Psycho-Analysis and the War Neuroses

In the aftermath of World War I, physicians and analysts gathered to confront a surge of “war neuroses” that seemed to defy ordinary medical explanations. This volume records the spirited discussions of the Fifth International Psycho‑Analytical Congress in Budapest, where leading thinkers sought to map the hidden forces behind the soldiers’ psychological wounds. The introduction sets the scene, noting how the war’s end abruptly halted a promising research program, yet left a lasting imprint on the spread of psycho‑analytic ideas.

Essays by Ferenczi, Abraham, Simmel and Jones explore the genetic roots of trauma, the role of unconscious impulses, and the early use of cathartic techniques that foreshadow modern therapy. The contributors also grapple with the controversial notion that sexual conflicts underlie many symptoms, highlighting the lively debates that still animated the field. Readers will gain a rare glimpse into the formative moments when psycho‑analysis first turned its analytical lens toward the collective scars of conflict.