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Erik Jan Hanussen: Hitler's Jewish Clairvoyant
The first victim of the Holocaust also supported the Third Reich.
274 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 7, 2010
An extremely interesting and informative book on Erik Jan Hanussen. I think the highlight for me is his last 'show' in the Palace of the Occult. Extremely vivid. It is not clear in the book as to what happened to the Palace of the Occult, which makes me curious if the building still stand today. Hanussen seems to be a huge mix of trickster, showman, libertine, clairvoyant, hypnotist, with a barrage of assorted underhanded techniques and cheats. Occasionally real clairvoyance or magic shinning though. Very hard to pin him down in any category. Either way his ability to manipulate events and events manipulate him is intriguing. A great read.
February 26, 2020
Una delle migliori biografie che abbia mai letto. La storia di Erik Jan Hanussen, personaggio complesso e bizzarro che divenne noto come mentalista e sensitivo, svolgendo i più disparati e avventurosi lavori tra cui detective (risolvendo numerosi casi grazie ai suoi supposti poteri), attore teatrale e cinematografico, e numerosi altri, divenendo una vera superstar nell'Europa degli anni '20. Personaggio controverso in bilico tra l'immagine del furbacchione truffatore e l'inquietante premonitore fino a quando non iniziò seriamente a prevedere molti avvenimenti del futuro e risolvendo casi logicamente impossibili. La sua vita cambiò quando predisse l'elezione e il totalitarismo di un allora poco noto e deriso Adolf Hitler, che lo prese sotto la sua ala facendosi dare dal celebre mago lezioni di retorica, mimica e sulla psicologia delle masse, per lui le cose si misero male quando iniziò a prevedere anche troppo quello che avrebbe dovuto sul partito tedesco, attirandosi ire e invidie di altri membri del nazionalsocialismo, le sue radici ebree peggiorarono ulteriormente la situazione.
Una biografia scritta in maniera avvincente come fosse un romanzo, costruita con una meticolosa ricerca tra giornali dell'epoca, riviste, lettere, diari e pubblicazioni di ogni tipo. Un personaggio eccentrico e affascinante, che ebbe, forse suo malgrado, un ruolo per quanto ricordato nella storia del Novecento.
Una biografia scritta in maniera avvincente come fosse un romanzo, costruita con una meticolosa ricerca tra giornali dell'epoca, riviste, lettere, diari e pubblicazioni di ogni tipo. Un personaggio eccentrico e affascinante, che ebbe, forse suo malgrado, un ruolo per quanto ricordato nella storia del Novecento.
June 1, 2024
Ok, forse sarebbe meglio dare un 4.8 o 4.9, più che un 5, che io associo a capolavori senza se e senza ma. Ma d'altronde sono sottigliezze così piccole, tra un 4.9 e un 5 che neanche vale la pena considerarle.
Il libro fila via che è un piacere e, a parte qualche piccolo passaggio un po' annacquato, è denso di contenuti, regalando un quadro generale della vita di Hanussen tutt'altro che abbozzato.
Il libro fila via che è un piacere e, a parte qualche piccolo passaggio un po' annacquato, è denso di contenuti, regalando un quadro generale della vita di Hanussen tutt'altro che abbozzato.
June 6, 2025
In preparing this very belated review I discovered that Eric Hanussen has attracted another biographer
ZArthur J. Magdia who in 2011 produced 'The Nazi Seance: The Strange Story of the Jewish Psychic in Hitler's Circle' (I haven't read the book but recommend the following review https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/mag...). Two biographies in ten years about a man for whom there is actually little evidence beyond his own bullshit it is quite extraordinary. The evidence that Hanussen and Hitler maintained any close or continuing contact is nonexistent, and based almost on conjecture and questionable accounts. Both biographers try to link him to the Reichstag fire but you will find no mention of him in any histories of that event.
Hanussen was little more than an ambitious and malicious opportunist who let his overwhelming desire for fame and fortune, combined with a remarkable capacity for self delusion, convince himself that he could manipulate the Nazis to his own power and purpose.
With variations the same might be said of Hanussen's biographers. Hitler wasn't a follower of or believer in the occult. He suppressed many in 1933 such as Thule Society. Although allowing Himmler his fantasies Hitler was only interested in power and how he could get and he used people and groups but he had little lyalty to anyone or anything outside his 'old fighters'. The story of Hanussen is interesting but without knowledge and context books like this distort what really happened.
ZArthur J. Magdia who in 2011 produced 'The Nazi Seance: The Strange Story of the Jewish Psychic in Hitler's Circle' (I haven't read the book but recommend the following review https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/mag...). Two biographies in ten years about a man for whom there is actually little evidence beyond his own bullshit it is quite extraordinary. The evidence that Hanussen and Hitler maintained any close or continuing contact is nonexistent, and based almost on conjecture and questionable accounts. Both biographers try to link him to the Reichstag fire but you will find no mention of him in any histories of that event.
Hanussen was little more than an ambitious and malicious opportunist who let his overwhelming desire for fame and fortune, combined with a remarkable capacity for self delusion, convince himself that he could manipulate the Nazis to his own power and purpose.
With variations the same might be said of Hanussen's biographers. Hitler wasn't a follower of or believer in the occult. He suppressed many in 1933 such as Thule Society. Although allowing Himmler his fantasies Hitler was only interested in power and how he could get and he used people and groups but he had little lyalty to anyone or anything outside his 'old fighters'. The story of Hanussen is interesting but without knowledge and context books like this distort what really happened.
July 4, 2018
A really interesting read. This is the story of a mentalist, someone who works as a psychic, but who realises what they are doing. Hanussen wrote a still very good book on muscle reading. Yet a German court decided he was a genuine psychic after he performed his act in court using well known & well used mentalist techniques.
May 25, 2014
This is a well researched, highly readable and hugely interesting book about Erik Jan Hanussen. The book is well illustrated with photos, newspaper articles, advertisements, even scenes from movies, related to Hanussen.
Erik Jan Hanussen (not his real name) was born Herschmann Chaim Steinschneider to two Jewish and struggling entertainers. Being exposed, when he was a child, to a theatrical environment probably influenced him to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Hanussen was acclaimed in his life as a hypnotist, mentalist, occultist, and astrologer.
Hanussen had quite an adventure filled life. Here is just one episode: When he was a young man, he was on a passenger ship. On this ship was an snake charmer who kept snakes in a basket. Some passengers even saw these snakes get fed mice. Another passenger on the ship asked if the snake charmer could perform his act on the deck for the passengers.
At the appointed time of the act, however, the snake charmer says that the snakes escaped. The passengers were in panic. The passenger who suggested the idea of the performance then told the passengers to be calm and stay where they are, on the deck, while he and the snake charmer look for the snakes. About 15 minutes later the snake charmer comes back with the snakes in the basket.
Hanussen, probably due to his experience in the entertainment industry, was suspicious. Hanussen pulled the snakes from the basket, exclaiming that these snakes were non lethal, and emptied the basket, out which came belongings and other valuables of the passengers. Those two guys were con-men; they used the 15 minutes to secretly rob. The two men were arrested, Hanussen was hailed as a hero, Hanussen even received money and business cards from some passengers.
Hanussen was a well-known stage magician, hypnotist, and occultist. He claimed to be clairvoyant. The author lists Hanussen's public predictions about politics and social affairs; some were false, others came true. My sense is that the correct predictions were due not to paranormal ability but from being knowledgeable about trends. I, the Great Ronald, predict that Scotland will not secede from the UK. I do not claim any great powers of precognition but instead have read articles and opinion polls about the subject.
Hanussen did something both morally terrible and dangerous for himself. Hanussen, who had kept his Jewish background hidden, became a public supporter of the Nazi Party. It has been claimed that Hanussen even met with Hitler more than once, though the evidence of him meeting Hitler seems at best circumstantial. Apparently, Hanussen was aiming for a high level position in the Nazi regime, perhaps as Minister of the Occult or something like it.
Hanussen's was outed as Jewish by some journalists, and Hanussen's relationship with the Nazi regime ended. Hanussen was murdered in April 1933.
From what I can tell, two movies were made about Hanussen. A third movie, Invincible by Werner Herzog, was not about Hanussen, but he was one of the characters.
Readers of my reviews know that I am big fan of dark fiction. The historical material here could make a remarkable dark-historical novel, maybe by Reggie Oliver.
Erik Jan Hanussen (not his real name) was born Herschmann Chaim Steinschneider to two Jewish and struggling entertainers. Being exposed, when he was a child, to a theatrical environment probably influenced him to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Hanussen was acclaimed in his life as a hypnotist, mentalist, occultist, and astrologer.
Hanussen had quite an adventure filled life. Here is just one episode: When he was a young man, he was on a passenger ship. On this ship was an snake charmer who kept snakes in a basket. Some passengers even saw these snakes get fed mice. Another passenger on the ship asked if the snake charmer could perform his act on the deck for the passengers.
At the appointed time of the act, however, the snake charmer says that the snakes escaped. The passengers were in panic. The passenger who suggested the idea of the performance then told the passengers to be calm and stay where they are, on the deck, while he and the snake charmer look for the snakes. About 15 minutes later the snake charmer comes back with the snakes in the basket.
Hanussen, probably due to his experience in the entertainment industry, was suspicious. Hanussen pulled the snakes from the basket, exclaiming that these snakes were non lethal, and emptied the basket, out which came belongings and other valuables of the passengers. Those two guys were con-men; they used the 15 minutes to secretly rob. The two men were arrested, Hanussen was hailed as a hero, Hanussen even received money and business cards from some passengers.
Hanussen was a well-known stage magician, hypnotist, and occultist. He claimed to be clairvoyant. The author lists Hanussen's public predictions about politics and social affairs; some were false, others came true. My sense is that the correct predictions were due not to paranormal ability but from being knowledgeable about trends. I, the Great Ronald, predict that Scotland will not secede from the UK. I do not claim any great powers of precognition but instead have read articles and opinion polls about the subject.
Hanussen did something both morally terrible and dangerous for himself. Hanussen, who had kept his Jewish background hidden, became a public supporter of the Nazi Party. It has been claimed that Hanussen even met with Hitler more than once, though the evidence of him meeting Hitler seems at best circumstantial. Apparently, Hanussen was aiming for a high level position in the Nazi regime, perhaps as Minister of the Occult or something like it.
Hanussen's was outed as Jewish by some journalists, and Hanussen's relationship with the Nazi regime ended. Hanussen was murdered in April 1933.
From what I can tell, two movies were made about Hanussen. A third movie, Invincible by Werner Herzog, was not about Hanussen, but he was one of the characters.
Readers of my reviews know that I am big fan of dark fiction. The historical material here could make a remarkable dark-historical novel, maybe by Reggie Oliver.
February 1, 2015
I was expecting a book about Nazi Germany and the occult. Instead I got a biography on Erik Jan Hanussen (EJH) with only the last 20% or so of the book about the 1930s and Nazi Germany. The inside flap does say it was a biography but I didn't see that when I purchased the book online. Still, it was an interesting read. While I'm not big on biographies, this one had an absolutely amazing amount of detail as it traced EJH chronologically from his birth to his death. The author clearly did his research. I am astounded that so much personal detail could be found, not to mention all the photographs. The book also describes how EJH would reveal in his published writing the secret to many of his stage tricks and includes those explanations for the reader. The end of the book has an interesting speculation regarding EJH's involvement with the Reichstag fire which I did not know. Those who like to read about Nazi Germany and the 1930s should enjoy this book for the perspective it provides on a peripheral part of that history.
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June 4, 2016This is a well-researched book as well as a well-documented one. Historical entries give the reader a foothold in the times, and documents from the period are recreated in the book to give the feeling of the mystical allure this man Hanussen had.
At time the documents seem to overwhelm the factual details about the man and particularly his relationship to Hitler.
It is a fascinating read for anyone interested in World War II ephemera and the nature of mystic showmanship.
Enjoy.
At time the documents seem to overwhelm the factual details about the man and particularly his relationship to Hitler.
It is a fascinating read for anyone interested in World War II ephemera and the nature of mystic showmanship.
Enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews