The Life of Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis

On September 23, 1939, Sigmund Freud, Austrian neurologist and creator of psychoanalysis, died at the age of 83. An excerpt from the article:

"Later Years
By the 1920s, Freud had become internationally known as an influential scholar and practitioner. He was proud of his youngest daughter, Anna, his greatest disciple, who distinguished herself as the founder of child psychoanalysis.

In 1923, Freud was diagnosed with oral cancer, the consequence of decades of smoking cigars. He endured more than 30 surgeries, including the removal of part of his jaw. Although he suffered a great deal of pain, Freud refused to take painkillers, fearing that they might cloud his thinking.

He continued to write, focusing more on his own philosophies and musings rather than the topic of psychology.

As Adolf Hitler gained control throughout Europe in the mid-1930s, those Jews who were able to get out began to leave. Freud's friends tried to convince him to leave Vienna, but he resisted even when the Nazis occupied Austria.

When the Gestapo briefly took Anna into custody, Freud finally realized it was no longer safe to stay. He was able to obtain exit visas for himself and his immediate family, and they fled to London in 1938. Sadly, four of Freud's sisters died in Nazi concentration camps.

Freud lived only a year and a half after moving to London. As cancer advanced into his face, Freud could no longer tolerate the pain. With the help of a physician friend, Freud was given an intentional overdose of morphine and died on September 23, 1939 at the age of 83."