Abstract
1898
Born September 1898 in Karlsruhe (Grand Duchy of Baden), grandson of the family’s matriarch Fanny Fuchs and the son of Gustav Fuchs (third of 18 children, only two girls) timber merchant, and Sarah née Durlacher (family of wine merchants).He had three elder brothers: Richard (+11), artistic; Gottfried (+9) international football hero and Walter (+7), plus a single sister, Senta (+10).
1916
Matriculated from Gymnasium not classical, learns English not Greek.
1917
After the Abitur too young to join the Army, one brief course of architecture at the Politechnic.
1917–19
Served as telephonist and telegraphist in German army; served in France.
1919–21
Began medical studies, two Premedical semesters at Heidelberg. (“Read Jaspers, Gruhle. “This was in 1919, and ever since, Freud and his work have been the greatest influence in my professional life, and remain so at the present time. From then on I knew exactly what I wanted to be, namely a psychoanalysts” (Auto 1968).
1921
1st Clinical year studied in Munich; attended lectures by Kraepelin.
1921–23
2nd in Frankfurt; principal teachers Gustav von Bergman and Karl Kleist.
1923
MD Frankfurt. First marriage to Erna Stavenhagen.
1923–24
‘Practical’ half year in Berlin at the Charité II.
1924
Spent year at family firm in Karlsruhe, since German runaway inflation made economic outlook for doctors doubtful. Birth of son Thomas.
1925–28
Returned to postgraduate studies at Frankfurt, and did a year and a half of clinical medicine under Professor Strassburger, and two years of neurology under Professor Kurt Goldstein at the Neurological Institute of the Univ. of Frankfurt, the Institute for Research on the After-effects of Brain Injuries.
Daughter Lisa (now Mrs. Ward) born in 1927.
1928
Took wife and two children to Vienna. Began psychoanalytic and psychiatric studies in Vienna. Psychoanalyst: Dr. Helene Deutsch., the director of Training at Vienna Institute, offered him a vacancy herself and became his training analyst. More surprisingly, she also took his wife into analysis. SHF thought that to be strange, but he accepted it as he felt Dr. Deutsch knew what she was doing.1 Psychiatric training under Professors Wagner-Jauregg and Otto Pötzl and Schilder’s Seminars; worked with Heinz Hartmann, Hans Hoff, Erwin Stengel and Suzanne Zinng (Bleuler’s group) and others, as a foreign graduate of the Vienna Institute, likely to have problems to join the German Society as Associate.
1930
Professor of Neurology K. Goldstein went to Berlín City Hospital; 1933 in Holland as a Rockefeller Research Fellow (like Landauer) wrote Der Organismus. Went to Columbia University 1935.
1930
Foulkes returned to Frankfurt to join recently founded Frankfurt Psychoanalytic Institute where he had a half-time appointment in charge of the Clinic. Private practice as specialist psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.
Birth of second daughter Vera (Mrs. Mayer) in 1931.
1932
Marienbad Congress, intervention with the Police President tennis champion Otto Pforzheim in reference to the safety of the Congress. Knew Jones there. Motivated by the contacts during the Congress, he dared to write Freud a letter in reference to the exaggerated demands of Berlin.
1933
S.H.F., Erna and three children left Germany suddenly early in April to avoid having their passports confiscated. First went to Switzerland where he saw Horkheimer and colleagues, who were in Germany at the time and well informed about the situation in Germany. They confirmed his decision not to return.
He also went to Paris to see psychoanalytic colleagues there, but after receiving an invitation from Jones, to discuss the possibility of settling in London, he quickly decided to follow this up. Arrived in London in May 1933, and stayed there to the end of his life.
Jones advised him to obtain medical qualifications and work at the Psychoanalytic Clinic of the Institute Gloucester Place. Attended Westminster Medical School.
1936
British medical qualification: LRCP LRCS Edinburgh, LRFPS Glasgow.
Private practice as psychoanalyst in London. Planning to write a book with his analysand Norbert Elias. Also attended Wiesbaden Congress and made a visit to Freud.
1937
Full membership to the British Psychoanalytical Society with a paper on “Introjection”.
Divorced.
1938
Naturalized British subject.
Married, secondly, Kilmeny Graham.
Changed name from Fuchs to Foulkes.
1939
With the outbreak of the war in 1939, patients dispersed from London and SHF took a position as a psychotherapist in the busy practice of Dr. Craig, a psychiatrist who drew patients from a large area of the West Country in Exeter.
While expecting call-up for war service practised psychotherapy and group psychotherapy at Exeter. First groups conducted both privately and at Exeter Child Guidance Clinic. Foulkes starts his first group in Exeter that year (Foulkes.1948:39)
1942–46
Joined Royal Army Medical Corps. Appointed Major (Specialist in Psychiatry) and posted to Northfield Military Hospital near Birmingham. There introduced group methods on large scale and later took leading part in transforming hospital into therapeutic community, the first of its kind. At Northfield Foulkes meets James Anthony, Patrick de Maré, Martin James and others.
1942 wrote his first article on group analysis (published in 1944).
1942 Moreno’s Sociometric and Psychodramatic Institute in NYC & Soc. for Psychodrama and Group Psychotherapy and the Bulletin in 1943
1943
S.R.Slavson’s American Group Therapy Ass. –>Group Psychotherapy Ass. (1952)
1945
Moreno’s teaching for several months at the Tavistock Clinic &
Major Fritzpatric visited Moreno’s Sociometric Inst. New York and as a result the “Symposium in Group Psychotherapy: Some Group Problems in the British Army”(J.J.Rees, Hargreaves, Main, Wilson, Bion, Foulkes, Rickman, Trist, Bridger and Sutherland) was published.
1946
SHF returns to London after army service.
Took consulting room at 58 Portland Place.
Held regular meetings with colleagues interested in group psychotherapy.
1947–50
Associate Chief Assistant, Department of Psychological Medicine, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.
1948
The Monday night group. After wartime experience with group methods by a number of British psychiatrists mainly at Northfield Military Neurosis Centre near Birmingham, a small circle met regularly for discussion and exchange of experiences. This lead among other things to preparing a working paper on communication (a subject of special interest at that time) for the 1948 International Congress of Mental Health (see Therapeutic Group Analysis, pp. 269-278). Meetings continued, mostly at Dr. Foulkes’ house at 7 Linnell Close in London. In 1950 regular participants were Drs. James Anthony, Erna Dalberg, Pat de Maré, Norbert Elias, Martin James, Kräupl-Taylor and Sybile Yates… Others joined occasionally, including visitors from outside London and from abroad.
Publication of Introduction to Group-Analytic Psychotherapy. Convened group to present study of communication in a group at International Congress of Mental Health, London.
Visited USA (Lectured in New York, visited Boston, Washington and Baltimore and the Moreno Institute (Zerca)) and the AGPA.
Application to the S. H. Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board in October 1948 by Dr. de Mare.
1949
Memorandum on the proposed establishment of a group psychotherapy centre at the Maudsley Hospital in February 1949 had been unsuccessful in getting official support for group psychotherapy under the National Health Service.
1950
“Efforts therefore began to find the means to establish a private group-analytic centre. We looked at many houses and investigated and discussed the many problems connected with establishing such a centre. The late Richard Iliffe was especially helpful at this early stage, having discussions with lawyers, accountants and even the Howard de Walden Estate (the ground landlords of the Harley Street area with very strict rules about who might practice where). Richard Iliffe continued to be an active force until his untimely death in 1959.
One difficulty was finding experienced colleagues to work at such a centre when the financial outlook was rather uncertain, especially as the effects of the newly established National Health Service on private practice were hard to estimate. No one (apart from SHF) felt ready to teach, partly perhaps because group-analytic teaching requires active involvement, away from textbooks and other academic props.”
Private group-analytic centre. From the notes of a meeting on 20th March 1950: “Dr. Foulkes raised the problem of a more formal organization to meet increasing outside interest in the group’s activities. The general feeling ran counter to more organization and the group agreed to continue meeting, but that procedure should be more systematic and contributions read and discussed. The collective name of ‘Group-Analytic Research Centre’ was agreed.”
Foulkes appointed to staff of Maudsley Hospital: Consultant Physician to the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals (postgraduate teaching hospital attached to the Institute of Psychiatry)
1951
1951 Slavson’s Int. Journal of Group Psychotherapy
1951, Moreno visits London. Joshua Bierer shows hospital and later trip arranges meeting with himself, T.P.Rees, H. Ezriel, P.Senft, & S.H.Foulkes.to plan for a British Society of Group Psychotherapy and a British Journal—>Int. Journal of Social Psychiatry.
Spring 1991 a trip to Paris brought about the creation of the “First International Assn. of Group Psychotherapy” initiated and chaired by Moreno, that included among other Favez Boutonir, S. Lebovici, Foulkes, Bierer and Zerca Moreno.
Early in 51 Dr. Foulkes had to give up his consulting room at 58 Portland Place as the house was being sold and he took the ground floor at 22 Upper Wimpole Street. This he saw as a ‘pilot group centre’ to allow development of group analysis as well as consulting rooms for himself. Training seminars in group analysis.
“This ‘pilot centre’ was the beginning of the Group-Analytic Society (London) as well as the Group Analytic Practice. ‘22’ remained the Society’s headquarters until November 1966 when the practice moved to 88 Montagu Mansions (outside the restrictive Harley Street district) with consulting rooms for many senior members including Dr. Foulkes and where the Society was given hospitality. At the time of writing we still held committee meetings, workshops and other activities at ‘88’, though lack of space has caused a spill over into nearby 1 Bickenhall Mansions where the official headquarters are now located.”
In September 1951 Dr. Foulkes announced a course in group analysis: “… The course is intended to cover both elementary and advanced levels, from a practical-technical as well as a theoretical point of view. It will include small discussion groups under the direction of experienced tutors. If there is sufficient interest, therapeutic (training) groups can also be formed. All possible help and assistance will be given to research projects. Personal individual supervision or other forms of teaching can be arranged on special terms…”
“As hitherto group work done elsewhere may be used for supervision, It will however be obvious to you that it is most desirable to plan and control a number of groups centrally —desirable from all points of view, the therapeutic, the patient’s, the teaching and training as well as the scientific. It will therefore be possible to absorb a number of suitable groups. Any patients referred…”
1951/52
It took some years before all this could be put into practice. The first result was a weekly seminar by SHF during 1951/52. Regular participants included Jane Abercrombie, James Anthony, Ronald Casson, Paul de Berker, Pat de Maré, Julius Guild, James Home, Joyce Martin, Elizabeth Marx (later Foulkes), Dorothy Munro (later Ayton), Paul Senft and Hedwig Schwarz.
Announcement of the First International Congress of Group Psychotherapy. Meanwhile Slavson & Hulse arranged to make the AGPA member of the World Federation of Mental Health “A planed Int. Conference of Group Psychotherapy in conjunction to the WFMH failed to materialize because of irreconcilable differences between Moreno and Slavson and in 1954 the AGPA established new Committee on the International aspects of Group Psychotherapy” (Schillinger p2) In contrast Hadden “It was learned that Jacob Moreno and the Moreno Institute planned a meeting at the same time. Frank Freemond Smith. head of the WFMH, insisted that they join in a single congress on group psychotherapy. Delegated in Wilfred Hulse (AGPA) and Wellman Warner.
1952
Foundation of the Society. The Inaugural Meeting of the Society was held at 22 Upper Wimpole Street, London, W.1 at 8 p.m. on Tuesday 3rd June 1952. Present were: The Hon. W. H. R. Iliffe (Chairman), Dr. N. Elias, Mrs. M. L. J. Abercrombie, Dr. S. H. Foulkes, Dr. E. J. Anthony, Dr. B. P. de Mar-e, Miss E. T. Marx (Secretary).
“On being invited by Mr. Iliffe to sponsor the Society, Dr. Foulkes outlined the reasons for founding a formal body which would centralize the work of group analysts, wherever it was carried out. After discussing the aims as incorporated in the draft constitution he moved the resolution:
That this meeting feels it would be helpful to have a body representing those concerned in the development of group analysis (group-analytic psychotherapy) in all its aspects and RESOLVES to form a Society with the object of furthering group analytic theory and practice.
Mrs. Abercrombie seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The Chairman then announced the Society as formed.
The Constitution and Rules having been circularized in draft form were then considered and, after discussion, adopted in amended form. The first Officers of the Society were elected: Dr. Foulkes – President, Dr. Anthony and Dr. de Maré –Vice-Presidents, Mr. Iliffe – Hon. Secretary & Hon. Treasurer. At a meeting on 22nd July 1952 future plans were discussed in detail, particularly the question of membership, training and publications.
Training: A subcommittee was asked to draw up a training and lecture program, circulated and discussed by the whole committee on 23rd September. Colleagues known to be interested in group analysis were sent an announcement about the Society, the proposed training scheme and regular monthly ‘open meetings’. Monday night was chosen as the regular evening for meetings, (It still is.)
Mr. Iliffe made regular grants towards the expenses of the Society during the early years, and Drs. Anthony, de Maré and Foulkes gave all the income from groups they were conducting at Upper Wimpole Street towards expenses. Later when more groups got under way it was decided that each conductor be asked to contribute a levy of three guineas a session from their group earnings (the standard fee for groups was then one guinea a session, i.e.1 pound 1shilling, and most groups met once a week). The system of levies has survived to this day
The hope had always been that the practice of group analysis could subsidize scientific and research activities of the Society, but the Society itself was never directly engaged in therapy, having always in mind the likely future charitable status which has to be established before getting official recognition. Among those who conducted groups at ‘22’ were James Anthony, Ronald Casson, Pat de Maré, SHF, Jim Home, Malcolm Pines, Robin Skynner and Bill Stauble.
Scientific and other activities: On Monday nights there were various seminars and study groups dealing with clinical, theoretical and applied group analysis over the years but systematic training took longer to establish. The monthly meetings were held regularly at Upper Wimpole Street; at the first ‘open meeting’ on 3rd November 1952, 21 persons signed the visitors’ book. During the first three years attendance varied between 17 and 32, averaging just over 22, the most popular talks were those by Drs. Tom Main and Maxwell Jones.
1952–53
June. Inaugural meeting of the Group-Analytic Society. SHF was its President from 1952 until 1970
1954
SHF as a member of the International Committee for Group Psychotherapy attended first International Congress in Toronto.
Member of Council of British Psycho-Analytical Society.
1955
The first ‘general meeting’ of Members, Associate Members and students on 31st January 1955 was addressed by our Founding President, S.H.F, who spoke on ‘The Position of Group Analysis to-day with special reference to the role of this Society’ (extract published in the Society’s ‘News and Views’ No. 1, 1961). In recapitulating the characteristic features of the Society he said: “lt is a private, independent Society with high standards. Its aims are the development of group-analytic psychotherapy 1) as an experience, (2) as a technique, (3) as a tool used for investigation, whether psychiatric or otherwise, and (4) as a body of theoretical constructs based on factual and clinical observations; particularly concepts of use in the psychotherapeutic or socio-therapeutic field, and concepts linking up with the social sciences.”
1958
He does not say so, but there was held in Barcelona the First Symposium of Group Analysis. Robin Skynner joins with S. H. Foulkes in his practice.
Second visit to USA. Lectured in New York. Visiting Professor at University of North Carolina Medical School.’
1959
Death of Kilmeny Foulkes in USA.
1960
Aug.-Sept. The ‘Young Lions’ move to 66 Montagu Mansions, with a formal adoption of the epithet ‘Group-Analytic Practice’.
Married Elizabeth Marx.
1961–62
Chairman of Medical Section of the British Psychological Society.
1962 10th anniversary meeting of GAS was held at the Royal Society of Medicine on 2nd June 1962 (30 persons signed the book), followed by a dinner.
1963
In July Dr. Foulkes conducted a well-remembered informal workshop at Pallanza on Lago Maggiore, following the International Congress of Group Psychotherapy at Milan; another such meeting was held in Vienna after the Group Psychotherapy Congress there in September 1968.
Retired from Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals.
Appointed Hon. Physician to Joint Hospitals for one year to do research into the networks of patients.
1964
31st August, immediately after the International Congress of Psychotherapy in London, we held a meeting with a panel of speakers who had all recently written books on group psychotherapy: Helen Durkin, Jack Krasner, Emanuel Schwartz, S. R. Slavson, Hans Syz, F. Kräupl-Taylor and Dorothy Stock Whitaker, with S.H.F. in the chair. Tapes of this meeting are available.
Appointed Physician Emeritus to Joint Hospitals.
First year of the ‘General Course in Group Work’.
First twice a week group, started by Robin Skynner.
1964–65
Chairman of Psychotherapy and Social Psychiatry Section of Royal Medico-Psychological Association (which became Royal College of Psychiatrists).
1965
In October Mrs. Abercrombie who was then Scientific Secretary arranged a one-day meeting on ‘Work in Progress’ to enable members to learn more about each others’ work, especially those from outside London (this was highly successful and could perhaps be repeated from time to time?). Exactly 50 people signed the book on this occasion as also at the panel in August 1964.
Consultant for UNESCO in Israel (mainly to advise on school psychological services). Records of the consultancy.
1966
Move to 88 Montagu Mansions.
1967
1967, London, Concept of group matrix, 1967, (I-1),31-36
Founded Group Analysis International Panel and Correspondence (GAIPAC). Editor 1967-75.
1970
Retired from practice. Continued with teaching, writing and editing.
1970, Estoril, 1st:European Symposium September, 1970,3(3),195; 1971, 4(1)1-64
1st European Symposium on Group Analysis held in Estoril, Portugal, September.
1971
Appointed Foundation Fellow of Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Inception of the Institute of Group-Analysis.
First batch of Qualifying Course students start course.
1972
1972, London, 2nd:European Symposium in London Institute of Psychiatry “Large Group”, 1972,5(2)’77-126;77–126; 5(3),149-I55
2nd European Symposium on Group Analysis held in London, 1972/05/12-14
1973–74
1st London Workshop on Group Analysis, 1973/12/30/-1974/01/04
These various international undertakings remain the Society’s responsibility. All other training has now been taken over by the Institute of Group Analysis (founded in 1971). Our January Workshops in London, lasting five intensive days, are usually oversubscribed.
1973–83
1973, Altaussee, European Workshop (Ricardi) 26/05-02/06, 1973, 6(2), 123-124; 6(3),141-15l;
Period of overlap of premises with Institute of Group-Analysis at 1Bickenhall Mansions.
1974
First batch of Qualifying Course students qualify.
SHF gives a month’s intensive course in group analysis in Austria.
2nd London Workshop on Group Analysis
1974, London, 2nd European Workshop London 30/12-01/05 (See Large & Small Group comments), 1974, 7(1)19-29, 84-91 7(1,3),23-26,89,’159-162; 1975 1975, 8(2),93-96
1974, Altaussee, Workshop (Ricardi &GAS)
31/08-06/09, 1974,7(3),163-4
1974, Amterdam, 3rd. European Symposium September “Why is it so difficult to teach and to learn”, 1975,8(1).5-56; (2),97-98
1974, Berlin, Workshop on Group Analysis
31/01-03/02 Hume & Kreeger, 1975,8(3) 190-192
1975
1975, Altaussee, Intensive Course “How difficult is to escape hospitalization” 9 participantes después III ESGA, 1975, 8(1,3), 57;187-188
1975, Stockholm, European Workshop “Borders and Connections between therapy and training”, 1979,12(I),57-65
3rd European Symposium on Group Analysis held in Amsterdam.
1976
3er London Workshop on Group Analysis on “Change and Understanding”, 1976/01/04-09.
SHF Died 8 July.
1976, London, 3rd London Workshop. 04/01-09/01 “Change and understanding (activity vs.verbal methods)”, 1976, 9(1),43-44; (3),155-160, 253-26
1977
1977, London, 4th:London Workshop “Potentials for learning and change”, 1977,10(1-2), 78-79; 139-150
4th London Workshop on Group Analysis on “Potentials for Learning and Change”, 1977/01/03-07.
1978
1978, London, 5th London Workshop “Group analysis today,, 1978,11(I), 5l-63
1978, Stockholm, 4th European Symposium” Trainers and trainees in the group-analytic and adjacent fields” 26/08-28-08, 1979,12(I) 41-57
5th London Workshop on Group Analysis on “Group Analysis To-day”
1979
1979, London, 6th London Workshop “Learning to let things happen”, 1979,12(2), 158-165
4th European Symposium on Group Analysis in Estocolmo.
1980
1980, London, 7th London Workshop “Phantasy and Reality in Groups”, 1980, 13 (1) 57-66
1981
8th London Workshop “Group Analysis a Wider Role”, 1981, 14(2) 146-163
1981, Rome, 5th European Symposium. “Aspects of resistance in group analytic practice” 02/09.05/09, 1981,14(3).250-251
1982
1982, London, 9th London Workshop “Free speech in the service of healing and health”, 1982, 15 (1) 72-83 (3)207-218
1983
Institute of Group-Analysis and Group-Analytic Society move to Daleham Gardens.
1984
1984, Zagreb, 6th European Symposium “Group Analysis a Dialogue for Change”, 1984,18(I), 54-56.