Early Life
Her parents were both physicians. She was particularly attached to her mother, Elisaveta Yanitskaïa, who treated children suffering from neurological disorders. Vera was later to say that her mother had a determining influence on her choice of career.She attended the Kiev Women’s Educational Institute for three years from 1913 to 1916 where she received a training in the methods of Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel. In 1913 she met and married Otto Schmidt who was to become a renowned scientist and Arctic explorer.
By the outbreak of the revolution, they had both developed an interest in psychoanalysis and Vera, who spoke German, had read Sigmund Freud in the original. A supporter of the revolution, Otto Schmidt rose to positions of power and influence in the new Soviet regime becoming a member of a number of People's Commissariats including Narkompros (Narodnyi Komissariat Prosvescheniya, or the People's Commissariat for Education) and he was also employed as the director of the State Publishing House (Gosizdat) from 1921-1924. In this capacity, he was engaged in the publication of works by Freud and his daughter, Anna Freud.
Read more about this topic: Vera Schmidt (psychoanalyst)
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