ABSTRACT
This book documents the history of the tragic transference love between a patient and her analyst. Its unusual significance lies not in the arresting fact that the actors are C.G.Jung and Sabina Spielrein, but rather in what the book shows us of this transference-countertransference tragedy and its outcome: the analyst abandons the realm of phantasy and symbols; he becomes active, engages in affectionate behaviour and declares ‘his’ love to the patient. Its further significance lies in the influence which the experiences of all the participants exerted on the development of psychoanalytic technique. Sigmund Freud becomes the third actor in the drama as confessor to both Jung and Sabina Spielrein, and also as Spielrein’s hoped-for comforter, protector and helper.
