History Question: Was Freud a Professor?
It's long been textbook wisdom that some professions,
including the academic, were "closed to Jews" in Austria
and other European countries in the 19th century. That's
why Freud, a relatively poor man, took a medical degree
and went into practice. Therefore I was surprised to see,
in a Freud chronology posted by the Austrian National
Tourist Office:
"1902: Freud is appointed professor at the University of
Vienna."
In the "History of the Psychoanalytic Movement," (1914)
Freud
writes: "A year later [a year after he had heard Charcot
remark that
in hysterical cases it's always, always, always, something
sexual]
when I had begun my medical activities in Vienna as a
Privatdozent
in nervous diseases..." and "Beginning with the year 1902 a
number of young Doctors crowded about me... to learn psycho-
analysis..."
I think, but I'm not sure, that the resolution of this is
that while a
Jew might become a Privatdozent (which the Austrian Tourist
Office translates as "professor," small "p"), there would be
very
little chance to become a Professor (capital P).
My dictionary, Fat Webster, says:
"Privatdozent, n. a Privatdocent."
"Privatdocent, n. [from L. _privatus_, private and
_docere_,
to teach] in European, especially German, universities, a
lecturer paid only by his [sic] students' fees."
I have an idea that salaried Professors didn't lecture very
often or "cover" courses very systematically, so that the
students, in order to pass their exams (perhaps one set of
exams only after several years of study), hired
Privatdozenen
and perhaps tutors. The University had to approve these
teachers, perhaps, but they were not regarded as real
members (fellows?) of the University, so could sometimes
include Jews.
Alternatively, I'm wrong and Freud and perhaps other Jews
were regarded as so exceptional that they really did get
appointments as professors or Professors, or the textbooks
are wrong, and the academic profession, including a
reasonable
salary, wasn't entirely "closed to Jews."
I'd be grateful for clarification or correction.
-David
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David G. Likely, Department of Psychology,
University of New Brunswick
Fredericton, N. B., E3B 5A3 Canada
History of Psychology:
http://www.unb.ca/psychology/likely/psyc4053.htm
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