A Dozen Steps

The Real Beginnings

by Mark on January 7th, 2008

From Stellar Fire and Cora Finch;

“In Alcoholics Anonymous tradition, storytelling is a prominent part of recovery. Through telling their stories, new members learn to shape their experiences in a way that enhances identification with the group. Individual stories often recapitulate themes from the history of the fellowship itself.

The relationship between personal histories and the history of the group complicates the study of the origins of AA. A common view is one summarized by William White:

The historical thread that leads the birth of the largest fellowship of recovered alcoholics in history begins in Zurich, Switzerland; winds through Oxford Group meetings in New York City and Akron, Ohio; and settles on a meeting between two desperate men struggling to find a way out of the alcoholic labyrinth.

This paper explores the beginning of the thread described by White. Zurich was the location where Rowland Hazard [3], an American suffering from alcoholism, consulted Carl Jung. AA tradition identifies their conversation as the first event in a causal chain leading to the founding of the fellowship in 1935.”

[3] - AA tradition allows only the use of first names and last initials for members of AA. Although Rowland Hazard was never a member of AA, in publications following this tradition he is usually referred to as Rowland H. or Roland H. In the book Alcoholics Anonymous, and during his lifetime, not even his first name was used.

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