Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2003):

["W. Bölsche's precious book". Freud and German evolutionism in the beginning of the 20th century]

("Le précieux livre de W. Bölsche". Freud et la culture évolutionniste allemande du début du XXe siècle.)

Full Abstract

Wilhelm Bölsche (1861-1939) is the author of a poetic history of the evolution of love entitled Das Liebesleben in der Natur (1898-1903). This work, inspired by the writings of biologist Ernst Haeckel, was greatly successful in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Freud kept a copy of the three volumes in his London library and cites the text in his lectures on an Introduction to psychoanalysis. Bölsche develops an Entwicklungsgeschichte (history of evolution) of the distinguishing sexuality of several types of love (oral, anal and urinary). In addition, he describes the "zoological reactionary" homosexual and ties this sexual behaviour to the history of the development of anal sexuality. This paper will address an excerpt on this topic from Bölsche's text that has been translated for the occasion. The task at hand is to prepare the ground for a study of German evolutionism, both popular and scientific, and its ties to psychoanalysis.

Author information

Author/s: Amouroux, Rémy (R);

Affiliation: Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Service d'anesthésie, 26, avenue du Docteur Arnold-Netter, F-75571 Paris cedex 12. remy.amouroux(-atsign-)laposte.net

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Biography; English Abstract; Historical Article; Journal Article

Journal: Gesnerus (Gesnerus), published in Switzerland. (Language: fre)

Reference: 2004-; vol 61 (issue 1-2) : pp 24-36

Dates: Created 2004/09/16; Completed 2004/12/07; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 15368944, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Austria Evolution Freudian Theory Germany History, 19th Century History, 20th Century

Homosexuality - history Humans Love Manuscripts, Medical - history Psychoanalysis - history Psychosexual Development

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