[The Freuds and the Bernays: 2 Jewish families]

Freud's life and work was largely determined by the support he gained through the union with Martha Bernay. The family constellation between Freud and Martha is described in the light of the historical developments of the fates the generations of the Freud family and the Bernay family. Freud was the grandson of a poor and little educated galician travelling Jew, whose family was still subject to the humiliating laws for the Jews of the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy--especially the family laws. Martha was the granddaughter of the famous and very much respected rabbi Isaac Bernay of Hamburg who was honoured with the title Chacham--the wise one. He had given his congregation a new name and in his battle against reform-Judaism had finally proclaimed the cherem--the great ban--against certain representatives of this reform-Judaism. It is discussed how these family historical influences shaped Martha and made it possible for her to accompany her husband in his fight for the psychoanalytic movement.