Freids un Latvija
Freud and Latvia

Summary/Abstract: The author of the present article Professor, Dr. phil. Igors Šuvajevs is the major specialist in the field of S. Freud’s theory and life in Latvia. He is a translator of many S. Freud’s works to Latvian, as well as the author of number of books devoted to him. In the article the author mentions that relation between Latvia and S. Freud, and psychoanalysis has not only history, but also pre-history. In this pre-history the significant role is being assigned to the philosopher and educator, born in Jaunauce, in Latvia Ludvig Strümpell (1812-1899) whose work Die Natur und Entstehung der Träume has played a significant role for Freud, and confrontation with it is the basis of his theory of dreams and soul functioning. Likewise known by his works figure for Freud is Adolph Strümpell (1853-1925), the famous physician born also in Jaunauce. Born in Riga Felix Böhm (1881-1951) became the well-known psychoanalyst, his students was Alexandra Wolf (1897-1982) who in 1932 in Riga married Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and later on in life became one of the pioneers of psychoanalysis in Italy and the chairperson of the association of psychoanalysts of Italy (1955-1959). Starting from the foundation of the republic of Latvia and up to 1941 there in Latvia it is possible to speak about the intensive reception and development of psychoanalysis. There were published more than 200 works, 10 of them monographs devoted to psychoanalysis. Speaking about the influence of Freud’s ideas in the contemporary Latvia the author concludes: «it is not wise to reduce psychoanalysis to the clinical analysis that becomes even more pronounced as result of its medicinising».

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