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Erik Erikson was born on June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany. His parents had

separated from each other before he was born and his mother wedded a Jewish doctor.

They raised Erik under the last name of Homburger, which belonged to his Jewish

stepfather. (Martin) His peers beheld him as Jewish, but his Jewish temple did not accept

him because of his appearance. Consequently, during his youth, Erikson had many

struggles with identity. (Boeree)

Erikson’s family very much wanted him to study science. Erikson did not do well

in school and did not continue on to university. Instead of pursuing the science degree, he

went to art school and enjoyed eight years of traveling Europe as a wandering artist.

(Martin)

After Erikson had graduated from art school, he began to teach at a private school

in Vienna. He attended the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society. He also taught in a small

private school and educated himself as a Montessori teacher. Erikson studied

psychoanalysis with Anna Freud, the youngest of Sigmund and Martha Freud's six

children. (Astor) He married a woman whose name was Joan M. Serson and had two

sons with her. (Boeree)

In the early 1930’s, Erikson moved his family to the United States. He became a

US citizen in 1939 and changed his last name from Homburger to Erikson. (Martin)

Erikson worked at Harvard Medical School, Yale University, and several private

appointments in their clinics for disturbed children. At Harvard he taught a course on the

life cycle that became very popular, especially during the untamed 60’s. (Martin)...