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Carbon copy typed letter in German, boldly signed twice at the head of the first page, "HH," and "Houdini," four pages, 8.5 x 11, August 21, 1925. Letter to Dr. Paul Suenner, in part (translated): "I just received the monthly magazine 'Physische Studien' from one of my friends: Volume 6, Leipzig, June 1925. And to my astonishment I find an article by Dr. med. A. Freiherrn von Schrenek-Notzing,—'Der Okkultismus im Lichte der gegnerischen Kritik' [Occultism in the light of opposing criticism], in which I am attacked in an unprecedented way.
It is hardly believable that this article was written by a well-respected man, especially when I consider that he only recently instructed a certain lady to visit me, which she did, with a letter from this same gentleman. If the Freiherr von Schenck-Notzing actually believes that I am some common trickster, why did he send this lady to me?...
I would like to inform the Freiherr von Schrenck-Notzing that I have 75,000 to 100,000 books on spiritualism, sorcery, and the like, and dedicate six months of every year to the study of these books. Two to three months a year I refuse any other employment and since I have a minimum weekly income of $2,500 to $3,000, I pay $25,000 for my studies annually. I urge Dr. Schrenck-Notzing to prove to me that any other spiritualist researcher spends so much money on research. I own the largest library on this subject in the world.
Furthermore, I possess over half a million newspaper clippings and hundreds of letters dating back to the beginnings of Spiritualism in 1848. I would also like to mention that I spend most of my money on research and do not strive to enrich myself materially. It should also be added that I spend part of my time giving lectures at American universities.
What is more, I am a member of the committee of the 'Scientific American,' which magazine will pay the sum of $5,000 to any medium that can produce proof that it is genuine. 'The Journal of Abnormal Psychology' also has a sum of $5,000 set aside for this purpose, and the editor, Dr. Morton Prince has elected me to this committee along with five professors from Harvard College in Boston. These two journals are the highest authorities of scientific psychology in America. So if Dr. Schrenck-Notzing could send a real medium here, this medium would promptly receive a sum of $10,000 after offering proof of their authenticity—and also $10,000 from Josef Rinn and $10,000 from myself: so $30,000 altogether. However, this medium would have to conjure up physical manifestations without being exposed and would have to repeat this three times before me and a committee chosen for this purpose. I am not skeptical, but I am looking for a real medium. If I cannot prove that the medium has undertaken the manifestation in a natural way and if I cannot imitate it in a natural way or cannot cause it to be imitated, then the medium can be described as genuine…
The Freiherr flatters me when he writes: 'an author like the Graf von Klin[c]kowström, who is willing to publicly disseminate in his work the frivolous and outrageous marriage of a materially interested professional illusionist without any verification as evidence against mediumism, although the exact minutes of the Societies of Psych. Research in English and German are available, is only aiming at Houdinist slanders which are apt to denigrate mediumistic research.'
To which I can reply that I have been a researcher of Spiritualism for 35 years and although I have letters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in which he claims that I am an 'occultist,' and although J. Hewat McKenzie, President of the British College of Psychic Science says that I can dematerialize and dematerialize myself, I must still state that I perform all my mysterious experiments or demonstrations in a natural way.
It will also be of interest that in the last 18 months, through my research and exposures of false mediums, in the United States there have been more arrests of false mediums than in all of the last 50 years… Every time I left a city, mediums gathered for large protest rallies. If these people could once bring me a real medium, they would convince themselves and silence me. I stand by my book, and if anything in it is not clear, I am always ready to make it clear.
I have the greatest respect for Dr Schrenck-Notzing, and for his views. Nor do I claim to be able to do his work, but I can examine pseudo-miracles and determine their authenticity. If Dr. Schrenck-Notzing and I were to be plunged into the Isar together in a wooden box, I would be the only one of us who would reappear on the surface.
I hope that the above proves to you that I am not only an illusionist, but have a real interest in finding a real medium."
In fine condition, with a rusty paperclip impression to the top edge. Accompanied by a complete German transcript and English translation.
Harry Houdini developed a deep interest in spiritualism during the early 20th century, when séances and spirit mediums were especially popular. While he initially hoped to find genuine communication with the dead—particularly after the loss of his mother—Houdini became convinced that most mediums were frauds who preyed on grief. Using his knowledge of stage magic, he exposed their tricks, often publicly unmasking deceptive practices like hidden devices, sleight of hand, and staged apparitions. His crusade made him both a fierce critic of spiritualism and one of its most famous debunkers.
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