The Life of Fromm

Fromm was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in Frankfurt, Germany. Fromm was greatly influenced by his Jewish tradition of reason and intellect and by the emotional difficulties of being a member of a minority group. Fromm later became an atheistic mystic.
Fromm was astonished at the hatred and fanaticism of the people of Germany as they prepared for World War One. Fromm could not understand how his own relatives were so irrationally swept up into hysterical fanaticism. Fromm developed a need to understand the causes of irrationality in people. Fromm studied psychology, sociology, and philosophy. Fromm married his own analyst, who was ten years older. Fromm was critical of Freud for his refusal to admit the impact of socioeconomic forces on personality. Fromm immigrated to the United States in 1934 where he met Karen Horney. After working with Horney, Fromm divorced his wife and began a long affair with Horney. Fromm taught at Columbia and Yale, where he published several books and taught. Later, from established the department of psychology at the medical school of the National University of Mexico. Fromm was active in the peace movement of the 1960’s, was opposed to the Cold War, the nuclear arms race and the Vietnam War. He died in 1980.