Table Of ContentNEW YORK REVIEW BOOKS
CLASSICS
MEMOIRS OF
MY NERVOUS ILLNESS
DANIEL PAUL SCHREBER1 1842-19w1a1s)t hes ono ft he
preeminneinnte teenth-cGeenrtmuarnmy e dicaault horoint y
child-reBaerfionhrgie.ms e ntaclo llaphsese e,r vaesdt hec hief
justiocfte h es upremceo urotft hes tatoefS axony.
ROSEMARY DINNAGiE st hea uthoorfO ne toO ne:E xperi
enceos fP sychotheraSphyel. i veinsL ondon.
MEMOIRS OF
MY NERVOUS ILLNESS
DaniPealuS lc hreber
•
Introductionb y
ROSEMARY DINNAGE
Translateda nd Edited by
IDA MACALPINE
and
RICHARD A. HUNTER
NEW YORK REVIEW BOOKS
New York
THIS IS A NEW YORK REVIEW BOOK
PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS
Copyright Cl 1955 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College
Introduction Copyright Cl 2000 by Rosemary Dinnage
All rights reserved.
Reprinted by arrangement with Harvard University Press
This edition published in 2000 in the United States of America by
The New York Review of Books
435 Hudson Street
CONTENTS
New York, NY 10014
www.nyrb.com
57910864
Library of Congress Cataloging.in.Publication Data
Schreber, Daniel Paul, 1842-1911. Introduction xi
[Denkwiirdigkeiten eines Nervenkranken. English]
Memoirs of my nervous illness / by Daniel Paul Schreber ;
MEMOIRS OF MY NERVO US ILL NESS
introduction by Rosemary Dinnage i translated and edited by Ida
Macalpine, Richard A. Hunter.
p. cm. Preface 3
Reprint. Originally published: London: W. Dawson, 1955.
ISBN 0-940322-20-X Ipbk.: alk. paper) Open letter to Professor Flechsig 7
1. Schreber, Daniel Paul, 1842-1911-Mental health. 2. Paranoia
Patients-Germany Biography. 3. Paranoia Case studies. 1. Title.
RC520.S33A313 2000 MEMO IRS
616.89'7'0092-<1c 21
[B[ 99-35601 Introduction IS
ISBN 978·0-940322·20·2
God and Immortality 19
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper.
2 Crisis in God's realms? Soul murder 33
Gtateful acknowledgement is made to Philip Smith and,
especially, Rosebud Pettet for their help in obtaining the
3 (Not printed) 43
image from Harry Smith's film Heaven and Earth Magic
that appears on the cover.
Contents Contents
4 Personal experiences during the first and the 14 "Tested souls"; their fate.
beginning of the second nervous illness 44 Personal experiences continued 176
5 Continuation. Nerve-language linner voices). 15 "Play-with-human-beings" and "Miracles."
Compulsive thinking. Unmanning under Cries of help. Talking birds 185
certain circumstances a postulate of the
Order of the World 54 16 Compulsive thinking.
Its effects and manifestation 197
6 Personal experiences continued.
Visions. "Seer of spirits" 69 17 Continuation of the above; "Picturing"
in the sense of the soul-language 207
7 Personal experiences continued; peculiar
manifestations of illness. Visions 85 18 God and the processes of creation;
spontaneous generation; insects created
8 Personal experiences while in Dr. Pierson's by miracles. IIDirection of gaze."
Asylum. "Tested souls" 99 System-of-examination 215
9 Transfer to Sonnenstein. Changes in the 19 Continuation of the above. God's
contact with rays. liThe writing-dawn-system"; omnipotence and man's freedom of will 225
"Tying-to-celestial-bodies" 115
20 Egocentricity of the rays regarding my person.
10 Personal experiences at Sonnenstein. Further developments of personal affairs 233
"Interferences" accompanying contact with
the rays. "Creation of a false feeling" 130 21 Blessedness and voluptuousness in their
mutual relation. Consequences of this
11 Bodily integrity damaged by miracles 141 relation for personal behavior 242
12 Content of the voices' talk. 22 Final considerations. Future prospects 253
"Soul-conception." Soul-language.
Continuation of personal experiences 152 POSTSCRIPTS
13 The soul's state of Blessedness as a factor in First Series
attraction. Consequences thereof 163 Miracles 263
Contents Contents
II Relatioofnd ivinaen dh umani ntelligence 265 B Dr.W eber'rse poratsC ountayn dA sylum
MedicaOlf ficoefr2 8thN ovembe1r9 00 337
IIIP lay-with-human-beings 266
C Groundosf a ppeal 349
IV Hallucinations 268
o Dr.W eber'esx perrte porotf5 thA pri1l9 02 388
V Then aturoefG odm anifesttehdr ough
nerve-contact 277 E Judgmenotft heR oyaSlu periCooru ntry
Courotf D resdeonf 1 4thJ uly1 902 405
VI Final considerations; Miscellaneo2u9s0
Notes 441
VIIC remation 296
SeconSde ries 300
APPENDIX
Essay":I nw hatc ircumstanccaenas p erson
consideirnesda nbee d etainienda nA sylum
againhsitsd eclarweidl l?" 313
Postscript 322
SeconPdo stscript 323
ADDENDA
DOCUMENTS FROM THE COURT PROCEEDINGS
PLACING ME UNDER TUTElAGE
A Medicaelx pertr'esp orttot heC ourt
of9 thD ecembe1r8 99b yD r.W eber 327
INTRODUCTION
5 ( H ERR 'E5 MB emoirso fM y NervouIslln essm ustb et he
mostw ritten·adboocuutm enitn allp sychiatlriitce rature.
Overt hey earas ,h ugeb ibliograopfhb yo oksa nda rticles
chiefilnyG ermana ndi nE nglish-haacsc rueSdu.c cessive
generatioofpn ssy chiawtrriitce hrasv eu sedt heb ooka st he
nubo fs uccesstihveeo riFerso.m t het imet haFtr eudc'esl e
bratpeadp earb ouittw asp ublisihne1 d9 11e/v eryohnaesh ad
somethitnosg a ya bouStc hreber.
Schrebheirm seblefl ievheidsh ookt oh avea messagfeo r
thew orldn:o to nlyto e xposteh en aturoeft hei llnehsesh ad
suffehruetdm ,o rei mportanftolrhy i m,t op asosn s omek ind
ofc louddyi vinree velatFioornt .h ew riticnogm ess traight
fromt heb orderlbientew eesna niatnyd m adnesBsa.s eodn j ot
tingmsa dea tt hep eako fh iisl lnetshseb} o okw asp utt ogether
whenh ew asa pproachriencgo vewriyt}hs omeo ft her esources
1.Fr euSd.,( 19"1P1s)y cho·annaoltyetosin ac n a utobiograpahciccoaulon fta c ase
ofp arano(idae menptairaa noidSets)a,n"d Eadridt 1i2o:n9,- 79.
r ,
"
L J
Introduction Intrdouction
ofh isfi ne mionndc ea gaianv ailaHbel wea.n teidtt ob ecome onec ommittseudi ciadned o ne( Paualu,t hoorft heM emoirs)
knowna,n ds oi t hbaesc;a uisnei tvsi vidnaensdsa bundadnet wentm ad;M orithzi mseelnft erae dde epa ndi solating depres.
taiiltt oucheosn s om anyo fo ura ssumptiaobnosu rte ality, siotne ny earbse fohries d eatahn dw hilPea uwla ss tiilnlh is
aboutth es tructoufro eu rp erceiwvoerdl di,t ssp acaen dt ime teens.
ando bjectiidveen tiStcyh.r ebienrh iss ufferainndgi nsanity PaulS chrebwears b orni n1 84a2n dg rewu pt ob ecomae
sawa ltlh esdei ssolavwea ya,n dr ef·o rmi nttoh es tufoffm yth lawyearn,d t hena judghee;m arriebdu,tt hec ouplhea ds till·
andn ightmare. birthasn dm iscarriaangden so survivicnhgi ldrHeins.fi rst
TheM emoiwresr er ecogniazser de markabflreo mt heir breakdocwanm ew henh ew as4 2;h er ecoverweedl flr omi t
publicatiino 1n9 03me;d icarle viewerresc ommendecdo l unti1l8 93wh,e na tt hea geo f5 1h el apseddi sastroaugsaliyn
leaguteosr eatdh emN.e vertheilfeF srse uhda dn otb eens oi n andd isappeairnettdoh eh ospitvaoll,u ntaartifi lrys tf,o rn ine
trigubeydt hemS,c hrebesrt'osrm yi ghbty n owb ef orgotten. yearTsh.e M emoiwresr ew rittwehni lhee w asi nS onnenstein
BothF reuadn dT ungw eref ascinabtyet dh eb ooka,n da lready publiacs yluma,sa na ccounotfw hath eb elievweedr eh is
in1 91F0r euwda sw ritijnogk ingtloTy u ntgh atth e" wonderful uniqueex perienacnedas s a p lefao rre lease.
Schrebeoru"g htto h aveb eenm adea profesosfop rs ychiatry Aftetrw oy earosf l egawlr anglePsa,u lS chrebwears r e·
andd irecotfoa rn a syluImt.w asT unga,l waypsa rticulianrly leasetdoh ish omea nds pensto mea pparenptelayc efyuela rs
terestienpd s ychoswihso, h adfi rsdtr awnh isc olleagaute's withh isw ifaen da doptdeadu ghtBeurt.w henh isw ifSea bine
tentitooni ta,n dt he tmweon wouldb orroSwc hreberisms hada ni ncapacitsattrionhkgee f elillla gaiann,d f romt heunn
sucha s{l iichhtiinggee maocr"h ftl,e etingly-impirno vised," tihli sd eatihn 1 91r1e mainiendt hea sylum".S peakosn ly
theicro rrespondAefntceetr.h eb reabke tweetnh emh,o wever, verrya rewliyt ht hed octorh,i"sh ospitraelc orndost ed",a nd
Tungd escriFbreedu di'nst erpretoaftt ihoeSn c hrebcears ien theno nlyt hahte i sb eintgo rturweidt ht hef ootdh ahte c an·
termosf h omosexuwails heass l iveurnys atisfacItnor rey·. " note ate,t cC.o ntinuaulnldye trh et ormentiinnfgl ueonfch ei s
centti meSsc hrebhearsb eend iscuspsaerdt iculianrr ellya tion hallucinatSiloeneaspt. n ighmto stlpyo orM.o anss,t andisn
tot hew ritinogfhs i sf athear r,e nowneGde rmana uthoroint y beds,t andrsi gidilnfy r onotft hew indowwi tehy es closed and
child-rearingb-yfi trhsetp lsyy choanawl.yGs.tN iederland ane xpressoifol ni stenoinnh gi sf aceF.r"o m titmote i met he
andt heni na morep opulvaerr siionnM ortonS chatzman's tragpiact iewnotu lds cribwbolred osn s craopfsp ape"rm:i ra
SouMlu rd1e1r79 5). cles"-lltomb"e-a"tn.oH"ti sw ishh adb eent ha"tw henm y
MoritSzc hrebwears i nf achtu geliyn fluenAtsi alla.ta es last hour finallIy w ilsnlto r ilkoensg er find imnya sne lf
the1 9301sIa m tolbdy a Germanf rienGde)r manc hildren Asylumb,u ti no rderdloym estliicf seu rroundbeym dy near
wereb eintgh reatenweidt ht heS chrebGere radehaal teI, relatiavseI sm ,a yn eedm orel ovicnagr teh aInc ould ignea tn
contraptoifbo ona rdasn ds trapisft, h edyi dn ots iutp s traight. AsylumI.t"w asn ott ob eg ranted.
He hada systeamn da manuaflo re verythingc-otlhde- water Freudb'ass iicn terpretoaftt ihoecn a se--drawnf romt he
healtshy stetmh,e s ystetmo c urhea rmfublo dyh abitisn,d oor Memoifroshr,e n evetrr ietdom eett he man-wwahsa tm ight
gymnastsiycs temfso rh ealtphr eservatoiuotnd,o oprl asyy s bee xpectferdo mh isv iewast t het imeS:c hrebefra'nst aosfy
temst,h el ifelsoynsgt emadtiiecgt u idBeu.t o fh ist wos ons, beintgu rneidn tao woman( onoef h isp sychotsiycm ptoms)
r -, r -,
xii xiii
C J
Introudction Introduction
indicraetperde hsosmeods exluoavfleo hri fsa thientr h seh ape firsats yluwma,sp rimarain leyu roanatwoimtiahsg tu,i ding
oft hea syludmi recFtloerc h(sFilge cfihgsuirgae ssa s orotf maximt ha"tm entdails ordaerrebs r aidni sordeDrrsu.g"s
malign demtihgroodu ghtohueMt e moirOsn)eh. a st oa gree andp hysirceaslt raintsr-ailingsst,r appasd,d ecde lls-were
witThu ng athsaa nti nterpretthaiwtsai sov ne rlyi mited himse thoodfst reatmentj women phaatviteeh netisr might
thouFgrhe uddi add dt haItI mumcohr mea terrieamla itnobs e ovarioerus t ertuask eonu tIn. anyc ashee,c onfidteoda
gathefrreodtm h sey mbocloinct eonftt h fea ntaasnidde esl u colleahgeuh ea,dl itrtelaeil n terienps sty chiwahtircyhh,e
sioonfst higsi ftpeadr anoiWahce.nS" c hreibneh rii ss olation considae "rheodp elsecsise nTchee.h "e aodf t hep ublaiscy
begatnob elietvheat th ew holweo rlhda db eedne vastated, lumt ow hicShc hrewbaessr e natf terwGauriddsWo,e bewra,s
witohn lhyi mseclhfo sbeynG odt or epoputlhaweto er lfdr om oft hes amkei nda,n do pposSecdh rebeevre'nst duiaslc harge
hiwso mbh,e w ass urerleyp resehnitosiw nngl ifdee'vsa sta frotmh aes ylum sternoonugtglohdy e liatyf o sro mtei me.
tiorna thtehra enx presash ionmgo sexwuiaslhA .n ds inhcee Freud himselff,oa rlh tloh wahetiv isen rt,e rpreotfta htei on
andh iwsi fhea df ailteopd r oduacl ei vicnhgi lidtw, o ulbde casneo ws eemsso w rong-hedaiddse edte,h ed elusitohnast
compensfatoberyd t hen ewS chrerbaecrte h aGto dp lanned charactmeardinzeeas sts h ree aaln di nterecsrteiantgoi foa n s
tob rionugot f h imT.h iwsa sn osto m ucha m attoefdr e siring humabne inCgr.e attihnegwm a sf oFrr euawd o rkap, r ocess
mena so fi dentiwfiytithnh gfe e cundofiw toym en-bFurte ud Wahnbildungosrat rhbe"e wiotr,ok f d elusion-formation."
putth fea therr-esloanta itto hnce e ntoefhr i asn alyasnidas,s Evemno rset rikiFnrgelupydr, o potsheiedd etah adte lusional
usualle,wf otm eann dm othewreslo lu to ft hpei cture. systeamrsae m eanosf k eepitnhgep atigeonitn hgo,l dian g
Agaiinnw, r ittihnaght ec ame htaov' e�t ah ibnegt weIehni sJ worltdo gether:
legwsh ichha rdrleys embaltae ldal n ormaflolrym meadl oer
gan/S chrewboeurl sde etm oh avbee esnu mminugpa lhli s Thee ndo ft hew orlidsa projecotfit ohnii sn ternal
degradaitnit ohneass ylutmh,le o sosfh ifsr ieannddps r ofes catastrhoipish. ete:h. pe a ranosiuabcj'esc wtoirvlheda s
siotnh,ed issappeoafrh ainmsca er rileidfA es.P rofesZsvoir comet oa ne nds inhciews i thdraowfha ills o vfeo irt .
Lothahnaesp ointoeudti n h irse assesosfmm eanntyi mplica Andt hep aranobiuaicli dtas g ainno,tm ores plendid,
tioonfst hcea soeu,to fa ltlh wer itwehrosh avhea dt hesiary iti st rubeu,ta t l eassott hahtec ano ncmeo rlei vieni t.
abouitto ,n loyn e-ThomSazsa sz-hcarsi ticFirzeeufddo r Heb uilidtus p b yt hweo rokf h idse lusiTohneds e.l u
devotpianggae f tpearg teo s peculaotnit ohnesn atuorfe sionfaolr matwihoincw,he t akteob et hpea thological
Schrebielrl'nbseu stns o taw ortdo t hmei seroifhe isis m pris produicsit nr, e alainat tyt emaptrt e covaep rryo,c oefs s
onmenPte.o1p plueit n ttoh heo spibteacla utsheem iern tlailf e reconstr.[u IcttaiFlroiencusd 's.J
hass mashmeady b ed escritbhiehn ogr rotrhsea yr eg oing
throucguhr renatswl eyla,ls t hter aumoafcs h ildhood. Sucahn i nsiwgohutl hda vbee eqnu iftoer etioga Fn l echosri g
Iti sn oth artdo s eew hyi nS chrebfearn'tsa hsiispe ssy aW eber.
chiatwriesrcters u aenld a ll-powerfuld.i rFelcoetftco hhres ig, Ifm ucho ft hdee lusiwoonraltldh aPta uSlc hredbeesrc ribes
int heM emoirresfl ectthser eawlo rladr ounhdi mb,e hind
2.L othaz.n( e1,9 I9n2D )e feonfSs ceh reSboeulMr u.r daenrPd s ychiatry. thawte cans eet hes tructoufhr iesu pbrinwgiitnhgti hne
c , c ,
xiv "
L J L J
