Freud's atonement

Freud's Jewish identity, circumcision, and the theory of castration anxiety: problem or pride?

“…Freud himself contributed to the perception of him as a reluctant Jew, by sometimes presenting himself as uneducated and unfamiliar with both Judaism and Jewishness, even though he had extended knowledge in Jewish traditions and religion (Frosh, 2008;Schneider & Berke, 2011). Some expressions of unfamiliarity should however perhaps be perceived as smokescreens since it seems almost unbelievable that anyone with insights in Jewish tradition could believe some of Freud's statements to represent his actual knowledge.…”

“…Other scholars have however presented Freud's upbringing as profoundly rooted in Jewish tradition and religion. Even though his parents were part of assimilation, the family seemed to live a traditional Jewish life, comparable with the modern orthodox movement, and Freud was well educated in Judaism (Clark, 1980;Geller, 2007;Schneider & Berke, 2011). When Freud distanced himself from religion, he thus seemed thoroughly aware about what he distanced himself from; a distance that however not implied him to distance himself from his Jewish identity.…”

The pre-Anschluss Vienna School of Medicine – the physicians: Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), Julius Wagner-Jauregg (1857–1940) and Karel Wenckebach (1864–1940)

“…He may have 'chosen' his date of death to coincide with the 'holiest night of the Jewish year -Kol Nidre, the eve of the Day of Atonement'. 25 Dr Bernard Samet (1897-1980), Freud's personal cardiologist both in Vienna where Freud had suffered a heart attack and in London, had not yet obtained permission to practise in the UK but, through Freud's insistence, he obtained a special dispensation from the Home Office to look after him. 19 Bernard's son Paul, now Emeritus Professor of Computer Science in the University of London, accompanied him on one visit in August 1939 but cannot remember very much about it.…”