A Young Girl's Diary by Sigmund Freud, Cedar Paul, and Eden Paul

(19 User reviews)   6270
By John White Posted on Jan 3, 2026
In Category - Pilot Stories
English
Ever wonder what was going through the mind of a teenage girl in early 1900s Vienna? This book gives you a front-row seat. It’s the private diary of a girl named Grete, published with notes by none other than Sigmund Freud. On the surface, it’s about school, friends, and family drama. But underneath, it’s a raw, unfiltered look at the confusing rush of adolescence—crushes, jealousy, and the first shaky steps toward figuring out who you are. Freud’s commentary adds a fascinating, sometimes controversial, layer, making you question how much we really understand about growing up.
Share

Read "A Young Girl's Diary by Sigmund Freud, Cedar Paul, and Eden Paul" Online

This book is available in the public domain. Start reading the digital edition below.

START READING FULL BOOK
Instant Access    Mobile Friendly

Book Preview

A short preview of the book’s content is shown below to give you an idea of its style and themes.

identity of the writer and of other persons mentioned in the document. Consequently, surnames, Christian names, and names of places, have been changed. These modifications have enabled the original author of the diary to allow me to place it at the free disposal of serious readers. No attempt has been made to correct trifling faults in grammar and other inelegancies of style. For the most part, these must not be regarded as the expression of a child’s incapacity for the control of language. Rather must they be looked upon as manifestations of affective trends, as errors in functioning brought about by the influence of the Unconscious. THE EDITOR. VIENNA, _Autumn_, 1919. FIRST YEAR, AGE ELEVEN TO TWELVE FIRST YEAR July 12, 19 . . . Hella and I are writing a diary. We both agreed that when we went to the high school we would write a diary every day. Dora keeps a diary too, but she gets furious if I look at it. I call Helene “Hella,” and she calls me “Rita;” Helene and Grete are so vulgar. Dora has taken to calling herself “Thea,” but I go on calling her “Dora.” She says that little children (she means me and Hella) ought not to keep a diary. She says they will write such a lot of nonsense. No more than in hers and Lizzi’s. July 13th. Really we were not to begin writing until after the holidays, but since we are both going away, we are beginning now. Then we shall know what we have been doing in the holidays. The day before yesterday we had an entrance examination, it was very easy, in dictation I made only 1 mistake--writing _ihn_ without _h_. The mistress said that didn’t matter, I had only made a slip. That is quite true, for I know well enough that _ihn_ has an _h_ in it. We were both dressed in white with rose-coloured ribbons, and everyone believed we were sisters or at least cousins. It would be very nice to have a cousin. But it’s still nicer to have a friend, for we can tell one another everything. July 14th. The mistress was very kind. Because of her Hella and I are really sorry that we are not going to a middle school. Then every day before lessons began we could have had a talk with her in the class-room. But we’re awfully pleased because of the other girls. One is more important when one goes to the high school instead of only to the middle school. That is why the girls are in such a rage. “They are bursting with pride” (that’s what my sister says of me and Hella, but it is not true). “Our two students” said the mistress when we came away. She told us to write to her from the country. I shall. July 15th. Lizzi, Hella’s sister, is not so horrid as Dora, she is always so nice! To-day she gave each of us at least ten chocolate-creams. It’s true Hella often says to me: “You don’t know her, what a beast she can be. _Your_ sister is generally very nice to me.” Certainly it is very funny the way in which she always speaks of us as “the little ones” or “the children,” as if she had never been a child herself, and indeed a much littler one than we are. Besides we’re just the same as she is now. She is in the fourth class and we are in the first. To-morrow we are going to Kaltenbach in Tyrol. I’m frightfully excited. Hella went...

This is a limited preview. Download the book to read the full content.

This book presents the real diary of an Austrian teenager named Grete, written between the ages of 11 and 14 in the early 1900s. We follow her daily life in Vienna: her struggles at school, her intense friendships, her complicated feelings for her parents, and her first romantic infatuations. The diary is published alongside an introduction and footnotes by Sigmund Freud, who uses Grete’s own words to illustrate his theories about psychosexual development.

The Story

There’s no traditional plot. Instead, you get a year-by-year window into Grete’s inner world. One day she’s obsessed with a friend, the next she’s furious with her mother. She documents crushes on boys and older male teachers with a mix of innocence and sharp observation. The drama is in the small, real moments—a hurtful comment from a friend, the thrill of a secret note, the painful awareness of her changing body. Freud’s notes pop up to point out what he sees as classic signs of childhood sexuality and the Oedipus complex, framing her normal teenage angst through his revolutionary (and debated) lens.

Why You Should Read It

Grete’s voice is startlingly modern. Her worries about belonging, her fierce loyalties, and her emotional rollercoaster will feel familiar to anyone who remembers being a teen. Reading her diary feels like discovering a secret document. The real intrigue, though, comes from the pairing with Freud. It’s fascinating and a bit unsettling to see a real girl’s private thoughts become a case study. It makes you think about the gap between how we experience our own lives and how others might analyze them.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers curious about the history of psychology or anyone who loves authentic personal stories. It’s a unique two-for-one: a compelling historical diary and a direct example of Freudian theory in action. Be prepared—it might change how you look at your own old journals.



✅ Community Domain

This publication is available for unrestricted use. Thank you for supporting open literature.

Margaret White
7 months ago

Very helpful, thanks.

Daniel Martin
1 year ago

I didn't expect much, but the storytelling feels authentic and emotionally grounded. I would gladly recommend this title.

Amanda Walker
1 year ago

Helped me clear up some confusion on the topic.

Kevin Harris
2 years ago

Surprisingly enough, the pacing is just right, keeping you engaged. Definitely a 5-star read.

Steven Perez
8 months ago

Compatible with my e-reader, thanks.

5
5 out of 5 (19 User reviews )

Add a Review

Your Rating *
There are no comments for this eBook.
You must log in to post a comment.
Log in


Related eBooks