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Two complementary cases of identification involving 'Third Reich' fathers
The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis
|January 1, 1986
Summary
This study explores how children of Nazi-era fathers developed complementary personality structures, manifesting as perpetrator (power/control) or victim (submission) roles. These dynamics reflect unresolved intergenerational trauma and ideological influence.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalysis
- Intergenerational Trauma Studies
Background:
- Examines personality structures in individuals whose fathers held Nazi beliefs.
- Focuses on the psychological impact of the Nazi regime's collapse on subsequent generations.
- Investigates identification processes and their role in personality development.
Observation:
- Two patients exhibited complementary personality structures stemming from paternal identification with the 'Third Reich'.
- Fathers displayed a 'double conscience' personality split post-collapse, failing to admit Nazi beliefs.
- Sons differed in their approach to reality, yet shared underlying personality traits.
Findings:
- The combined personality structures reflect a single entity derived from Nazi ideology.
- Manifestations include an anal drive for power/control (perpetrator) and an oral drive for dependency (victim).
- Both patients exhibit extreme poles of submission and power exertion, indicating a complex interplay of roles.
Implications:
- Suggests that victim defenses can mask repressed perpetrator impulses.
- Highlights the enduring psychological impact of historical ideologies across generations.
- Offers insights into the formation of personality structures shaped by familial and societal trauma.