Anna Freud: The Hampstead War Nurseries and the role of the direct observation of children for psychoanalysis



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of early childhood traumas revealed that there was no such thing as a traumatic 

‘event’; rather, experiences in later life (by the process of deferred action), seemed 

to determine which experiences were to retrospectively gain signifi cance as ‘trau-

matic’ (1958, p. 131). Yet elsewhere, discussing the same topic, Anna Freud also 

described how actual observations of early history could lead to a different under-

standing of trauma-memories in adult analytic treatments. She noted that infants 

may often repeat an action hundreds of times which in later life may be represented 

as one traumatic event. She observed that, although ‘as analysts we realize that 

past experience is telescoped in this manner, we are in danger of underestimating 

the extent of the phenomenon, when not reminded of it by the result of direct 

observation’ (1951, p. 157).

In appreciating the way in which analytic reconstruction could enrich direct 

infant observation, as well as the way in which observation could enrich analytic 

understanding, Anna Freud ultimately called for a ‘double approach’ (1958), in 

which the integration of the two kinds of data—direct and reconstructed—was 

to the ultimate benefi t of psychoanalysis. She argued that the incorporation of 

observational data was essential if psychoanalysis was to develop a fully integrated 

‘psychoanalytic child psychology’, and that this approach would lead to a better 

understanding of the typical sequences of child development, especially in regard 

to the earliest, pre-verbal stages of development (1965). She gives the example of 

the infant’s reaction to the depression and emotional withdrawal of the mother early 

in life, making reference to the observational work of Ribble (1943), Fries (1946), 

Spitz (1945) and Bowlby (1951). While arguing that the impact of such experience 

was fi rst ‘discovered’ through analytic reconstruction, Anna Freud argues that the 

‘addition of the observational to the reconstructive method has raised this discovery, 

in the course of less than twenty years, from the status of a hypothesis to that of 

a near-certainty’ (1958, pp. 120–1). Combining these two approaches not only 

increases our knowledge; it also lends added credibility to our fi ndings, because the 

two methods can ‘check-up on each other’ (1965, p. 24).

The impact of this double approach can be seen clearly in Anna Freud’s own 

work, both in the creation of the Provisional Diagnostic Profi le and, more especially, 

the concept of Developmental Lines (A. Freud, 1965). It was here that Anna Freud 

created her most complete synthesis of observational data with the fi ndings  of 

analytic reconstruction, in order to produce a psychoanalytically informed, observa-

tionally based way of assessing development which could be used by both analysts 

and other workers involved in the care of young children. (For a fuller account of 

Anna Freud’s concept of developmental lines, see Edgcumbe, 2000.) 

The infl uence of the double approach can also be seen in the post-war activities of 

child development centres such as Yale Child Study Center, where Ernst Kris began 

to organize the systematic, longitudinal study of young children in the early 1950s, 

as well as in the clinical and research activities of the Hampstead Child-Therapy 

Clinic itself. For example, observations of four young twins in the Hampstead War 

Nurseries was later complemented by psychoanalytic treatment during adolescence, 

allowing sophisticated analysis, amongst other things, of the way in which external 

events are elaborated in internal reality, the formation of cover memories and the 



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distortion of memories by later developmental processes (Burlingham, 1963). 

Moreover, the existence of a baby clinic, a number of toddler groups and a nursery 

within the Hampstead Child-Therapy Clinic—all of which collected observations 

of a large number of children who later went on to receive analytic treatment at the 

Clinic—allowed a continuing interaction between direct observational data and that 

derived from analytic treatment, with valuable results (e.g. Burlingham, 1972).

Such a co-ordination of these two ways of investigating early childhood became 

one of the cornerstones of Anna Freud’s approach to psychoanalysis, and in being 

one of the fi rst analysts to actually achieve such a ‘double approach’ in her own 

working life, this is testament to Anna Freud’s contribution to the practice of infant 

observation—and to the theory of psychoanalysis itself.

Translations of summary

Anna Freud: die Hampstead War Nurseries und die Rolle der direkten Kinderbeobachtung in der 

Psychoanalyse.  Die psychoanalytische Kinderbeobachtung hat eine lange Geschichte. Sie nahm ihren 

Anfang im frühen 20. Jahrhundert, als die Psychoanalyse und die damals auftauchende Kindheitsforschung 

in Freuds Wien miteinander in Kontakt kamen. Anna Freud, die als Pionierin die direkte Kinderbeobachtung 

mit dem aktuellen, im Behandlungszimmer gewonnenen psychoanalytischen Wissen zu integrieren 

versuchte, hat auf diesem Feld eine entscheidende Rolle gespielt. Ihren wichtigsten Beitrag zur Theorie 

und Praxis der Kinderbeobachtung aber leistete sie im 2. Weltkrieg, als sie die Hampstead War Nurseries 

gründete. In diesem Beitrag wird diese wichtige Phase ihrer berufl ichen Laufbahn detailliert beschrieben. 

Der Verfasser diskutiert überdies deren Einfl uss auf Anna Freuds spätere Arbeit und untersucht den 

theoretischen Beitrag, den Anna Freud in den Nachkriegsjahren zur Debatte über die Rolle der direkten 

Beobachtung in der Psychoanalyse leistete. Er gelangt zu dem Schluss, dass Anna Freuds „dualer Ansatz“ 

(direkte Beobachtung plus analytische Rekonstruktion) als Methode der psychoanalytischen Forschung 

und Ausbildung nach wie vor gewinnbringend genutzt werden kann.



Anna Freud: Los asilos de guerra de la Hampstead (Hampstead War Nurseries) y el papel de la 

observación de niños en psicoanálisis. La tradición psicoanalítica de la observación infantil tiene una 

larga historia, que se retrotrae a principios del siglo XX, cuando el psicoanálisis y el naciente campo 

de ‘estudios de niños’ entraron en fructífero contacto en la Viena de Freud. Anna Freud desempeñó un 

papel crucial en el surgimiento de este campo, como fi gura importante en la tentativa de integración de la 

observación directa con los nuevos conocimientos psicoanalíticos que surgen de la práctica clínica. Pero su 

principal contribución a la teoría y a la práctica de la observación de niños tuvo lugar durante la Segunda 

Guerra Mundial, cuando fundó las Hampstead War Nurseries [Asilos de guerra de la Hampstead]. Este 

artículo detalla este importante periodo de la carrera de Anna Freud, y discute el impacto que tuvo en su 

trabajo posterior como psicoanalista. Asimismo el trabajo explora su contribución teórica en la posguerra al 

debate sobre el rol de la observación infantil en el psicoanálisis, y concluye que el “doble enfoque” de Anna 

Freud (observación directa más reconstrucción analítica) aún tiene mucho que ofrecer como método, tanto 

para la investigación como para la formación psicoanalíticas.



Anna Freud : Les crèches de guerre de Hampstead et le rôle de l’observation directe des enfants en 

psychanalyse. La tradition psychanalytique d’observation directe des enfants a une longue histoire, remon-

tant aux débuts du 20

ème

 siècle, lorsque la psychanalyse et le champ émergeant d’ « études de l’enfant » se 



sont rencontrés de façon fructueuse dans la Vienne de Freud. En tant que fi gure de proue de l’effort pour 

intégrer l’observation directe dans la nouvelle connaissance psychanalytique qui se faisait jour à partir de 

la consultation, Anna Freud a joué un rôle crucial dans l’émergence de ce champ. Toutefois, sa principale 

contribution à la théorie et à la pratique de l’observation des enfants est venue au cours de la deuxième 

guerre mondiale, lorsqu’elle a fondé les crèches de guerre de Hampstead. Le présent article décrit de façon 

détaillée cette importante période de la carrière de Anna Freud, et discute son impact sur l’œuvre ultérieure. 

Il explore la contribution théorique de Anna Freud dans les années d’après-guerre au débat sur la place de 

l’observation directe en psychanalyse, et conclut que la « double approche » d’Anna Freud (observation 

directe et reconstitution analytique) est toujours très pertinente en tant que méthode aussi bien pour la 

recherche que pour la formation psychanalytiques. 




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Anna Freud: gli asili di Hampstead ai tempi della guerra e il ruolo dell’osservazione infantile in psico-

analisi. La tradizione psicoanalitica dell’osservazione infantile diretta ha una lunga storia che risale agli 

inizi del 20esimo secolo, con l’incontro, nella Vienna di Freud, fra la psiconalisi e gli studi allora emergenti 

basati sull’osservazione diretta. Anna Freud rivestì un ruolo predominate nell’emergenza di questa nuova 

disciplina e nel tentativo di integrarla con la conoscenza acquisita dalla prassi clinica in psicoanalisi. Il suo 

maggior contributo alla teoria e alla pratica dell’osservazione infantile avvenne durante la Seconda Guerra 

Mondiale con l’istituzione degli asili di Hampstead. Questo lavoro descrive in dettaglio questo periodo 

importante della carriera di Anna Freud e esplora il suo impatto sul lavoro successivo della psicoanalista. 

Vengono esaminati i contributi teorici che Anna Freud ha apportato, dopo la guerra, al dibattito sul ruolo 

dell’osservazione infantile diretta nella psicoanalisi. Si conclude affermando che il ‘duplice approccio’ di 

Anna Freud (osservazione diretta e ricostruzione analitica) ha ancora molto da offrire sia nel campo della 

ricerca che in quello della formazione. 

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