The construction of a psychoanalytic genealogy: Ramon Sarró and the meeting with Freud

Analysis of the personal archives of Spanish psychiatrist Ramón Sarró, housed in the Library of Catalonia, reveals a wealth of unpublished documents related to his time in Vienna (1925-1927) and his engagement with psychoanalysis. During this period, he met Sigmund Freud and underwent psychoanalytic training with Helene Deutsch. He also provided therapy to patients under supervision at the Vienna Ambulatorium, one of several free psychoanalysis clinics established after World War I. However, Sarró did not complete his psychoanalytic training, and in 1927, he returned to Spain. Starting from 1939, Sarró became part of the medical establishment of the Franco dictatorship. In 1950, he obtained the position of the Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Barcelona. In this capacity, he actively participated in scientific debates and promoted the dissemination of psychoanalytic ideas within the public sphere. This article aims to explore the significance that Sarró attributed to his encounter with Freud and his training in Vienna. It also delves into how he leveraged these experiences to establish his scientific and professional legitimacy in the realms of psychoanalysis, both nationally and internationally. In this context, it serves as an exploration of the transnational history of psychoanalysis, between Vienna and Barcelona, influenced by the significant political transformations that occurred in Spain and Europe between 1920 and 1980. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).