Reider papers SFCP.MSS.005

Finding aid prepared by Jackie Jay, Greg Borman, and Chris Gordon

San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis

444 Natoma St.

San Francisco, California, 94103

(415) 563-4477

chris.gordon@sf-cp.org

January 2016

Title: Reider papers

Identifier/Call Number: SFCP.MSS.005

Contributing Institution: San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis

Language of Material: English

Physical Description: 4.6 Linear feet 11 cartons

Date (inclusive): 1822-1980s

Abstract: The Reider papers consist of correspondence, invoices, biographical information, materials covering general psychoanalysis, research into chess, investigations of homosexuality and male homosexuality in ancient Greece, game theory, and the history of religion. The materials in the collection span the years 1822-1989, with most of the older materials being photocopies of books. This collection provides an oversight of work and research done by Reider during his lifetime.

Language of materials: Materials are in English, German, Japanese, and Russian.

creator: Reider, Norman, 1907-1989

creator: Rudner, Norman, 1907-1989

Conditions governing access

For use by researchers and students of psychoanalysis subject to archive rules and regulations.

Conditions governing use

Subject to copyright restrictions.

Preferred citation

'The San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis Archives' Record Unit/Accession # and/or Collection Title.

Biographical note

Norman Reider was born in Canton, Ohio in 1907 and passed away in San Francisco in 1989. He obtained both his B.A. and M.D. degrees at Western Reserve University (now known as Case Western Reserve University) in Cleveland, Ohio. Reider married Louise Cohen in 1927, who became a psychiatric social worker but ceased this work starting in 1946. Following an internship in New York in 1933, Reider relocated to Topeka, Kansas during the years 1934-1939 to complete a residency at the Menninger Clinic. After brief stays in Los Angeles (analytic training), Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri (Army Medical Corps service), and New York again, he settled in San Francisco, where he remained from 1946-1989. During this time, he maintained a private practice and became involved with the San Francisco Society and Institute for Psychoanalysis, where he was Chair of the Education Committee for many years. He also served as Chief of Psychiatry and Senior Psychiatrist at Mount Zion Medical Center. In addition, he wrote a number of scholarly articles, including “Chess, Oedipus, and the Mater Dolorosa”, “Medieval Oedipal Legends About Judas”, and “The Unmarried Father”. Professional associations he was involved with include the American Psychoanalytic Association, International Psychoanalytic Association, and the Northern California Medical Society. He also served on the board of the ACLU of Northern California. Throughout the five decades in which he lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, Reider established himself as a distinguished psychoanalyst.

Scope and contents

The Reider papers include correspondence, invoices, biographical information, general psychoanalytic materials, miscellaneous items, a wide range of documents covering chess including biographical information on chess players, research and writings on male homosexuality and homosexuality in ancient Greece, game theory, and the history of religion. The materials in the collection span the years 1822-1989, with much of the older materials being photocopies from books. The majority of the correspondence, which spans the years 1926-1985, concerns Reider's strong interest in the history and psychology of chess. The invoices collected here cover purchases Reider made in the areas of chess and psychoanalytic research. There is also biographical information, primarily in the form of news clippings, that cover times when Reider was also known as Norman Rudner. Further into the papers are items covering general psychoanalytic topics, predominantly in the form of manuscripts written by others. The Chess series has the most folders of all of the series, and includes materials relating to the history of chess, analysis of chess, chess newsletters, and individual folders on chess players. The Greece - homosexuality and Homosexuality series consist of items that Reider accumulated mostly to support his research into male homosexuality in ancient Greece. Lastly, the Game theory and History of religion series round out the collection.

Arrangement note

The collection has been arranged in the following series: Correspondence, Invoices, Rudner/Reider, Norman - biography, Psychoanalysis, Miscellaneous, Chess, Greece - homosexuality, Homosexuality, Game Theory, and History of Religion. Within the Chess series, there are the following subseries: Chess - analysis of chess, Chess - Soviets and chess, and Chess - professional players.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Chess -- History

Chess -- Psychological aspects

Chess players

Correspondence

Game theory

Homosexuality -- Greece -- History

Male homosexuality

Photographs

Psychoanalysis

Religion -- History

Correspondence 1926-1985

Language of Material: English

Physical Description: 14.0 Folder

Box 1, Folder 1

Correspondence (1926-1950) Reider.001 1926-1950

Language of Material: English