Erik Erikson was trained in psychoanalysis by the Freuds, but his understanding of the world around him and of people was rich, colorful and complex. Erikson did not just study psychology, he studied other aspects of life that play their own role in the understanding of people: anthropology, sociology, culture, history, and science. He was known more prominently as an ego psychologist, primarily concerned with identity and how personal identity is formed over the lifespan. Not only did Erikson lead an interesting life, he also lived during a series of major historical events that shaped his perspective and paved the way for his ground-breaking theories of development. Erikson’s birth marked his first confrontation of personal identity. Erikson was born in Germany to a young woman who was Jewish but had conceived by an Aryan man. He, himself, was blond and blue-eyed, but he was also Jewish. (Gross, 1968). As an outcast of society, Erikson …show more content…
He then graduated from the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute in 1933. (Coles, 1970). By this time, the political climate was becoming tense and foreboding. The anti-Semitism that had permeated Europe throughout the previous years was now reaching a dangerous climax. Given that Erikson was born Jewish, he and his young family were naturally concerned about the direction in which Europe was heading. When Hitler officially rose to power in the early 1930’s, Erikson left with his family to go to America, the pioneer nation. Fortunately, Erikson’s wife was living in Boston before going abroad, which offered an opportunity to not only leave Europe, but also to stay comfortably in America, unlike many other immigrants. (Gross, 1968). They narrowly escaped one of the most devastating events in history: The Holocaust. There is no question that if Erikson had remained in Europe, he would have experienced similar trauma and perhaps even