Visitors descend on the Freud Museum like pilgrims – from Hamburg to Tel Aviv to Brazil – wanting to pay respects to the ‘father of psychoanalysis’ whose work was so influential across the globe.
Entering the house immediately transports you back to the 1930s. The interior design has been immaculately preserved so as not to taint or diminish Freud’s unique and fascinating life. The house where he spent his final year now stands as a memorial to his ground-breaking psychoanalytical work. Surprisingly, despite the grand frontage of the house, the journey begins in the beautifully manicured garden where Freud conducted some of his last sessions, and where he found solace when he was ill.
Inside the house, his study remains the most striking of the rooms, a long salon left exactly as it had been when Freud worked there. The psychoanalytic couch is the fabulous centrepiece of this maximalist room. Antique Egyptian, Roman and Greek artefacts populate the shelves and desks, some smuggled from Vienna in 1938, others bought after Freud arrived in Hampstead. The study soon became Freud’s bedroom as well, when he became too ill to go upstairs every evening.
His fascination with ancient objects might seem unusual, but the museum cleverly draws comparisons between archaeology and psychoanalysis. For they both involve uncovering layers and layers carefully. In Freud’s case, the unravelling of a patient’s psyche before discovering the most valuable treasures.
You can recline on one of the couches used in Freud’s psychoanalysis sessions, in an upstairs study. It feels comfortable and satisfying, as the soft fabrics of a century welcome you. But the most striking sensation in this house is the smell. There is a distinct homely aroma which makes you feel less of a tourist and more of a welcome guest or even, a patient!
I was intrigued to learn that Freud was fascinated by biblical figures despite his rejection of religion. Adorning a wall in the hallway is a powerful depiction of Moses receiving the Tablets of the Law at Sinai. His final work, published in 1939 and titled Moses and Monotheism, argues that Moses was not Jewish, rather an Egyptian. This was highly controversial at the time and is covered in the museum in detail, a topic I found especially captivating.
One also becomes acquainted with Freud’s family as you explore the museum. Anna, his daughter, also pursued her father’s interests in the ego, superego and the id. By contrast, Martha, his wife, allowed him to work hard by taking care of their six children. Furthermore, Paula Fichtl was their loyal housekeeper, who, despite not being Jewish, chose to flee Vienna with them in 1938 and came to live in Hampstead, where she stayed until Anna’s death in 1982.
The museum reveals Freud’s life not only as a professional, but also, in tandem as a father, husband, and friend. Despite only being able to salvage a few belongings from Vienna as they desperately fled the Nazi occupation, the Freuds successfully recreated their spirit and character in this family home. A home which has lasted as an architectural delight of Hampstead on the outside, and an inimitable testament to Freud’s life and work on the inside.
By Sam Menton, aged 16
Sam Menton is a Year 12 pupil at Westminster School in London. He is currently studying for his A levels in History, Economics, Maths, and Spanish, and he plans to read History at university. He loves learning about the past, especially when it transcends across different areas of interest such as politics, geography, and science.