[On the activities and influence of the British psychoanalysts during the Second World War]

The first part of this paper describes some of the activities of the members of the British Society prior to and during the Second World War, including the reception of the refugee psychoanalysts from Nazi Germany, preparations to deal with casualties, and plans for the reconstruction of the Health and Psychiatric Services after the war. The second part of the paper deals with the influence of those that they worked with in the armed forces, on the development of Psychoanalysis in Britain. The Author describes examples of the part played by Psychoanalysts and Psychiatric colleagues with whom they worked during the war, on the development War Office Selection Boards (W.O.S.B.'s), Civil Resettlement Units (C.R.U.'s) for returning Prisoners of War, and other caring facilities in Military Hospitals, and the influence of participation in these events on the decision of some non-analysts to become trained as psychanalysts.