Franz Bardon and his teachers

Franz Bardon and his teachers.

By Richard Laufenburg

The Czech magician Franz Bardon (born Dec 1, 1909 in Troppau (-Opava),

Moravia ñ died July 10.1958) made a big impact on the German occult scene since the 1950ís when his books first appeared in Germany. Soon his books were translated into English and since then his influence is growing more and more in the English speaking world

Many of his followers are asking: Who were Franz Bardonís teachers? There is a lot of speculation out there about this question. One can obviously see the influence of Paschal Beverly Randolph in Bardonís first book: Initiation into Heretics. (For ex. Magical mirrors, fluid condensers etc.)

Paschal Beverly Randolph was a nineteenth century, black American spiritualist, Rosicrucian, and sex-magician who travelled extensively in Europe, the near and middle east. His most famous book is Magia Sexualis.

An other name that comes up as one of Bardonís teacher is Rah Omir Quintscher.

Who is Rah Omir Quintscher? Not too much is known about this person at this time. But undoubtedly more about this magician will be made public in the not too far future, especially since his books are now being made available in photocopied versions on the ìgreyî German book market.

So far I can only quote what is published in the very well researched: Lexikon des Geheimwissens (Lexicon of the secret knowledge) by Horst E. Miers. This book is published in Germany by the Goldman-Verlag, ISBN No: 3-442-12179-5

The Lexicon says about Quintscher that Rah Omir Quintscher is a pseudonym for Friedrich Wilhelm Quintscher who was born Oct.3, 1893 in Nassen, Germany and died May 8, 1945 in Seichen/Jauer, Silesia (now in Poland). Other Pseudonyms that he used were Ram Ophias, Chakum Kabbali and ìFredo von der Weltî.

The Lexikon further states that Quintscher was the founder of the Orden der mentalistischen Bauherren (Order of mentalistic builders). He also founded the: Arbeiter Freimaurerbund (Workerís Freemasonís league), Afrikanische Bauherren (African builders), Johannisbrueder (St. Johnís brothers) and many other groups. For a short while Quintscher was also a member of the Fraternitas Saturni.

Some books that Quintscher authored are: Denu val gumas, das ist die Magie des Willens oder das sagenhafte Geheimbuch der Bauherren (Denu val gumas, this is the magic of the will or the legendary secret book of the builders).

An other book which he published under the name Rah Ophias is: Das Buch der magischen Praktik (The book of the magical praxis).

Also according to the "Lexikon", Quintscher worked also with Dr. Mussalam a pseudonym for Franz Staettler PhD who was born March 7, 1884 in Bruex (Bohemia and died around 1942.

Mussalam is an Arabian word meaning ìintactî. Mussalam is the founder of the Adonismus (Adonism) and the ìAdonistische Gesellschaft fuer das deutsche Sprachgebiet (Adonistic Society for the German speaking territories).î Mussalam was the Grand Master of that society. According to the ìLexicon des Geheimwissensî the Adonistic Society was a sexual-magical organisation founded May 1, 1925 by Mussalam. They declared themselves as the European sister organisation of the oriental order ìNizam el Khatî.

According to the ìLexikonî, part of the Adonistic teachings are transmitted by Franz Bardon in his works.

Dr. Mussalam travelled a lot in the Orient. After the First World War he met there oriental esoterists who admitted him into their lodge organisation as Brother Mussalam Chakum. Chakum is a chaldean word meaning: initiate. The Chakums are the initiates in the mysterious temple-city Bit Nur in the legendary Nuristan. To the Adonists Bit Nur is the oldest holy shrine in this world.

The ìLexikonî also mentions that Franz Bardon belonged to the circle around Karl Weinfurter in Prague. Apparently Franz Bardon was Karl Weinfurter master student. Winfurter was a Czech Mystic.

If you like to know more about Weinfurterís teachings you can get a book from Kessinger Publications (they are on the web). The name of the book is: Manís Highest Purpose. ISBN 0-922802-11-4

(After I posted this article first on the alt.magic

newsgroup catherine yronwode corrected some of my statements. Her response is posted below. R.L)

I have corrected a few typographical glitches and interlineated some

further comments to this very interesting article. Thanks, Richard (and

Gnome).

Gnome d Plume ([email protected]) wrote:

> [email protected] (Richard Laufenburg) wrote:

> > Franz Bardon and his teachers.

> >

> > The Czech magician Franz Bardon (born Dec 1, 1909 in Troppau

> > (-Opava), Moravia -- died July 10.1958) made a big impact on the

> > German occult scene since the 1950's when his books first appeared

> > in Germany. Soon his books were translated into English and since

> > then his influence is growing more and more in the English

> > speaking world

> >

> > Many of his followers are asking: Who were Franz Bardon's

> > teachers? There is a lot of speculation out there about this

> > question. One can obviously see the influence of Paschal Beverly

> > Randolph in Bardon's first book: "Initiation into Hermetics" (for

> > ex. Magical mirrors, fluid condensers etc).

> >

> > Paschal Beverly Randolph was a nineteenth century, black American

> > spiritualist, Rosicrucian, and sex-magician who travelled

> > extensively in Europe, the near and middle east. His most famous

> > book is: "Magia Sexualis."

"Magia Sexualis" is not actually a book Randolph published, nor is it

very well-known in America, although it is famous in Europe. It consists of extracts from Randolph's 1876 book "Eulis!" translated into French in the 1930s, to which the translator added some material on astrology, which she inexplicably credited to Randolph, despite the fact that he never wrote on that subject.

Although an American edition of "Magia Sexualis" was published in the

USA in the late 1970s, it is a very poor re-translation from the French

translation back into English. Meanwhile, the original version of

Randolph's books "Seership" and "Eulis!" are still available, and are

much to be preferred.

A definitive biography of Randolph, with lengthy extracts from "Eulis!"

is "Paschal Beverley Randolph" by John Patrick Deveney.

> > An other name that comes up a lot as one of Bardon's teacher is

> > Rah Omir Quintscher.

> I've heard this fellow referred to as "Quincher" (s.p.?) He was

> apparently in a Nazi prison camp with Franz (see *Frabarto*).

> > Who was Rah Omir Quintscher? Not too much is known about this

> > person at this time. But undoubtedly more about this magician will

> > be made public in the not too far future, especially since his

> > books are now being made available in photocopied versions on the

> > "grey" German book market.

> >

> > So far I can only quote what is published in the very well

> > researched "Lexikon des Geheimwissens" ("Lexicon of the Secret

> > "nowledge") by Horst E. Miers. This book is published in Germany

> > by the Goldman-Verlag, ISBN No: 3-442-12179-5

> >

> > The "Lexikon" says about Quintscher that Rah Omir Quintscher is a

> > pseudonym for Friedrich Wilhelm Quintscher who was born Oct.3,

> > 1893 in Nassen, Germany and died May 8, 1945 in Seichen/Jauer,

> > Silesia (now in Poland). Other pseudonyms that he used were Ram

> > Ophias, Chakum Kabbali and Fredo von der Welt.

> >

> > The "Lexikon" further states that Quintscher was the founder of

> > the Orden der Mentalischen Bauherren (Order of Mentalistic

> > Builders). He also founded the: Arbeiter Freimaurerbund (Workers

> > Fremason's League), Afrikanische Bauherren (African builders),

> > Johannisbrueder (St. John's Brothers) and many other groups. For a

> > short while Quintscher was also a member of the Fraternitas

> > Saturni.

Quintscher's groups are apparnently all fringe-Freemasonry

organizations, to judge by their names. Even the one that may be less

blatant in this implication, St. John's Brothers, will be a name highly

familiar to Freemasons, for obvious reasons. Likewise, Paschal Beverly

Randolph also led a seemingly fringe-Freemasonic group, The Triplicate

Oder, founded in San Francisco in 1861. (See Deveney's biography for

further details.)

> > Some books that Quintscher authored are: "Denu val gumas, das ist

> > die Magie des Willens oder das Sagenhafte Geheimbuch der Bauherren

> > ("Denu val gumas, This is the Magic of the Will, or, the Legendary

> > Secret Book of the Builders").

The association of "the Magic of the Will" goes back to Randolph also,

as he wrote in 1876 in "Eulis!": "Will Reigns Omnipotent; Love Lieth at

the Foundation."

> > Another book, which he published under the name Rah Ophias is "Das

> > Buch der Magischen Praktik" ("The book of the Magical Praxis").

> >

> > Also according to the "Lexikon", Quintscher worked also with Dr.

> > Mussalam, a pseudonym for Franz Saettler PhD, who was born March

> > 7, 1884 in Bruex (Bohemia) and died around 1942. Mussalam is an

> > Arabian word meaning "intact". Mussalam was the founder of

> > Adonismus (Adonism) and the Adonistische Gesellschaft fuer das

> > Deutsche Sprachgebiet" ("Adonistic Society for the German-Speaking > > Territories"). Mussalam was the grand master of that society.

> > According to the "Lexikon", the Adonistic Society was a sexual-

> > magical organisation founded May 1, 1925 by Mussalam. They

> > declared themselves as the European sister organisation of the

> > oriental order Nizam el Khat. According to the "Lexikon" part of

> > the Adonistic teachings are transmitted by Franz Bardon in his

> > works.

> >

> > Dr. Mussalam travelled a lot in Orient. After the First World War

> > he met there oriental esoterists who admitted him into their lodge

> > organisation as Brother Mussalam Chakum. Chakum is a Chaldean word

> > meaning "initiate." The Chakums are the initiates in the

> > mysterious temple-city Bit Nur in the legendary Nuristan. To the

> > Adonists, Bit Nur is the oldest holy shrine in the world of

> > mankind.

> >

> > The "Lexikon" also mentions that Franz Bardon belonged to the

> > circle around Karl Winfurter in Prague. Apparently Franz Bardon

> > was Weinfurter's master student. Weinfurter was a Czech Mystic. If

> > you would like to know more about Weinfurter's teachings you can

> > get a book from Kessinger Publications in Kila Montana (they are

> > on the net). The name of the book is "Man's Highest Purpose." ISBN

> > 0-922802-11-4

> Very good information. To this add Dr. Georg Lomer's "Seven

> Hermetic Letters." Apparently he was the actual author of "High

> Magic" included in "Frabato."  Dieter Ruggenberg also suggests that

> Rudolph Steiner was an influence on Bardon.

Again, thanks Richard and Gnome.

cat yronwode