Freud Corner (Golders Green Crematorium)

When writing his will in 1919, Sigmund Freud stated that he wanted to be cremated as it was a cheaper and easier process than conventional burial.[1] Three days after Freud's death at 3 am[2] on 23 September 1939, his body was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. His son Ernst Freud had organised the funeral arrangements, and Harrods of Knightsbridge acted as funeral directors.[2] After the funeral, Freud's ashes were deposited in an ancient Greek bell krater from the 4th century BC which came from his large collection of over 2000 antiquities[2] (see below). The ancient bell krater, now serving as a funerary urn, was later placed atop a black marble plinth, designed by Ernst Freud[3] and erected in the crematorium's Ernest George Columbarium. This building, built 1922–1928, was designed after Ernest George's death by Alfred Yeates in Romanesque Revival style[4] as a three-sided building, grouped around a central lawn and a lily pond.

After Martha Freud's death in 1951, her ashes were also placed into the ancient bell krater.[5] In the decades since, many more members of the Freud family have been cremated at Golders Green. Their ashes are today kept on three-tiered white stone shelves erected on either side of the plinth with Sigmund and Martha's urn.

On New Year's Day 2014, Golders Green Crematorium staff discovered that burglars had apparently broken into the Ernest George Columbarium overnight and smashed the ancient bell krater containing Sigmund and Martha Freud's ashes in the attempt to steal the vessel. The severely damaged urn was afterwards temporarily moved to a secure location.[6][7] Today the restored urn is protected by a case of special glass and guarded. Visits to Freud Corner can only be made in the company of a member of Golders Green Crematorium's staff and after reporting to reception.

Freud Corner occupies a window niche, built in red brick, inside the crematorium's Ernest George Columbarium. In the centre of this niche stands a black marble plinth, with the funerary urn of Sigmund and Martha Freud on top. Their names, dates of birth and death are inscribed on the plinth in gold lettering. The vessel containing their ashes is a sealed[2] ancient Greek bell krater, likely made in Apulia,[2] painted with Dionysian scenes.[5] One of these images depicts Dionysus with a maenad. It is not known why, when, and by whom the decision was made to place Freud’s ashes in this vessel; there is no mention of such an intention in any of Freud's correspondence, in his last will, or in any subsequent family correspondence.[2] Freud had received this 2,300-year-old item from Princess Marie Bonaparte for his 75th birthday on 6 May 1931. Freud loved the piece, writing to Marie Bonaparte about it: "...it is a pity one cannot take it into one's grave."[8] He used to keep the bell krater on display in his study at Berggasse 19, Vienna, until his move to the United Kingdom in June 1938.

The white stone shelf to the left of the black marble plinth with the ancient Greek bell krater currently holds nine urns. While most of these are brick-sized brownish metal containers inscribed with the name, date of birth and date of death of the deceased, both the cremated remains of Colin Peter Freud and of Margaret Freud are kept in wooden caskets. The ashes of Dr. Lajos Lévy and his wife are in the same vessel. The following rest here:

The white stone shelf to the right of the black marble plinth currently holds four urns. The ashes of Tini Maresch are in a brick-sized brownish metal container like those already mentioned. So are those of Mathilde Hollitscher (née Freud) and her husband, which are in the same vessel. The ashes of Anton Walter Freud and his wife share a large wooden casket, while the cremated remains of Henny Freud are kept in a stone urn made of granite. The following rest here:

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Freud Corner (Golders Green Crematorium).

• High resolution photo of name plaques in Freud Corner (Golders Green Crematorium)