[The controversial election of Amsterdams first professor in child psychiatry]

The history of psychiatry is also determined by the choice of full professors. The appointment of mrs. dr. E.C.M. Frijling-Schreuder in 1965 as the first full professor in child psychiatry at the University of Amsterdam was controversial. She was not a psychiatrist. Furthermore, a successful lecturer in child psychiatry was already present at the university for ten years, dr. F. Grewel.

Investigating the motives of the appointment and how it came about.

Consulting literature and archives.

The psychiatry professor at the same university, dr. P.C. Kuiper, put forward dr. Frijling-Schreuder, with whom he was in psychoanalysis at the time. To enable this, an academic sidetrack was created for dr. Grewel – an appointment as professor in orthopedagogy.

In choosing a professor in child psychiatry at the University of Amsterdam in 1965 a psychoanalytical stance was of more significance than child psychiatric expertise.