Did Sigmund Freud take a strong position on the Nazis/Fascism?

by trampabroad
Jan_van_Bergen

Like the vast majority of Jews, Freud did not hold the Nazis in high regard. They started burning his books almost immediately along with other Jewish works in the early 30s. The Gestapo arrested one of his daughters in 1938 shortly after the annexation of Austria, and they "allowed" him and his family to leave for London after he paid a large fine, as many well off Jews were forced to pay. He died in 1939, so before the mass murder of Jews began, but still late enough in the game to know the Nazis were in no way friendly to him because of his Jewishness.

There is a sort of interesting story in which Freud signed a document stating that he could warmly recommend the Gestapo to anyone, or something like that, but the context of the utterance suggests he was either forced to sign it, it was meant sarcastically or both.

I'm unfamiliar with any views he had on Italian fascism.

edit: a word

obbah

Freud PERSONALLY expressed his admiration for Mussolini in a dedicated copy of Why War?. The book itself deals with Freud's views on government (pretty much in line with Plato's Republic) and eugenics (in favor). The dedication reads:

" To Benito Mussolini, with respectful greetings from an old man who recognizes in the leader a hero of his culture. Vienna, April 26, 1933."

Freud is also reported to have been favourable to the violent repression of labour movements by the Austro-Fascist government.

In Freud's defence these were not extreme opinions during the interwar years. Churchill, for example, did also see Mussolini as a positive force in the struggle against Communism. If Freud would have lived to see Mussolini enter WW2 on Hitler's side he might very well have changed his mind.

Edit: Freud made the case for Social Darwinism - NOT specific policies of eugenics.