A fateful quadrangle: Sándor Ferenczi, Sigmund Freud, Gizella Palos-Ferenczi, and Elma Palos-Laurvik

The theoretical differences between Freud and Ferenczi did not first develop during Ferenczi’s later years as Freud (1937c) claimed, but have their roots early in their relationship. The personal and professional levels in their dialogue were intertwined all along the way. Two major aspects of this admixture were the quadrangle between Freud, Ferenczi, Gizella—Ferenczi’s lover and eventually his wife—and her daughter Elma; and Ferenczi’s analysis with Freud, which was an outgrowth of that quadrangle (Dupont, 1994).