It would appear that Sigmund Freud shared a boyhood passion with many of our readers. This memory is recounted in Freud's seminal The Interpretation of Dreams, and thus Napoleonic toy soldiers make a brief appearance in one of the 20th Century's most important and influential books. Freud recalls:
" One of the first books I had gotten hold of when I had learnt to read was Thiers' history of the Consulate and Empire. I can still remember sticking labels on the flat backs of my wooden soldiers with the names of Napoleon's marshals written on them. At that time my declared favorite was Massena (or to give the name its Jewish form Manasseh). No doubt this preference was also partly to be explained by the fact that my birthday fell on the same day as his, exactly one hundred years later."
It must be noted that Freud would continue his fondness for placing labels on things.
More Tales and Trivia
Back to Table of Contents -- Napoleon #3
© Copyright 1996 by Emperor's Press.
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