ciation:1930-1934 14.The Psychoanalytic Furor and Reich’s Break with the Psychoanalytic Asso
the Psychoanalytic Association: 1930-1934Reich once said: “There has always been a conflict in me between the urge to par-
ticipate in the social battle, on the one hand, and my scientific work, on the other. In social
struggles, you have to be here, there, and everywhere; in scientific work you stay in your
study with books, patients, and instruments”.^1
While we have seen Reich struggling “in the social battle” during the 1930s, the
other side of him was quietly developing his theory of character analysis. Many of the ana-
lytic students in training with him at that time were only in touch with this side of his work
and personality. One American student, Dr. 0. Spurgeon English, who was in analysis with
Reich between September 1929 and April 1932, has given a good account of the clinical
Reich in the Berlin years. He opens with: “I recall Dr. Reich utilizing his interest in other
than verbal presentations of the personality. For instance, he would frequently call attention
to my position on the couch... .”^2
One issue concerned Reich’s training standards and the discipline he imposed.
Reich had reminded English that he would need a letter from Reich in order to become a
member of the International Psychoanalytic Association. He said that English took many
psychoanalytic concepts too lightly and that if Reich “continued to hear the still present
sounds ofridicule about analysis,” the letter of recommendation would not be written.
English,jolted by this edict,was nonetheless grateful for the hard and fruitful work
it stimulated.“Somehow or other I had landed in the hands of a no-nonsense, hard-work-
ing, meticulous analyst who had a keen ear for the various forms of resistance and a good
ability to tolerate the aggression which almost inevitably follows necessary confrontation of
subtly concealed ... resistance.”
In connection with Reich’s handling of negative feelings, English related the follow-
ing incident:
One day Reich telephoned to ask if he could change English’s appointment from
morning to afternoon.English said he already had a social engagement. Reich retorted, was
the social engagement more important than the analysis? Irritated, English replied that it
was. After hanging up, he became incensed that Reich should question his right to enjoy
himself socially: the longer he thought about it, the angrier he got. During the next session
English told Reich he had always kept to the analyst’s schedule, and that having made an
appointment Reich should keep it. English went on to rail against Reich’s busy life, which
now necessitated requesting the change. Reich listened patiently until English wound down,