Karpe, Marietta_1984, Oral History, February 9, 1984

Item — Box: 18, Box: 324

Identifier: 324

Scope and Contents

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This interview discusses Marietta's childhood growing up in Pilzen, Czechoslovakia including her experience as a her education, being Jewish, and her involvement in the Jewish Youth movement Techelet Yava, later joining Jewish Youth Movement at University of Prague where she met her husband Richard, who was 14 years her elder, and they married the following year when she was 19. Both got involved in the study of psychoanalysis, which they continued through their life.

Also discussed is their flight from Europe and immigration to America as a result of Hitler's rise to power, which they didn't realize was so serious at the time. All of her family who remained perished, Marietta and Richard got out because a distant relative could sponsor them. They moved to Boston and other areas in Massachusetts (Marietta graduated with a masters in Social Work from Smith College late 1930s-pre 1941). Moved to Hartford in 1941.

Worked at Sheldon Guidance Clinic in New Britain, in retirement, worked with "Brighter Horizons" working with visually handicapped adults.

Researched origins of James Barrie and Peter Pan, particularly in regards to Psychoanalysis.

Talked about her children and grandchildren, some of whom live on a kibbutz in Israel near Lebanon boarder, was there during the 1982 Lebanon War.

Dates

Creation: February 9, 1984

Info Not on Tape

Handwritten note at end of partial transcript reads:

"Not on Tape-Continuation of P2 [See note on hard copy]

While studying psychoanalysis, was commissioned to translate introductory lectures on psychoanalysis by Sigmond Freud from German to Czech. They were never publised because of Hitler era. In order to clarify certain sections, wrote to Prof. Freud three times, and has three handwritten letters by Freud. We'll bring them at later date. G.B."

[See Marietta and Dr. Richard Karpe People File for Freud letters].