Freud, Autograph letter signed, about Magnus Hirschfeld, Vienna, 26 April 1928

FREUD, SIGMUND

Autograph letter signed ("Freud"), to an unnamed correspondent ("Sehr geehrter Herr"), ABOUT MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD, 26 April 1928

stating that he is of the view that Hirschfeld's life struggle against the awful and unwarranted intrusion of the law in the individual's sex life deserves general recognition and support ("...Ich habe immer die Ansicht vertreten, dass der Lebenskampf des Dr Magnus Hirschfeld gegen die grausame und ungerechtfertigte Einmengung der Gesetzgebung in das menschliche Sexualleben allgemeine Anerkennung und Unterstützung verdient...")

1 page, 8vo (23 x 15cm), printed stationery ("Prof. Dr. Freud Wien IX., Berggasse 19"), Vienna, 26 April 1928, some light creasing

Freud's brief encomium for Magnus Hirschfeld (1868-1935), a pioneer in the understanding of human sexuality and an advocate for sexual minorities, was written in connection with Hirschfeld's 60th birthday, on 14 May 1928. A short while afterwards the letter was published in the jubilee publication Für Magnus Hirschfeld zu seinem 60. Geburtstag.

Freud believed that all humans incorporated aspects of both sexes, and taught that homosexuality was "a variation of the sexual function, produced by a certain arrest of sexual development", arguing that it was not an illness and so could not be "cured". Magnus Hirschfeld was also a psychoanalyst, but was quite clear that gays like himself were normal, campaigning politically for gay rights. He set up the world's first "Institut für Sexualwissenschaft" in Berlin in 1919, creating a large research library. As implied by Freud’s letter, Hirschfeld was continually persecuted by right-wing groups throughout the 1920s and from 1930, he lived effectively in exile, whilst his Institute was closed down by the Nazis in 1933 and its entire archive burnt. He sought refuge and campaigned heroically in the United States, Japan and India, before dying in Nice in 1935.   

LITERATURE:

Kurt Hiller and Richard Linsert, Für Magnus Hirschfeld zu seinem 60. Geburtstag (Berlin, 1928), p.7