Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

PSYCHOANALYSIS IN THE CULTURE OF BUENOS AIRES: THE THIRTIES Author(s): Hugo Vezzetti and Barbara Fulks Source: Dispositio, Vol. 18, No. 45, THE PRODUCTION OF PSYCHOANALYSIS IN BUENOS AIRES (1993), pp. 141-155 Published by: Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41491723 . Accessed: 17/09/2013 20:58
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Vol.XVIII, No.45,pp.141-155 Dispositio ofRomance ofMichigan Department Languages, University

PSYCHOANALYSIS IN THE CULTURE OF BUENOS AIRES: THE THIRTIES Hugo Vezzetti Facultadde Psicologa Universidad de BuenosAires I Thereis atpresent both renewed interest inthehistory ofpsychoanalysis and for theexisting tradition. An important feature ofthisinterest is that greater respect worksdealingwithpsychoanalysis are outsidethe manyof the mostsignificant institutionalized movement" andadopta perspective that is official, "psychoanalytic - and the conditions - of Freudiandiscourse in "extraopen to the relations be they If I contexts, psychoanalytic" intellectual, cultural, social,or institutional.1 theorigin of theresearch "external" to psychoanalytic it is emphasize institutions, because theseanalysesgo beyondthe interests of a self-legitimizing institutional framework. The historyof psychoanalysisis no longer simply studies of andtheir noris itinteresting tothem, insofar psychoanalysts organizations, uniquely as itturns intoa fieldofqueriesandproblems histories. opento other In Argentina thehistory oftheintroduction ofFreudian is interwoven theory with certaincharacteristics of the cultureof Buenos Aires and the growth of notions andrepresentations inthediscourse ofpublicopinion.This "psychoanalytic" illuminates theorigin and expansion of clinical-theurapeutic history practices along with theprocess ofthecreation ofa spectrum of"consumers"; itquestions thepresence andthe effects ofpsychoanalytic theories inthe inpsychology, university specialization and itmakesup a significant and characteristic of theprocesses of cultural chapter modernization inconsonance with thecurrents ofdominant ideasintheWest.

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Baln's recent book (see WorksCited)has widenedour knowledge Jorge about the formation ofthe circle ofthe Association, Argentine psychoanalytic focusing oftheprofessionalization in particular on thehistory of psychoanalysis in Buenos in the 1940s. We do not,however, knowmuchaboutthe Airesand itsexpansion ofpsychoanalysis havesustained theintroduction network of ideas and valuesthat thediverse constructed conditions of arenaand,at thesametime, intothecultural . In addition, thisdissemination of psychoanalysis, with thelimits of itsreception of local elements, forms partof a generalhorizonin the circulation particular found inthenorthern andideological discourses andofscientific, esthetic, paradigms - a verypronounced and activehorizonin theintellectual climateof hemisphere inthissense,to go beyond the"widespread" methods of BuenosAires. Ifone tries, observation is that the one's initial Freudianism intoWestern culture, introducing intheyears after World WarI. That unfolds first immediately stageofthis reception of psychoanalysis in facthad its own consequencesin the intellectual history an approachcapable of and from thatcomes the need to construct Argentina, itself outside which constructs ofthis standard ofreception, a consideration combining of and characteristics of theconditions withthepreciseexamination ourfrontiers, milieuofBuenosAires. and intellectual thecultural ofreferences toFreud I attempted a preliminary work In a previous mapping - evolving from medicine inthediscursive both problems especially spaceofmental - andinthespaceofacademic onneurosis andtheories inpsychotherapy psychology of Freud in lecturesand and the climateof ideas thatsustainedthe reception intheliterary-cultural ed.). A true "appropriation" space (Vezzetti, "importations" abouttwo "secondhand"lectures after the1920s,around of Freudianism unfolds, thefoundation oftheA.P.A. in 1942. great topicsthat pre-dated oftraditional thelimits exceeded ofpsychotherapy thequestion First, practice the entered a crisisstage. Secondly, of"degeneration" whentheparadigm at a time attheendofthe on eugenics inthediscourse fieldofsexology , withitsantecedents ofthe"neurosis," thethematics ofideas surrounding 19th andthenewclimate century of culture.An unofficial of contemporary became a central exposition problem oftheobligatory andneurosis formed aboutsexuality Freud'stheses references, part models.2 inturn, wereonlyreproducing which, European twoproblems inthe1920swas determined IfFreud'sreception (the bythese cannot these newthemes itis clearthat andthe"sexualquestion"), psychotherapeutic therole We must oftraditional be examined incorporate psychiatry. onlyinthelight to that are difficult of society, sectors from various of newsocial demands , arising inArgentina castofplayers the atfirst Forexample, valueandinvestigate. psychiatric is born the"alienist" "vocation" had a mainly (in which publicand state-supported ofhis own:themental in a uniqueenvironment and reproduced hospital).Around of the 1930s,however,"private" clinics, bymembers usuallydirected psychiatric in BuenosAires.3 of Medicine, oftheFaculty theacademicstaff beganto flourish and ofpractice research neededon this is much more there reorganization Although to it seems oftreatment, andobjectives andthecriteria on theinstitutions itseffects

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be associatedwiththe unfolding of analogically"private"forms of subjective ailments: thepolymorphous of whose and are spectre "neurosis," profile extensions different from the"public"repercussions of "alienation" in thePinellian markedly Thenon matrix. thegrowth oftheneurosis andthepsychosomatic Jorge emphasizes framework in the era of his earlyhospitalexperience and indicates the notable affluence of a public,composedof bothprofessionals interested in training and withdiverse attracted of hypnosis patients backgrounds, by thepractices (Thenon ofdemand" on thepart ofa newtypeofpatient entered 1969). A certain "pressure the fieldof psychiatry and affected the hegemonic convictions in the organicist It is clearthat these clinicalexpressions ofchange must be studied inthe discipline. framework of theprocessesof urban"modernity" and their effects on theprivate andthesubjective order. sphere II As a resultof attempts to mass market scientific a close information, existsbetween theemergence correlation of a new reading in publicand a growth the bearersof new "subjectiveailments," neurotics who testedthe efficacy of traditional medicine.The cultural-literary ofpsychoanalysis reception bythisnew thecombined ofjournalism, mass publishing, and publicwas, therefore, product massmedia,including thecinema.ThemagazineVivaCienAos[Live100 Years], forexample,a "publication of essentially and circulation," popularorientation included from itsappearance in 1934 a section to "consultations" from responding thereaders, and manyof themreferred to "nervous" laterthere was a problems; sectioncalled "A spiritual conflict resolvedby thepsychoanalyst." The regular El Mundo included a "psychological information bureau" that later evolved newspaper into a widely circulated "schoolfor I amnotgoing fathers." toanalyze thecorrectness - ingeneral oftheadvicegiven ithadno relation totheletter orthespirit ofFreud I am simply interested inpointing outthat itcontributed to thesocialprestige ofthe and to thelegitimacy of a different alterations psychoanalyst aspectof psychical (Vezzetti1986). BuenosAireswas opento a "modernity" inwhich echoesofcultural change, andphantasms oftheWest were ina particularly critical discourses, resonating period. The imaginary North culture was refracted American) European(and increasingly in thesymbolic cadreattentive space ofBuenosAires,wherean activeintellectual to thepretensions of thegreat was suffering or indirectly) the metropolis (directly effects of various economic andpolitical crises. Thesecrisesincluded theSpanish Civil War,thedebates abouttheSovietregime andtheascent offascism, as well as innovations intheParisian scene. literary The exaltation offreedom anda certain the hedonism, ingenuous alongwith considerable attraction ofimages ofNorth American life disseminated byHollywood as muchas thefearful and movies,formed partof thenew sensibility expressions

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WarII, themention of ofwaron thehorizon.After World imagesofthephantasm world. In the of a rapidly thecrisiswas associatedwiththeperception changing of diversestrategies of instability and movement to middleof this experience roots of illnesses a new of the new there unfolded sense assimilate the , subjective and also cures. of the"crisis"was extensive.I am notgoingto discussthe The thematics in its entirety: its transformations of themedicalinstitution (whichwas affected even its and union itsuniversity model, training, organization, conception professional of but the insistence on the necessary"humanization of healthand sickness4), a created narrow of the medicine" and the questioning biological positivism the the to use felicitous "a cure for themes of fortheemerging framework spirit," of a certainkind of expressionof StefanZweig.5 The initialdissemination of a crisisof values that in thiscultural horizon was situated Freudianism, then, of renewal associated 1920s the climate the theWest. From existed on, throughout of sense of a created the withsocial changeand moralreform majorrecognition withthelargely in contrast in social processes, factors "objectivizing" subjective cultural Inthis worldview.6 the that dominated framework growing spacethe positivist ofhistime andmoral as an intellectual ofFreud resurfaced, figure prophet meaning the nor from notfrom orthodox derived psychoanalysis, alongwithan influence thefieldof literature. butrather from of"official" psychiatry, apparatus medicalfield, from theresisting ofFreudianism, thereception In effect, apart and its expansionbeyondthemoderate by the associations experienced growth association on theinternational (IPA) of thoseyearsowed muchto the dependent of and theconsecration intellectuals role thatcertain playedin the"recognition" MannandRomain addThomas besides theaforementioned Freud: Zweigonemight Rolland.7 the into itsgeneral reflected inArgentina ofFreudianism Thereception entry onparticular itdepended butatthesametime modern intellectual conditions, climate, of "readings," contexts sloweditsprogress, that factors certain provided including offragments ofbuilding a public.Intheactive theprocess andaffected appropriation - beyond thelogic of the "evolved" of psychoanalysis thediscourse and versions, the instituted of "transmission" and theforms theories by Freudhimself-through notonlyto the from thespace of culture.I refer framework of initiatives coming their auraof with thereception whomediated roleoftheintellectual lights" "shining new the facilitated of a lay public but to the processof formation by prestige, and the and 1930s themidhousesin BuenosAiresfrom on, translating publishing on Freud.8 focused disseminating enterprises Ill inthefield ofpsychiatry achieved a limited the1920sFreud After the reception of A for neuroses.9 the clinic with in "discovery" Freudianism associated, particular,

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in the Europeancultural scene, especiallyin France,was needed to extendthe limited ofthecreator ofpsychoanalysis to thelaypublic. One previously presence ofaffairs inseveral can see thisstate juveniletexts byAnbalPonce. Thebooksnote ofpsychoanalysis inliterary theintroduction circles ofParisandattribute theinterest, to theFrench inacademiccircles andinthefieldofpsychiatry, analogous reception fad.10 to an ephemeral of a psychiatric If in thecontext of Freudian ideas,characterized reception ofthepsychotherapeutic thefocuson "method" and its bytheemergence question, to treatment oftheory) dominated atthe (at theexpense application psychoanalysis, a mistrust sametime manifested itself toward thechannels ofcirculation ofa discourse that threatened to exceedthelegitimate space of themedicalsciences. But,at the sametime, thisclinical effects situated atthelevel novelty produced simultaneously of scientific paradigmsand of philosophicaland ideological positions,in that intermediate domainbetween thedisciplines of psychology and psychiatry. Here liestheinterest ofa cursory ofthe examination relation ofPoncewith Freud, beginning with his first under theinfluence ofhismentor, JosIngenieros, writings produced to signal the dangersof a mundanestyleand the concomitant expressionof inpsychoanalysis. irrationalism contemporary Ponce's psychology carried to thelimits thebiologicaldirection thatJos Ingenieroshad establishedforthe disciplinein his Principios de Psicologa whatwas questioned was psychotherapy itself [Principles ]. Really, ofPsychology as a tool,beginning with itsscientific foundation as well as itstherapeutic efficacy; thedeterminants were"alterations inthenervous, endocrinal andvisceral systems."11 Thepsychological work ofAnbalPonceis illustrative, inthis sense,ofthepowerof - oneJosIngenieros a positivist tradition ofbiological had expounded psychology since 1911 thatstillwas operating as a dominant in the "scientific" paradigm ofpsychoanalysis. reception A 1932 text of Ponce's, "Introduccin a la psicologa de la persona" to thepsychology oftheperson"12], of a wayto becomesillustrative ["Introduction articulate thepossibleconnection Theproblem between andpsychology. of biology "functional and of theindividual in thepsychological variations dimension unity" areargued from themodelofphysiology. wouldhavefollowed a route Psychology tothat ofphysiology: from theaffirmation ofthe"parts" isolated (elements, analagous phenomena)to the necessityof takingaccountof the "relations"(solidarities, Theproblem ofpsychology that interested Poncewas that ofthe forms). integrating individual as a whole:where the"person as a system ofreferences" (437) emerged andtheinterest that thecharacterology andthetypological diffused inspired systems intheseyears. How didPonceconceiveoftheunity ofmental life? Not as a unity of consciousexperience, in the sense thatWundt had indicated, but rather as a of a physiological This unity consequenceof the"functional unity" inspiration. the shouldbe complemented that is,bya criterion by"variation," capableoftaking individual intoaccount.Typological ofevolutionist systems, bythematrix inspired in a method thatis at once morphological and clinicalwere biologyand founded

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in thismove. Or rather De Giovanni)the revivedand internalized (following with infinite of "the variations individual variety ontogenia history" corresponded ofthedistinct moments ofdelayin wouldbe theexpression (450) andindividuality of the series,accordingto a model inspiredby the evolutionary development criterion of Sigaud, theneolamarckian in accordance with Or embryology. rather, "the form oftheindividual from theenvironment, theorganism which didnotseparate leaves on him" environment that thepredominant less thantheimprint is nothing individual about the text said little the exceptin the (466). Finally, psychological his typology who founded radical like Nicola of an antifreudian framework Pende, in this The andparasympathetic inthehormonal case,came systems.13 biotypology, matrix with the received thesis torealize the biogenetic heredodegenerative beginning ofthenineteenth century. Poncebeganto give oftheages" that on "psychology The seriesofcourses a 1930 and intheColegioLibrede Estudios 1933),evidenced (between Superiores rare When on occasions that this strict focuslessnarrow biologicism. psychological anda definite botha certain he exhibited to Freud, he referred reserve; recognition was formed of psychoanalysis modelof reception in anycase, his "scientific" by EnricoMorselli'sbook.14 15 de PsicologaInfantil In Problemas ], Freud [Problems ofChildPsychology of the creator "merit" of the Ponce recognized to onlytwice. First, was referred Taboo Totem and its function. and theme totheadornment inregard psychoanalysis "the illustrious book" and continued: he judged an "extraordinarily interesting some with inaccordance to interpret, ofViennaproposed psychoanalysis, professor same the as a theme of thesocial lifeof primitive peoples,and taking phenomena he ofanalytic themethods towhichWundt psychology, formerly applied problems and in whichan institution a themanner to retrace, things, amongother managed contended in a child." Buthe immediately likethe'totem'couldsurvive religion thatis, the what"he usuallydiscovered," in thetotem thatFreudonlydiscovered other hereas inmany route a useful "Freud things, opened dipuscomplex.Finally, he as usualgoes astray" (126-27). although in thechapter and was inserted to Freudwas briefer The secondreference that not to to "thedream.""As fordreams dedicated , itwouldbe unjust recognize be out to turned that on theman attention concentrated fecund, psychoanalysis and ridiculous withthe ingenuous themoften tangleof thenconfusing although as ofpsychoanalysis a dismissal from changed (152). Hisjudgment exaggerations" are his old which in sketch fadoutside of scienceto a critical a mundane warnings to areas of role of Freudin respect the foundational He recognized stillpresent. his of framework in the Poncehimself which investigation. approached psychology and ofnewproblems theroleofdiscoverer Freud he granted It is clearthat although in all above situated was His dissidence them. follow to hewas notready newpaths, the unconscious. of of the andthepower themethod concept Freudwas mentioned y angustiade los again in his workon Ambicin to his which in Adolescents and adolescentes[Ambition Anguish corresponded ],

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1931 course(Ponce 1943a). On thethemeof anguishhe stated: "You knowthe that has Freud attached of enormous to the the instinct importance repression imposed Fora longtime on us bycensorship. Freudconsidered sexualdesires the repressed direct cause of all theneuroses andthemoreor less indirect cause ofthedominant - Adler,Rank - keptthisnotionpartly in our lives. Laterinfluences orientation his is but whatever it no lesscertain that Freud has contained, maybe, exaggerations one of out the most tenacious causes of and its vigorously singled rekindling" anguish thefocushe adopted and theimportance he attributed to (77-78). It is clearfrom ambition that Poncepreferred Adler' s approach. in 1 Ponce a Finally, 933, proposed of FreudwithLombroso (Ponce 1943b). He dedicatedhis unique comparison that ofMariaBashkirtseff s Diario [Diary],and since teaching yearto an analysis with its Lombrosohad dealt author in his book on genius,he could not avoid a ' totheauthor ofL uomo reference [TheDelinquent delinquente Man], His evaluation ofLombroso theopinions of Ingenieros in Works closelyfollowed (see Ingenieros thedirections that led to criminology buthe blithely Cited):he praised questioned his ideas aboutthepsychology ofthegenius. Atthispoint, he inserts thereference to Freud: "ReadingL'uomo di Genio [The Man of Genius] producesa painful forcontemporary and thepuerileobsessionof discovering impression psychiatry - like Freud's obsessionof finding sexuality everywhere epilepsyat any cost and annoying" becomesfatiguing (142). Fromtheparodietreatment in "La divertida he received esttica de Freud" withan established to thiscomparison scientific ["Freud's Amusing ^Esthetic"] - reservations - a change aside ofevaluation that tobe based seemed figure appeared on Freud'sadmission to thecircleof science. Atthesametimeitwas clearthat his was merely that ofa "discoverer" whoendedup overwhelmed place ofrecognition ofnotions andinterpretations. Thecomparison bya closedandunassimilatable system withLombrosowas eloquentin one veryparticular sense: it implied placinghim theglories ofthe was accorded scientific it among past. Thus,ifFreud recognition, was in a lineofdevelopment that led to AdlerandRank,whothensurpassed him. IV The readingsof Freudin Buenos Aires were inscribed in an ideological culturalscheme at a timewhich saw the beginning of a global confrontation withgrowingfascismin Europe. Freudianism was exposed to a multifaceted thisideologicalspectre.I am notgoingto consider herethetotal tension within condemnation of psychoanaysis by theCatholicright.However,in intellectual andprofessional fields a complex between the"sensibilities" emerged relationship of the left (divided between socialists and communists)and groups of lay Ponce's reformist values andtraditions. generically "progressives" representing still attitude a judgement ofFreudcharacteristic of a leftist intellectual represented tiedto thepositivist tradition.

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witha socialist a liberallay tradition The journalNosotros , representing when it was not a reticent attitude frankly opposed to sensibility, displayed a of Mouchet, university Enrique professor psychoanalysis. Simultaneously, his view Freudian uvre and showed his offered of the and a socialist, psychology is theworkof an an objective evaluation: as he attempted psychoanalysis hesitancy a truereactionagainstscientific and it represents rather thana scientist artist (Stefan (Mouchet). Whenin 1936 a groupof Europeanintellectuals psychology H.G. Woolf,and ThomasMann,among Wells,RomainRolland,Virginia Zweig, thehomagedid not Freudon his eightieth decidedto celebrate birthday, others) .1 and in the but in Sur in Nosotros journalPsicoterapia appear encountered favorable kindofFreudianism a certain If,finally, introductory in theculture of BuenosAires,itwas becausean intellectual conditions reception of society critical of a modern contributed to placingFreudin theposition author, of of histime. Stefan of themoralconscience and a reformer Zweig's biography moral his intellectual and in established Aires in Buenos 1933, Freud,published Freudas an intellectual describing By theend of the 1930sthisversion, portrait. oftheintellectual was assimilated and itsinstitutions, critic of society by segments Freud's that included positionin the European image public. An intellectual a to his finding contributed a victim of Nazism his status as world and intellectual faction. in the "progressive" place withties to the and psychiatrists Froma nucleusof Marxistintellectuals for the first a "leftist" Communist time,openedthe began that, reception Party, In in Marx Freud and between of an encounter Argentina. 1936 Gregorio prospect and thatsame yearhe in Crdoba thejournalPsicoterapia11 founded Bermann The issueborea his 80th an issueto Freudon theoccasionof dedicated birthday. las en ciencias del psicoanlisis histrica title:"Proyeccin y en el suggestive in the of ("HistoricalProjection Psychoanalysis contemporneo" pensamiento Sciencesand in Contemporary Thought"). and inboth doctrine renovation ata fundamental aimed Thejournal essentially issue in its first "Editorial" the of theold psychiatric (most apparatus; technology ofbiology from thediscipline a crisis ofsupport toBermann) attributable signaled likely thesocialsciences. I wouldinclude that ofan eclectic andtheemergence paradigm scientific in initiative for Freud this to the attributed so much role out not should point of his the as the renewal of andtechnological recognition cultural apparatus psychiatric Bermann the and was, ideological appraisal. Gregorio subsequent implied impact inMarxism intellectual educated an and a than a more professor, psychiatrist university the in 1948hewrote oftheCommunist andhewas closetotheofficial Party; positions materialism of dialectic manual well-known for a Georges reproducing preface to ofParis(Bermann). Thisadherence classesattheWorkers' Politzer's University in alliances which the left in for the time at a critical came shifting Freud, however, climate.18 in the intellectual in Western Communist would, turn, changes produce parties criteria ofideologico-political oftheforce areillustrative elements Butifthese at thesametime, consider one must likeBermann, ofa figure inthedecisions that,

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"internal" themselves existed for theoretical, reasons, situating possiblearticulations andMarxism.The mostexplicit in thisdirection between attempt psychoanalysis is EmilioPizarroCrespo's,who,in a workon narcissism as "social illness," wrote of a "humanized thatMarx heraldedthe psychology to society." He travelled andtheUSSR andhe probably was familiar with theearly works France, Germany of Politzer. The exampleof PizarroCrespo (who passed through Paris before to Moscow and readReichin French) revealsa "triangular" matrix that travelling in Argentina connected Freud'sreception withthesituation in theUSSR and the French intellectual scene: ifMoscow was thebeaconandthepoliticalincarnation ofthedesired model,Parisincarnated (see Pizarro enlightenment Crespo'sarticles in WorksCited). intellectual whichin the 1920shad frankly The Argentine the left, rejected of Freud, tenyearslaterexhibited workand influence a position at leastfor that, had changed The worldcrisisandtheanti-fascist sectors, significant substantially. of theleft due to international as well as transformations in realignment pressure, leftist thataffected thepositivist on whichtherejection convictions was thought contributed tothechange.Butiftheframework was setfor theweakening founded, of thepositivist tradition and therecognition in the of subjective psychicfactors ofillness andintheprogress ofthecure, theplaceattributed toFreud seemed process forsome to go beyondthepsychogenetic of the patinaappliedto theold themes "influence" ofthedoctor inthe toexpress a complex personal therapeutic relationship, between technical andintellectual ideals, relationship knowledge, political practices. In thecase ofEmilioPizarro thisintegration ofpsychoanalysis andMarxism Crespo reflected thevisionofthepsychiatric situation intheUSSR, which he hadvisited at thebeginning of the decade. His view included a critical nuancethatindicated, theSovietreluctance inthetreatment ofneurosis. toadmit Freudian theses correctly, inhiscitedwork Buthe is no lesstransparent on narcissism; there Freudwas useful inthinking abouttheobstacles to thesubjective transformation that alwaysformed and cultural actionofsocialism. partoftheaimsofthepolitical In this"encounter" of Freudianism of theCommunist left withtheculture there was morethana program of psychiatry the forthetransformation through introduction of psychotherapeutic resources.This was butan initial space in the of therecuperation an imagethat was to of Freudas a social reformer, emergence of the whenthespectre of theMarxist leftarose in theclimate changedrastically WorldWarII "cold war." In anyevent, I wouldliketo pointoutthatin this post- that - limited, within theintellectual andprofessional bytheleft sphere reception finds in Marxism, Freudbeganto receivea moregeneral and socially inspiration - significance for andprofessionals. But more transcendent academics intellectuals, Marxism thisperiodwhatoriented theseinitiatives was theconviction that during is to say, first ofall,a system ofsocialandpolitical that constituted, representations, a conception of society and history, rather of thana conceptof thecompatibility with theories ofdialectical materialism andhistorical (thedominant psychoanalysis inthepsychoanalytic/Marxist inthe1960s). paradigm relationship

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Finally,I would like to bringup a different, contemporaneous path of of Freudianism in Argentina, introduction one withimportant fora repercussions muchlarger than of the other means of introduction examined In here. any public thepublishing house Tor of BuenosAiresbeganto publisha tenthemid-1930s volume "Freud al alcancede todos"["Freud for Various editions series, Everyone"].19 1935 and if one in mind that there between 1946 were never and, keeps appeared one can deduce that a fewer thanfivethousand easily relatively copiesperedition, ideas depended on thispublishing The massivereadership of Freudian enterprise. "Dr. Gmez a for the Peruvian one J. workwas signed Nerea", pseudonym by poet and intellectual Alberto Hidalgo,whohad livedin BuenosAiressincethe1920s. was nota doctor, andhe notonlyused a pseudonym but Hidalgo,however, an identity forhimself.The intercalated case histories revealed indeedinvented in BuenosAiresand was referring to fictional someonewho was writing patients inhiswritings was inhisoffice.Butwhat was notable whoweresupposedly treated - accompanied - uncommon a free inmedical circles hisexaltation ofFreud by style ofFreudianism was necessary stated that a knowledge of exposition that explicitly themarketplace attired manandwoman. He entered and desirable for thecommon Freudianism as a to in medicalrobesand he did it almost parodically appropriate medical for thus free of of any monopoly.20 body knowledge everyone, Whowas Alberto Peru,in 1897. In the Hidalgo? He was borninArequipa, in 1967. According exileinBuenosAiresandhe diedthere 1920she was a political El the his he retired as a from to , and at his widow, newspaper, Mundo journalist ofSan were donated to the his and effects death library, University papers, personal is in that he was His intellectual in trajectory noteworthy Agustn Arequipa. movement of the in the that interests us,part vanguard literary simultaneously, period to theleft Fierroandthat he belonged around thejournalMartn centered wingof theRadicalparty. of Macedonio Fernndez, On the literary side, he was a friend Borges, He the Eldorado(1924) andPulso (1928), Marechal. founded and Girondo, journals morethanthirty books of bothof whichpublished onlya fewissues. He wrote in 1926 founded the of and he a them and "theory poetics," poetry essays,among where the members first in the to him the Revista oral[OralReview] world) (according and readtheir and Esmeralda metin a bar(theRoyalKelleron Corrientes Streets) between to be divided seemed his one of works.21 to Hidalgo According acquaintances, him oral connected liketheRevista andprojects andideology.His poetry aesthetics of literature him the social drew to but oftheFlorida tothevanguard group, politics Boedo.22 On the elements. In reference to hispoliticalhistory , he integrated unlikely tradition: "Ubicacin of the Communist one handhe exalted revolutionary figures in 1928 and Oda a Stalin[Ode toStalin de Lenin" ["Lenin'sPlace inHistory"] ] in a also had Radical and Cvica militant in the Unin he was the on other, 1945;but,

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a military TownHall [with Atthesametime, heorganized job atthecity government]. a militant the"clan radical," to his in the widow, 1930,after groupand,according of General he was and two in Berlin. Uriburu, military coup deported spent years What hisuvre?Hidalgo'swork can onesayabout was a wayofcirculating to a wide publictheSpanishtranslation of Luis Lpez-Ballesteros y de Torresto which added andexamples.23 Buteventhough this translation Hidalgo commentary theauthor never was thebasisfor "Freudal alcancede todos,"it (which mentioned) was no merecopy. Hidalgodefined hiswork as a "synthesis ofFreud" based on his conviction that"a popularization of Freudis absolutely urgent."The reasonsfor thisurgency seemedto stemfrom his idea of Freudas an intellectual heroof our time("all theconcepts of humanity that he has touched withhis intelligence have beentransformed"). the Hidalgo,frequently citing Zweig,was in totalaccordwith oftheViennese latter's master. portrait Therewas an undeniable commercial dimension in theproject. Tor press was anunscrupulous dedicated tomaking massive editions enterprise money through whilebeing,forthemostpart, carelessof their and integrity. Freudwas quality an attractive inmarket terms inthoseyears; hisnamewas repeated obviously figure in each volumeoftheseries. financial limited Beyondan openlyadmitted advantage, Hidalgo,although and his roughstyleof presentation, took on the by his autodidactic background becauseofhispassionate interest in Freudandhiswork. Hidalgo's writing project is fullof fragments: he said in his diary thathe used to dictate to a secretary and indicate theparagraphs to be copiedfrom theauthors he was citing. Even so,one can say that his is themostextensive and original workup to that timein Buenos Aires. His presentation ofFreud was notchronological nordiditfollow theorder of the1922 Spanishedition.Instead, itattempted to group thevolumesinthemes that - thusthedisproportionate wouldbe attractive to thepublic of sexology. presence An analysis ofthewholeseriesexceedsthelimits ofthisarticle; I will limit to the first volume,Freudy el problemasexual [Freud and theSexual myself Themain source was"Three italso includes Problem]. EssaysonSexuality," although references to "Introduction to Narcissism," "On the Psychogenesis of a Case of Feminine "On a SpecialTypeof ObjectChoicein theMale," and Homosexuality," thePleasure Theapproach totheoneFreud "Beyond (similar Principle." questioned in" ' Wild'Psychoanalysis") tended toconsider thesexualterrain inneedofliberation. Itsthesis usedscientific in citing, Freud on,andexplaining knowledge commenting as a point ofdeparture. Atthesametime, itlegitimized itsappealto sciencefor the of a doctor, butalso by thenumerous clinical publicnotonlywiththesignature that in fact never tookplace. examples themedicalpersona thusconstructed is quiteatypical. Hidalgo However, embraced thenotion of "pansexualism," a criticism bothscientific and moral fully that was leveledat Freud, buthe converted itto a positive intheappraisal keystone ofFreudianism. His critique oftheclimate ofopinion, that ofmedical particularly is evident in his of thefeminine discourse, (in particular exposition homosexuality

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his affirmation of oftheFreudian theses of infant hispresentation sexuality, form), and his of the their basisofparents' lovefor thenarcissistic children, theory rejection In some cases he seemedto of degeneration to explainthe"sexual aberrations." madeofa from thedivision Freud as whenhe departed hisreaders, want toprovoke toinfer thenormality inthechoiceofa loveobject current "sensual anda "tender" - ofa manwhotakestwowomen, as lover. one as wifeandanother andmorality live on in theseiconoclastic The echoes of the literary pages, vanguard he thisfractious than art.From of science rather in the name now position although in an also claimed who work of the Maran, expertise summarily denigrated his to cede was not from Freud.24 one distanced Hidalgo prepared sexology Inthese inhisliterary hehadusedthesametactics books, prepared quarrels. position; readers metFreud thissubject, to reacha newandatypical many publicfor rapidly butone can saythat oftheseriesis needed, time.An extensive thefirst for analysis of Buenos Airesin the in culture the was Freudianism ifa certain popular present Alberto the work of thanks to in measure was it and 1930s 1940s, Hidalgo. great Fulks Translated byBarbara

NOTES 1 For example:Elisabeth Roudinesco, of JacquesLacan & Co.: A History nella Lapsicoanalisi Michel 1. 1885-1939 inFrance, David, , 2. 1925-1985; Psychoanalysis Freudians: The Americans andThe Freud G.Hale, italiana cultura Kurzweil, ; Edith ; Nathan . Culture andthe Freud A Comparative Marcus, ; Steven ofPsychoanalysis Perspective 2 Booksofsexology El matrimonio inthis abundant were [Ideal perfecto period: in 1939and inSpanish first Vande Velde, byClaridad published ] byTheodore Marriage in following continued was thebestknown.Thetendency years: times, many reprinted EllenKey,Paul a series in 1945Partenn others, among including, published beginning works as wellas various andEdward deGourmont, byHavelock Carpenter, Remy Bourget, : A Scientific Forel'sTheSexualQuestion Henri , of Auguste edition Ellis andthefifth Classes. Cultured andSociological Study forthe Hygienic Psychological, 3Statements Cabral. VidalandCsar ofGuillermo 4See Susana ensalud. medica andothers, Belmartino ypoder Corporacin 5Stefan 1 is 193 date The Healers. Mental ; itwaspublished publication original Zweig, the section Torpublished in1932.InBuenos asLa curacin inSpanish Aires, porel espritu Donald see with his and On Prater, toFreud Freud, dedicated relationship Zweig separately. La TableRonde, 1988).] translation, (Paris: Zweig Stefan [French European ofYesterday. 6Myperspective WarI tothe1930s. H. Stuart World from ontheperiod focuses intellectual new onthe a longer a study hasproduced European period encompassing Hughes in19th andwascharacterized endofthe atthe that horizon century bya crisis century began of andthe ofsubjective anaffirmation inparticular, values, emergence traditions, positivism ormoral from science didnotstrictly that a newintellectual philosophical separate "style" translation andSociety. Consciousness SeeH. Stuart aesthetics. published (Spanish Hughes, in 1972). inMadrid byAguilar

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7See DavidJames inWorks Cited. onR. Rolland andFreud studies Fisher's 8On Freud 1991. inSpanish, seeVezzetti 9Vezzetti, et alsoin"Psychanalyse inFreud enBuenos "Estudio Aires; preliminar," 1910-1930." a Buenos Aires, Psychiatrie 10 de "La divertida esttica "LuisCampos under the Published Aguirre," pseudonym elpsicoanlisis," 17(1923):89-93.Also, "Madame Revista deFilosofia Freud," Sokolnickay Aires 1910enBuenos inVezzetti, areincluded El Hogar ed.,Freud , May10,1929. Both 1939. 11 andAgosti, Thenon 1923.OnPonce's Ponce 1938, Cabral, especially psychology: 65-77. pages 12 ofa course atthe de la persona." "Introduccin a la psicologa Ponce, Summary 1932. inRosario, Libre deEstudios August, Superiores Colegio 13 seeDavid64. OnN. Pende's racism, 14 was published . The first La psicanalisi y Psicoanlisi," chapter, "Psiquiatra andinthe 12 (1926): 140-59, Aires intheRevista de Filosofia inBuenos simultaneously Revista de Criminologa, Legal13(1926):159-87. y Medicina Psiquiatra 15 deEstudios inthe Libre tohis1930course this Ponce1943c; Colegio corresponds Superiores. 16 ofthis text Sur6: 99-110. Anoverview a Freud," Guillermo deTorre, "Homenaje inBuenos Aires. is inVezzetti, ed.,Freud 17 in 1936andendedin 1937;that Thejournal yearGregorio began publishing inthe oftheSpanish defense toSpain tocollaborate travelled Bermann Republic. 1S ofthe socialist andthe fronts ofthe antifascist Thetactics rapprochement popular in1935.On International ofthe Communist the Seventh defined after were Congress parties from the returned inwhich A. Ponce 1935wasthe national the USSR,published front, year the andpresided over Humanismo , andcreated Agrupacin yhumanismo proletario burgus intellectualism. ofantifascist as anexpression Periodistas deArtistas, (AIAPE), yEscritores Nacional delProfesorado Instituto the ofthe from hewasdismissed Thefollowing faculty year ofPsicoterapia which marks the that same Aires ofBuenos , Bermann and, beginning year, hissolidarity with Ponce. inCrdoba, for wasalsodismissed, 19 classics ofsubjects: books ona wide Tor Argentine range very low-priced published andbiographies. diaries ofnovels, andtranslations adventures, essays, political philosophy, theCivilWar, andafter in Spanish In a market affected during bythecrisis publishing titles made Thefollowing Americas. inthe toother countries were selling Argentine presses maniticos sexual series: , 3) Freud , 2) Freud y el y losactos 1) Freud y elproblema upthe chiste , 6) Freud , 5) Freud y , 4) Freud y las degeneraciones y la histeria femenina equvoco delasmasas delsueo losorgenes delsexo , , 8) Freud , 7) Freud ylaperversin yel misterio de curar. sexual , 10)Freud y su manera 9) Freud y la higiene 20Theconfirmation was Alberto was in reality that "Dr. Gmez Nerea" Hidalgo andthen MariaE. de Hidalgo, to mefirst transmitted byJavier byhiswidow, verbally 9/1 dated ofPeruvian ideas(ina letter andhistorian 1/91).Finally, Maritegui, psychiatrist inorder to "Without the himself offered Alberto my signature, testimony: following Hidalgo onsexual works fourteen orfifteen I havepublished make disseminating problems, money, sentimiento Diariodemi Havelock Alfred ideasofFreud, Ellis," (1922-1936). Adler, Jung, he other books ifhepublished so that works There arenoother Nerea," signed by"Gmez and hismention ofJung, that Itis alsopossible could have usedanother Adler, pseudonym. or of"fourteen the mention then inhisseries onFreud; totheir H. Ellisreferred appearance ofwriting the date Asfor author's bethe fifteen works" would (ordictating) exaggeration. only Aires from toBuenos inwhich hereturned tothe itprobably the books, period corresponded 1933. after Berlin, 21 Hombres lrica ofAlberto 1917; ybestias (poems), Hidalgo: Panoplia Bibliography Jardn decolores Lasvoces 1919; 1918; zoolgico 1918; Joyera (poetry), (poetry), (criticism),

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noexiste heridos Muertos, 1920; (criticism), 1919; Espaa ycontusos (criticism), (miscellany), de Prez deAyala, Gmez delespritu 1921 1922; ; Tulibro (ValleIncln, Qumica (poetry), and Vicente 1925;with J.L. Poemas la Serna), Huidobro, inventados, 1923; Borges Simplismo. V. Huidobro and J.L. deA.H., Indice dela nueva , prlogo (Buenos Borges poesaamericana del cielo El Inca,1926);Los saposy otras Aires: 1927;Descripcin (stories), personas Rosario, 1930;Los que son (drama), 1928;El desquite (comedy), (revolutionary poems), de losAos Actitud 1933;Diariode misentimiento (1922-1936), 1930; Rosario, (poetry), delhombre 1940;El ahogado 1938;Edaddelcorazn 1937;Dimensin (poetry), (poetry), est cerca depotica 1941; Tratado eneltiempo , 1945;Sarmiento , 1944;El universo (poetry), Aires: El Martillo, 1945); 1945;Oda a Stalin , Rosario, (Buenos y la cuestin patagnica ao44,t. 129, Jan-June Razn a la cinologia contribucin "Nuestra , Madrid, yfe [wc]," 4 ofLima), National ofthe Fnix delbiblifilo," Library 1944;"Pasin (Journal y tragedia Patria El Aires: Per Carta al Ateneo, 1953); completa 725-29; (Buenos (poetry), (1946): Aires: Hombre 1962;Antologa Nuevo,1960);Poesa inexpungable, (Buenos (poems), Aires: Aires, Kraft, CEAL,1967);Volcndida 1967). (Buenos (Buenos personal Las andF. A. Alonso, S. D. Provenzano On the Revista oral,seeH. R. Lafleur, is Fernndez Macedonio with The 1893-1967. literarias revistas relationship argentinas inM. Fernndez, documented Epistolario. 22 1/8/91. Arturo Cambours with Professor Interview Ocampo, 23Thefirst in 1922. TheBiblioteca works ofFreud's translation began Spanish a complete it was seventeen texts hadpublished NuevaofMadrid however, not, 1934; by Aires between Rueda inBuenos waspublished edition Thefirst edition. bySantiago complete See Rosenthal. Ludovico translated were versions 1952and1956;the by missing Spanish 1990. Vezzetti

CITED WORKS Aires: Buenos Ponce:Memoria Anbal P. 1974. Hctor Cartago. y Presencia. Agosti, delpsicoanlisis colectiva : Unabiografa tuvida 1991.Cuntame argentino. Baln, Jorge. Planeta. Aires: Buenos CESS. ensalud.Rosario: mdica etal. 1988.Corporacin Susana ypoder Belmartino, Aires: Buenos de elementales Politzer." 1948. G. filosofa. Bermann, Principios "Georges Problemas. 35: 18-29. de Cultura Cuadernos A. 1958."Ponce Csar Cabral, y la psicologa." Bollati Tormo: italiana. nellacultura 1990.La psicoanalisi Boringhien. David,Michel. [1926] : 99-110. a Freud,Sur6.21 Guillermo, deTorre, "Homenaje (n.dat.) Aires: Buenos 1976. Macedonio. Corregidor. Fernndez, Epistolario. Animai TheTerrestrial Rolland: Freud andRomain 1976."Sigmund DavidJames. Fisher, 33 (Spring American Friend." Oceanic andHisGreat 1976):1-59. Imago Modern and Its Discontents. Freud'sCivilization . 1982."Reading European and Dominick andNewPerspectives. : Reappraisals Intellectual LaCapra History Press. Cornell eds.Ithaca: L. Kaplan, Steven University and Politics andthe Rolland Romain Berkeley . 1988. Engagement. ofIntellectual Press. of California Los Angeles: University Press. Oxford London: Americans. andThe . Freud G. 1971 University Hale,Nathan

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Buenos edition. 1937.Diario demi sentimiento Alberto. Aires, (1922-1936). private Hidalgo, ofhisworks. a list See alsoNote21 for A. Knopf. 1958.Consciousness andSociety. NewYork: H. Stuart. Hughes, Aires: J. depsiclogos." / dela ciencia. Buenos J.1905. "Uncnclave margen Ingenieros, as Crnicas deviaje. 1908.Reprinted Lajovane, A Comparative New Haven:Yale Edith.1989. TheFreudians: Kurzweil, Perspective. Press. University A. Alonso. 1968.Las revistas D. Provenzano andFernando Hctor Ren, Lafleur, Sergio Editor deAmrica Latina. Buenos Aires: Centro 1893-1967. literarias argentinas Biblioteca Nueva. sobre la vidasexual. Madrid: G. 1931.Tres Maran, ensayos Studies intheTransition andthe Culture 1987.Freud Steven. Marcus, ofPsychoanalysis: Norton. Humanism toModernity. NewYork: Victorian from Turin: Fratelli Bocca. 1926. La psicanalisi. Enrico. Morselli, 7: 405-11.Reproduced Humanidades delpsicoanlisis." E. 1926."Significacin Mouchet, I (1930): 1415-17. inLa Semana Mdica "El narcicismo: a unaenfermedad Emilio. 1933-1934. De unaactitud Pizarro psquica Crespo, 1:12-1 A. Normal Archivos dePsicologa social delerotismo." yPatolgica Argentinos en Europa. I. En delmovimiento . (n.dat.)"Aspectos psicoterpico y psiquitrico 1.1:56-62. Francia." Psicoterapia II. En enEuropa. . (n.dat.)"Aspectos delmovimiento y psiquitrico psicoterpico 1.2:81-91. alemana Sovitica." de lengua lospases Psicoterapia y enla Unin LuisCampos esttica de Freud." Anbal. 1923."La divertida Ponce, Aguirre [pseudonym]. 17:89-93.[InVezzetti ed. 1989.] Revista deFilosofa 17.IX:236-42. Revista deFilosofa . 1923."El origen de lospecados capitales." El Hogar. Sokolnick . 1929. "Madame May10,1929. [InVezzetti yelpsicoanlisis." ed. 1989.] Aires: El Ateneo. Buenos . 1943a. Ambicin de losadolescentes. y angustia El Ateneo. Buenos Aires: de unaadolescente. . 1943b. Diariontimo Aires: El Ateneo. Buenos . 1943c. Problemas dePsicologa Infantil. Buenos Estudios dePsicologa. a la psicologa dela persona." . 1944."Introduccin El Ateneo. Aires: Oxford: Clarendon ABiography 1972. Donald. Prater, Zweig. European ofYesterday: of Stefan Press. inFrance, 1990. Lacan& Co.:A History Elisabeth. Roudinesco, ofPsychoanalysis Jacques de Press. ofChicago 2. 1925-1985. 1. 1885-1939, University [La bataille Chicago: Paris: 2. 1925-1985. 1. 1885-1939, enFrance, cent ans.Histoire delapsychanalyse Seuil,1986.] 12.11/12 Cursos el psiclogo." J.1938."A. Ponce, Thenon, (marzo 1938): y Conferencias 1133-42. de Amrica ActaPsiquitrica . 1969."Thenon visto y Psicolgica porThenon." de 1969):381-85. Latina15.4(diciembre sobre familia Aos'.Algunas consideraciones 1986."'VivaCien Vezzetti, ymatrimonio Hugo. Punto de Vista 27 (agosto enla Argentina." 1986):5-10. . 1989a. "Estudio Vezzetti ed. 1989. preliminar." 1910-1930." L 'Information . 1989b. etPsychiatrie Buenos Aires, "Psychanalyse 65.4(avril 1989):397-411. Psychiatrique 1990):33-37. 39(diciembre . 1990."Traducir enBuenos Aires." Punto de Vista a Freud d'Histoire de la . 1991. "Freuden langueespagnole." RevueInternationale 4: 189-207. Psychanalyse Aires: Puntosur. Buenos enBuenos 1910-1939. ed. 1989.Freud Aires, Vezzetti, Hugo, Baker : Franz Healers Anton Stefan. 1932.Mental Mesmer, Sigmund Mary Eddy, Zweig, Freud. NewYork: 1932.] [La curacin Viking. porel espritu,

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