Margarethe Hilferding-Hönigsberg (1871–1942), a pioneer of Psychonanalysis

Eveline List discusses Margarethe Hilferding-Hönigsberg within the context of the nascent field of psychoanalysis.

Her life serves as an exemplar of the struggles for emancipation of her era: Margarethe Hilferding-Hönigsberg (1871–1942) was not only the first woman in Vienna to complete a medical degree, but also the first woman to be active in the early field of psychoanalysis. She became the first female member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society and authored a groundbreaking work on the "foundations of maternal love" and the earliest stages of infantile development. In doing so, she made a significant contribution to the understanding of the early mother-child relationship—though evidently ahead of her time, as the psychoanalytic community, which was exclusively male-dominated, responded with rejection. In 1934, she was arrested by the Austro-fascist regime due to her role as a Social Democratic official; in 1942, she was deported to Theresienstadt and subsequently murdered in Treblinka.

Eveline List is a retired associate professor (ao. Univ.-Prof. i. R.) and holds a doctorate in philosophy (Dr. phil.) as well as a master’s degree in social and economic sciences (Mag. rer. soc. oec.). Her academic background spans history, psychology, and economics. She is a retired professor of cultural history at the University of Vienna’s Department of History, a psychoanalyst and training analyst in private practice (affiliated with the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society/IPA), and a member of the Madrid Psychoanalytic Association (APM). She is the author of numerous publications.

Hier finden Sie unser Veranstaltungsprogramm.

Eine Auswahl unserer Veranstaltungsvideos können Sie auf unserem YouTube-Kanal ansehen.