The debate between Janet and Freud revisited: trauma and memory (1892-1895/1913-1914)

Abstract

The relationship between trauma and memory disorders is not an essential one; in fact, its origins can be traced back to the 1890s, to the works of Janet and Freud. In this article, we focus on two brief but fundamental periods in the works of both of these authors (1892-1895 and 1913-1914). Against most contemporary literature on the subject, we argue that Freud’s works gave much more importance than Janet’s to the relationship between trauma, memory, and pathology. Furthermore, we reconstruct two essential parts of their debate: the discussion about the relevance of hereditary and accidental factors and the one about the function of memory within the framework of treatment. As bibliographic sources, we use theoretical and clinical works—allowing for a better appreciation of the relationship between trauma and memory in both authors’ theories and practices.