Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was born to Jakob and Amalia Freud in Freiberg, Moravia (now Příbor, Czech Republic). His family was Jewish, and his father was a wool merchant.

Freud began his studies at the University of Vienna, initially focusing on law but soon switching to medicine. He was particularly interested in neuroanatomy and physiology.

Freud received his medical degree from the University of Vienna. His dissertation was on the testes of eels, which he studied under the guidance of Ernst Brücke.

Freud spent four months in Paris, France, studying under neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. This experience significantly influenced his interest in hysteria and the unconscious.

Freud married Martha Bernays, the daughter of a prominent Jewish family. They would go on to have six children together, and their relationship lasted throughout his life.

Freud, in collaboration with Josef Breuer, published 'Studies on Hysteria,' which introduced the concept of the unconscious and the cathartic method as a treatment for hysteria.

Freud published 'The Interpretation of Dreams,' a groundbreaking work that laid the foundation for psychoanalysis and explored the role of dreams in revealing unconscious desires.

Freud traveled to the United States to give a series of lectures at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. This visit helped to introduce psychoanalysis to American audiences.

Freud was diagnosed with cancer of the jaw, which he had likely developed from his long history of cigar smoking. He underwent numerous surgeries and treatments over the next decade.

With the rise of the Nazis and the annexation of Austria, Freud and his family fled to London, England, to escape persecution. He continued his work in exile.

Sigmund Freud died in London, England, after a long battle with cancer. He was given a lethal dose of morphine by his doctor, Max Schur, at his request to end his suffering.