Unpublished letter from S. H. Foulkes to Wilfred D. Abse
Unpublished letter from S. H. Foulkes to Wilfred D. Abse. A unique summary of Foulkes’ late group-analytic theory, by Wolfgang Martin Roth
Translated by Alkyoni Tsegou
In this unpublished 18-page letter to his friend Wilfred D. Abse, the late Foulkes offers new autobiographical information about his intense relationship with the theater during his younger years. Furthermore, he makes a last-ditch effort to clarify Trigant Burrow’s contribution to the history of Group Analysis, in comparison with his own.
In this letter he reveals a kind of distancing from the London group-analytic space. He considers this particular letter as a summary of his later group-analytical views.
….
In the mid-1920s, I happened to read two articles by Trigant Burrow which must have made a deep impression on me. They put into my mind the idea of group analysis as a type of therapy. There were other influences in the environment at that time: in addition to plays such as Pirandello’s Six Faces Seeking an Author, I remember being very impressed by Maxim Gorky’s At the Bottom, which was recently re-performed in London. A play without a hero, a leaderless group on stage, guided by powerful, anonymous forces. I reflected on the pathogenic and therapeutic power of theatre and everyday life. Fifteen years passed between this early influence and my first real experience in a group (Foulkes, 1964: 13).
….
One might even conclude that this letter was intended by Foulkes to constitute a deeply group-analytic testament, to be published after his death. However, this seems somewhat exaggerated, as Foulkes allowed his friend to make omissions and corrections for publication, which, incidentally, constitutes a very unusual expression of trust – and the legacy of a rare and unique friendship.
My final conclusion is this: This letter should be considered a carefully edited summary of Foulkes’s very late interpretations of Group Analysis.
The translation of the letter was published in Matrix Magazine, Issue 36. See the full text in greek language at the link below:
MATRIX 36 Ἀνέκδοτη ἐπιστολή τοῦ S. H. Foulkes πρός τόν Wilfred D. Abse