Close
Sabina Spielrein was a Russian doctor and one of the first female psychoanalysts, being the first woman to write a psychprisoanalytic dissertation. Spielrein was also a patient ofCarl Jung’s, and became a fascination of his, a fascination he shared with his friend Sigmund Freud. Spielrein’s relationship with Jung is also rumored to have become romantic.
Early Life
Sabina Spielrein was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on November 7, 1885, into a wealthy Jewish family. Her father, Naphtul Arkadjevitch Spielrein, was a successful businessman and her mother, Emilia (Eva) Marcovna Lujublinskaja, was a dentist. Her maternal grandfather and great-grandfather were rabbis who arranged Emilia’s marriage to her Jewish husband. The household was strict and abusive at times, but Spielrein’s parents placed a heavy emphasis on education and Spielrein grew up speaking Russian, German, French, and English.
In 1904 at the age of 19, Spielrein was admitted to the Burghölzli mental hospital in Switzerland, for symptoms of what was then known ashysteria. She became a patient of psychoanalystCarl Jungand remained at the hospital until 1905.
Career
Spielrein became Jung’s laboratory assistant and later entered medical school where she studied psychiatry at Jung’s suggestion.
In 1911, Spielrein graduated from medical school and began her own psychoanalytic practice.
Spielrein moved to Vienna, Austria, in 1911 and joined the Vienna Psychoanalytic Association. In 1912, she married a Russian physician named Pavel Scheftel and later had two daughters, Irma Renata in 1912 and Eva in 1924. At some point, Scheftel left her and fathered a child with another woman before returning to his wife along with the daughter from the other relationship.
After her life was cut tragically short, her contributions to psychology were largely forgotten for many years.
Relationship with Carl Jung
Today, many believe that Spielrein and Jung also became romantically involved, although the extent of the relationship has been debated. These suggestions are based on the letters discovered in the 1970s exchanged between the Spielrein and Jung, as well as Spielrein’s own journal entries. Letters between Spielrein and Jung indicate intense emotional and intellectual involvement.
While some suggest that the relationship was purely emotional, historian and psychoanalyst Peter Loewenberg argues that the affair was sexual and therefore a breach of Jung’s professional ethics. According to Loewenberg, the relationship “jeopardized [Jung’s] position at the Burghölzli and led to…his departure from the University of Zurich.”
The relationship continued for several years until Jung determined his involvement with Spielrein was detrimental to his career and ended the affair before she moved to Austria.
Spielrein, Jung and Freud
Spielrein was evidently the reason Jung initially reached out toSigmund Freud. Jung had learned about Freud’s techniques and in 1906 he wrote a letter to the famous psychoanalyst to ask for advice about a challenging case involving a young Russian woman. Jung and Freud soon became friends and intellectual confidants and Jung frequently corresponded with his colleague about Spielrein.
“Spielrein is the person I wrote you about,” Jung wrote to Freud in a letter on June 4, 1909. “She was, of course, systematically planning my seduction, which I considered inopportune. Now she is seeking revenge. Lately, she has been spreading a rumor that I shall soon get a divorce from my wife and marry a certain girl student, which has thrown not a few of my colleagues into a flutter…”
Spielrein served as a recurrent topic of their discussions and likely contributed to the early development ofpsychoanalysis. In addition to his dialogues with Freud, Jung also wrotecase studiesfocused on Spielrein.
Contributions to Psychology
Through her relationship with Jung, Sabina Spielrein had a direct effect on the development of psychoanalysis, as well as the growth of Jung’s own ideas and techniques. However, it would be wrong to suggest that this was Spielrein’s only contribution to psychology. She was the first person to introduce the idea of thedeath instincts, a concept that Freud would later adopt as part of his own theory. In addition to introducing psychoanalysis to Russia, Spielrein also influenced other thinkers of the time includingJean PiagetandMelanie Klein.
Spielrein’s full legacy may not yet be fully realized. While she wrote thirty psychoanalytic papers in French and German, many have not yet been translated. “The oblivion into which Spielrein has fallen is remarkable. She was a major figure in the development of the psychoanalytic movement—and a rare woman in that field,” suggests Karen Hall of theJewish Women’s Archive.“One can only hope that more of her story will be discovered and that more research will focus on the work that Spielrein did personally. She faced many obstacles, both because she was a woman working in a predominantly male profession and because she was Jewish during a period of violent antisemitism. Her tragic death cut short a life of promise.”
Spielrein in the Arts
Spielrein has recently become the subject of books, films, and plays, including:
SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Carotenuto, A. (1982). A Secret Symmetry -Sabina Spielrein Between Jung and Freud, Trans. A. Pomerans, J. Shepley and K. Winston, Pantheon, New York.Hall, K. (2005). Sabina Spielrein (1885-1942). Jewish Woman: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia.Kerr, J. (1993) A Most Dangerous Method: The Story of Jung, Freud and Sabina Spielrein. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.Loewenberg, Peter. 1995. The Creation of a Scientific Community: The Burghölzli, 1902-1914; in Fantasy and Reality in History, New York: Oxford University Press.Parker, S. (2010). Women and Carl Jung: Sabina Spielrein.Yardley, A. (n.d.) Sabina Spielrein: Notes on a life ended much too soon. Creativity Corner.
Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Carotenuto, A. (1982). A Secret Symmetry -Sabina Spielrein Between Jung and Freud, Trans. A. Pomerans, J. Shepley and K. Winston, Pantheon, New York.Hall, K. (2005). Sabina Spielrein (1885-1942). Jewish Woman: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia.Kerr, J. (1993) A Most Dangerous Method: The Story of Jung, Freud and Sabina Spielrein. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.Loewenberg, Peter. 1995. The Creation of a Scientific Community: The Burghölzli, 1902-1914; in Fantasy and Reality in History, New York: Oxford University Press.Parker, S. (2010). Women and Carl Jung: Sabina Spielrein.Yardley, A. (n.d.) Sabina Spielrein: Notes on a life ended much too soon. Creativity Corner.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Carotenuto, A. (1982). A Secret Symmetry -Sabina Spielrein Between Jung and Freud, Trans. A. Pomerans, J. Shepley and K. Winston, Pantheon, New York.Hall, K. (2005). Sabina Spielrein (1885-1942). Jewish Woman: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia.Kerr, J. (1993) A Most Dangerous Method: The Story of Jung, Freud and Sabina Spielrein. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.Loewenberg, Peter. 1995. The Creation of a Scientific Community: The Burghölzli, 1902-1914; in Fantasy and Reality in History, New York: Oxford University Press.Parker, S. (2010). Women and Carl Jung: Sabina Spielrein.Yardley, A. (n.d.) Sabina Spielrein: Notes on a life ended much too soon. Creativity Corner.
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
