Sigmund FREUD (1856-1939). L.S., Vienna March 3, 1927, [to Dr. Gilbert Robin]; 2large typewritten pages in-4 on his letterhead Prof. Dr. Freud Wien IX, Berggasse 19 (traces of folds with slight cracks); in German. Very interesting letter about his life. Dr. Gilbert Robin (who, the previous year, had published a book on Les Haines familiales with Gallimard, and, after numerous works, in 1966, Vocation spirituelle du psychiatre) gave a lecture on Freud, the text of which he sent him. Freud thanked him for this very kind text, perhaps too kind in more ways than one. Robin did indeed recognize the essential character of his life, in that it unfolded without any striking external trials: "Den Hauptcharakter meines Lebens, nämlich dass es ohne auffällige äussere Schicksale verlief, haben Sie richtig erkannt". But Freud was keen to point out a few errors, on eight points. He never regretted not having discovered local anaesthesia with cocaine himself: "die lokale Anaesthesie durch Kokain nicht selbst entdeckt zu haben". He had indeed foreseen this use of cocaine, and gave the idea of trying it out to one of his friends, an oculist, while he was away on a trip... In the meantime, Karl Koller conducted a trial on the cornea... Freud's friend thus missed the opportunity. Freud was not twenty when he came to the Salpetrière: in fact, he was 29 and 30 when he returned from Paris: "Sie schreiben, ich war 20 Jahre alt, als ich an die Salpetrière kam. In Wirklichkeit war ich damals 29 Jahre alt und 30, als ich von Paris zurückkam". He never held a chair at the Faculty of Medicine in Vienna; he was only ever a private professor; in 1902 he was awarded the title of Professor Extraordinaire, in 1920 the title of Professor Ordinaire. "Ich war immer nur Privatdozent, erhielt 1902 den Titel eines ausserordentlichen Professors, 1920 den Titel eines ordentlichen Professors". Robin says in praise of Freud's wife that she gave up her research and studies in psychology when she got to know him, in the truest sense of the word, because all that was needed was a psychologist in the family: "Sie wissen zum Lobe meiner Frau zu sagen, dass sie ihre psychologischen Interessen und Studien aufgab, als sie mich kennen lernte, in der richtigen Meinung, dass ein Psychologe für die Familie genüge". Freud doesn't know where he got this from. In what she always sacrificed to him, psychological questions had nothing to do: "Was immer für Opfer sie mir gebracht hat, psychologische Interessen waren nicht darunter". She is not the daughter of a professor, but the niece of two distinguished academics: Jacob Bernays, professor of ancient philology, and Michel Bernays, professor of literary history. His youngest daughter [Anna] is involved in psychoanalysis and has just published her first book on child analysis: "Meine jüngste Tochter beschäftigt sich allerdings mit Psychoanalyse, und hat dieser Tage ihr Erstlingswerk über die Technik der Kinderanalyse erscheinen gesehen". He cannot confirm that his interest in recent years has turned to ancient philosophy. When Gilbert Robin describes him as a feared and revered head of household, Freud retorts that he never gave any member of his large family the opportunity to fear him: "Ich glaube nicht, dass ich einem einzigen Mitglied meiner zahlreichen Familie Anlass gegeben habe, mich zu fürchten". Robin also says that the Freud children were taunted at school because of his opposition to teachers. Not true. Robin doesn't know Vienna well enough to suppose that, among the Viennese, a simple intellectual interest could have such consequences. The main characteristic of the Viennese is indifference, and this still inspires their attitude towards him today... "Sie kennen Wien schlecht, wenn Sie annehmen, dass bei den Wienern ein rein intellektuelles Interesse solche Folgen haben könnte. Der Hauptcharakter des Wieners ist die Indifferenz und diese beherrscht wohl auch heute das Benehmen meiner Landsleute gegen meine Person"....