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Hans Holzer
Written and compiled by
George Knowles
Dr. Hans Holzer, PhD. was one of the early American writers to play a prominent role in the
spread of contemporary Witchcraft, Wicca and Paganism during the late 1960’s
and early 70’s. A prolific writer
of over 145 books, mainly on associated Occult, Paranormal and Supernatural
subjects, his early books on Witchcraft, namely: The Truth about Witchcraft (1969), The New
Pagans: An Inside Report On the Mystery Cults of Today (1972) and Inside
Witchcraft (1980) were
written when few other books on witchcraft were available.
As such he did much to boost and pave the way for many future
contemporary writers to follow him. Holzer
is perhaps best known as the famed Ghost-hunter and Paranormal-investigator
associated with the “Amityville House” horror
investigations, which later became the subject of several popular horror films.
In January 1977,
Holzer working with the well-known trance medium Ethel Johnson-Meyers, entered
112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York. In
1974 this had been the place
of a horrific murder,
when the then occupant “Ronald
DeFeo Jr” murdered his own parents and four siblings.
After entering the premises, Meyers
allegedly made contact the spirit of an old American Indian Chief, who revealed
that the site had once been a sacred Indian burial ground. During
his investigation Holzer discovered bullet holes created during the 1974 murders
and took some photos, these when developed showed some rather unusual anomalies,
for mysterious halos seemed to hover above them.
Holzer believed that Ronald Defeo Jr. may have been possessed by the old
American Indian chief, and that unscrupulous property developers had built the
house on a sacred Indian burial site, a claim that the Amityville Historical
Society strenuously tried
to discredit. Later while filming the documentary, Holzer managed to get a
representative from the property development company to reveal that the property
at 112 Ocean Ave. had indeed been built on a sacred burial ground. Hans Holzer
was born in Vienna, Austria on the 26th January 1920.
He claimed his interest in all things supernatural developed from
childhood stories about ghosts and fairies recited to him by his uncle Henry.
After completing his early education, Holzer went on to study
Archaeology, Ancient History and Numismatics at the University of Vienna, but
with Germany threatening war on his boarders, he left Austria in 1938 and
settled in New York. In New York he entered Columbia
University were for the next three years he studied Japanese and
Journalism.
His main interest at the time was in musical theatre, for which he wrote
a short-lived revue called “Safari”, and the book and music for “Hotel
Excelsior”, a minor musical about a group of young Americans in Paris,
which opened for a brief time in Provincetown, Mass.
He also wrote theatre reviews for The London Sporting Review. To
complete his education Holzer then studied at the London College of Applied
Science from where he received a Masters degree in Comparative Religion and a
Doctorate degree in Philosophy. A
year later he was offered a Professorship at the New York Institute of
Technology were he
specialized in teaching Biblical Archaeology and Parapsychology, he was also a
guest lecturer at many other Colleges and Universities. It was during his tenure at the Institute of Technology
that Holzer began his life long pre-occupation and investigations into Haunted
Houses. Working with Eileen
Garrett, a famous medium and psychic investigator, he received a grant from the
Institute to research and investigate Haunted Houses all across the eastern
United States. The result of their
investigations led to the publication of his first best selling book “Ghost
Hunter” published in 1963. In 1962 Holzer married the Countess Catherine Genevieve
Buxhoeveden, a descendant of Catherine the Great, with who he fathered two
daughters Nadine and Alexandra. His
wife Catherine was an accomplished illustrator/artist and drew many of the
illustrations for his future books, but after the birth of his second daughter,
their marriage ended in divorce.
Hans Holzer
(c.1969).
Holzer spent
the next five decades travelling around the world obtaining first hand accounts
of paranormal experiences. During this time he authored over 145 books on the occult and other associated supernatural
subjects. Throughout the years he
has worked with some of the worlds
best-known mediums, including: Ethel
Johnson-Meyers, Sybil Leek and Marisa Anderson, and interviewed most of
the occult worlds leading experts and researchers. Little wonder then that the popular press dubbed him
“Father Paranormal”. Aside from
his occult books, Holzer also
penned several theatre
plays, musicals, films and documentaries, and at the same time hosted hundreds
of Radio and Television shows. Outside
of his books on paranormal subjects, many modern Pagans may be surprised to know
that through the late 1960’s Holzer was one of the early writers to promote
contemporary Wicca, Witchcraft and Paganism in a new light, and through his
books connected hundreds of new seekers with covens and teachers.
He also led the way for a skeptical publishing industry to allow other
academic Pagan authors, such as Margot Adler and
Aidan Kelly, among others, to
write serious examinations of what we now call the “Pagan community”.
Holzer was himself an initiated High Priest in several pagan traditions,
to who he was considered an Elder statesman.
His last book on witchcraft is a tome called “Witches:
True Encounters with Wicca, Wizards, Covens, Cults and Magick (2002). Holzer passed peacefully to the other side on the 26th April 2009 at his home in Manhattan in
New York. He leaves behind his two
daughters Nadine and Alexandra, and five grandchildren.
His younger daughter Alexandra Holzer, like her father, is also a noted
author, artist, lecturer, spiritual consultant and paranormal investigator. A
select bibliography:
Ghost
Hunter (1963) Witches:
True Encounters with Wicca, Wizards, Covens, Cults and Magick (2002)
Sources:
http://www.alienseekernews.com/ Plus to many others to mention. Written and compiled on the 03rd May 2009 ©
George Knowles
Best
wishes and Blessed Be
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Site Contents - Links to all Pages
A Universal Message:
Let there be peace in the world - Where have all the flowers gone?
About me:
My Personal Page / My Life - Photo Gallery / My Place in England, UK / My Family Tree (Ancestry)
Wicca & Witchcraft
Wicca/Witchcraft / What is Wicca / What is Magick
Traditional Writings:
Wiccan Rede / Charge of the Goddess / Charge of the God / The Three-Fold Law (includes The Law of Power and The Four Powers of the Magus) / The Witches Chant / The Witches Creed / Descent of the Goddess / Drawing Down the Moon / The Great Rite Invocation / Invocation of the Horned God / The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief / The Witches Rede of Chivalry / A Pledge to Pagan Spirituality
Correspondence Tables:
Incense / Candles / Colours / Magickal Days / Stones and Gems / Elements and Elementals
Traditions:
Traditions Part 1 - Alexandrian Wicca / Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) / Ár Ndraíocht Féin (ADF) / Blue Star Wicca / British Traditional (Druidic Witchcraft) / Celtic Wicca / Ceremonial Magic / Chaos Magic / Church and School of Wicca / Circle Sanctuary / Covenant of the Goddess (COG) / Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) / Cyber Wicca / Dianic Wicca / Eclectic Wicca / Feri Wicca /
Traditions Part 2 - Gardnerian Wicca / Georgian Tradition / Henge of Keltria / Hereditary Witchcraft / Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (H.O.G.D.) / Kitchen Witch (Hedge Witch) / Minoan Brotherhood and Minoan Sisterhood Tradition / Nordic Paganism / Pagan Federation / Pectic-Wita / Seax-Wica / Shamanism / Solitary / Strega / Sylvan Tradition / Vodoun or Voodoo / Witches League of Public Awareness (WLPA) /
Other things of interest:
Gods and Goddesses (Greek
Mythology) / Esbats &
Full Moons / Links
to Personal Friends & Resources / Wicca/Witchcraft
Resources / What's a spell? /
Circle Casting and
Sacred Space / Pentagram
- Pentacle / Marks
of a Witch / The Witches
Power / The Witches Hat
/ An
esoteric guide to visiting London / Satanism
/ Pow-wow
/ The
Unitarian Universalist Association / Numerology: Part 1
/ Part 2 / Part
3 / A
history of the Malleus Maleficarum: includes: Pope
Innocent VIII /
The
papal Bull /
The
Malleus Maleficarum /
An extract from the Malleus Maleficarum
/ The letter of approbation
/ Johann
Nider’s Formicarius /
Jacob
Sprenger /
Heinrich Kramer /
Stefano Infessura
/ Montague Summers /
The Waldenses
/ The Albigenses
/
The Hussites / The
Sun Dance
/ Shielding (Occult
and Psychic Protection) /
Sabbats and Rituals:
Sabbats in History and Mythology / Samhain (October 31st) / Yule (December 21st) / Imbolc (February 2nd) / Ostara (March 21st) / Beltane (April 30th) / Litha (June 21st) / Lughnasadh (August 1st) / Mabon (September 21st)
Rituals contributed by Crone: Samhain / Yule / Imbolc / Ostara / Beltane / Litha / Lammas / Mabon
Tools:
Tools of a Witch / The Besom (Broom) / Poppets and Dolls / Pendulums / Cauldron Magick / Mirror Gazing
Animals:
Animals in Witchcraft (The Witches Familiar) / Antelope / Bats / Crow / Fox / Frog and Toads / Goat / Honeybee / Kangaroo / Lion / Owl / Phoenix / Rabbits and Hares / Raven / Robin Redbreast / Sheep / Spider / Squirrel / Swans / Wild Boar / Wolf / Serpent / Pig / Stag / Horse / Mouse / Cat
Trees:
In Worship of Trees - Myths, Lore and the Celtic Tree Calendar. For descriptions and correspondences of the thirteen sacred trees of Wicca/Witchcraft see the following: Birch / Rowan / Ash / Alder / Willow / Hawthorn / Oak / Holly / Hazel / Vine / Ivy / Reed / Elder. Also see: The Willow Tree (Folk Music)
Sacred Sites:
Mystical Sacred Sites - Stonehenge / Glastonbury Tor / Malta - The Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni / Avebury / Cerne Abbas - The Chalk Giant / Ireland - Newgrange /
Rocks and Stones:
Stones - History, Myths and Lore
Articles contributed by Patricia Jean Martin: / Apophyllite / Amber / Amethyst / Aquamarine / Aragonite / Aventurine / Black Tourmaline / Bloodstone / Calcite / Carnelian / Celestite / Citrine / Chrysanthemum Stone / Diamond / Emerald / Fluorite / Garnet / Hematite / Herkimer Diamond / Labradorite / Lapis Lazuli / Malachite / Moonstone / Obsidian / Opal / Pyrite / Quartz (Rock Crystal) / Rose Quartz / Ruby / Selenite / Seraphinite / Silver and Gold / Smoky Quartz / Sodalite / Sunstone / Thunderegg / Tree Agate / Zebra Marble
Wisdom:
Knowledge vs Wisdom by Ardriana Cahill / I Talk to the Trees / Awakening / The Witch in You / A Tale of the Woods
Articles and Stories about Witchcraft:
Murder by Witchcraft / The Fairy Witch of Clonmel / A Battleship, U-boat, and a Witch / The Troll-Tear (A story for Children) / Goody Hawkins - The Wise Goodwife / The Story of Jack-O-Lantern / The Murder of the Hammersmith Ghost / Josephine Gray (The Infamous Black Widow) / The Two Brothers - Light and Dark
Old Masters of Academia:
Pliny the Elder / Hesiod / Pythagoras
Biographies
Witches, Pagans and other associated People(Ancient, Past and Present)
(Departed Pagan Pioneers, Founders and Elders)
Abramelin the Mage / Agrippa / Aidan A. Kelly / Albertus Magnus “Albert the Great” / Aleister Crowley “The Great Beast” / Alex Sanders "the King of the Witches” / Alison Harlow / Amber K / Anna Franklin / Anodea Judith / Anton Szandor LaVey / Arnold Crowther / Arthur Edward Waite / Austin Osman Spare / Biddy Early / Bridget Cleary / Carl Llewellyn Weschcke / Cecil Hugh Williamson / Charles Godfrey Leland / Charles Walton / Christina Oakley Harrington / Damh the Bard (Dave Smith) / Dion Fortune / Dolores Aschroft-Nowicki / Dorothy Morrison / Doreen Valiente / Edward Fitch / Eleanor Ray Bone “Matriarch of British Witchcraft” / Dr. John Dee and Edward Kelly / Dr. Leo Louis Martello / Eliphas Levi / Ernest Thompson Seton / Ernest Westlake and the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry / Fiona Horne / Friedrich von Spee / Francis Barrett / Gerald B. Gardner / Gavin and Yvonne Frost and the School and Church of Wicca / Gwydion Pendderwen / Hans Holzer / Helen Duncan / Herman Slater "Horrible Herman" / Israel Regardie / James "Cunning" Murrell / Janet Farrar & Gavin Bone / Jessie Wicker Bell “Lady Sheba” / John Belham-Payne / John George Hohman / John Gerard / John Gordon Hargrave (the White Fox) / John Michael Greer / John Score / Johannes Junius the Burgomaster of Bamberg / Karl von Eckartshausen / Laurie Cabot "the Official Witch of Salem" / Lewis Spence / Margaret Alice Murray / Margot Adler / Marie Laveau the " Voodoo Queen of New Orleans" / Marion Weinstein / Matthew Hopkins “The Witch-Finder General” / Max Ehrmann and the Desiderata / Monique Wilson the “Queen of the Witches” / Montague Summers / Nicholas Culpeper / Nicholas Remy / M. R. Sellers / Mrs. Grieve "A Modern Herbal" / Oberon and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart / Old Dorothy Clutterbuck / Old George Pickingill / Paddy Slade / Pamela Colman-Smith / Paracelsus / Patricia Crowther / Patricia Monaghan / Patricia “Trish” Telesco / Philip Emmons Isaac Bonewits / Philip Heselton / Raymond Buckland / Reginald Scot / Robert Cochrane / Robert ‘von Ranke’ Graves and "The White Goddess" / Rudolf Steiner / Rosaleen Norton “The Witch of Kings Cross” / Ross Nichols and The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids / Sabrina - The Ink Witch / Scott Cunningham / Selena Fox / Silver Ravenwolf / Sir Francis Dashwood / Sir James George Frazer / S.L. MacGregor Mathers and the “Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn” / Starhawk / Stewart Farrar / Sybil Leek / Ted Andrews / The Mather Family - includes: Richard Mather, Increase Mather, Cotton Mather / Thomas Ady / Vera Chapman / Victor Henry Anderson / Vivianne Crowley / Walter Brown Gibson / William Butler Yeats / Zsuzsanna Budapest
Many of the above biographies are brief and far from complete. If you know about any of these individuals and can help with aditional information, please cantact me privately at my email address below. Many thanks for reading :-)
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