932-36)
(Hogarth 1964)
Lecture 30. Dreams & Occultism (pp.45-7) includes mention of graphology.
FREUD S. (transl. STRACHEY et al)
The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud.
(Hogarth, London. Volume 18. (1920-1922)
(pp.191-193) mentions graphology.
JONES, Ernest
Sigmund Freud: Life and Work Vol.III
(1957)
LAZZARI, Daniele
Sigmund Freud, introverso o estroverso?
(Scrittura 94 (1995) pp.91-97)
NEZOS, Renna (1993) Advanced Graphology. Twenty Lectures on Selected Topics Scriptor Books,London Freud pp.295-316 - best current summary.
OLYANOVA, N (1960) The Psychology of Handwriting. Sterling USA
RILEY, Monique (1992) The Phallic Stage. Graphology No.20. April pp.4-10
SAUDEK, Robert (1930) Graphological Analysis of Freud's Handwriting (Sigmund
Freud Archive Container B45, Library of Congress, Washington DC.)
Report dated 29 April 1930.
SCHWEIGHOFER, Fritz (RAY, S. transl) Graphology & Psychoanalysis (1976)
(NY. Springer 1979. Hardback. pp.231)
SEIFER, M Graphology & The Psychosexual Stages of Development
pp.128-145 of BRADLEY, N Oxford 1987 (NRB Chesterfield 1988)
TORBIDONI, Lamberto (1971) Analisi Scientifica Sulla grafia de Sigmund Freud Scrittura 1 pp.45-7
WEIZSÄCKER, Lucy; PULVER, Max & TEILLARD-MENDELSSOHN, Ania
Die Handschrift Freuds und das Problem der Graphologie
(Psyche, 1950-1951, 4.Band, Heft 4, pp.161-177)
Copyright 1995 Nigel Bradley. First published as Places of
Graphological Interest: The Freud Museum in The Graphologist, 1995 (Winter),
13(4), Issue 49, 160-164
Last modified 12 Feb 2002. Please report any corrections to me at this email address bradlen@wmin.ac.uk
hits since 12 February 2002