HANS BENDER: 'FRONTIER SCIENTIST' - A PERSONAL TRIBUTE

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• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 24, 2000
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[Vol. 58, No. 825
Journal of the society for Psychical Research
Randi and others. Another remarkable psychic investigated by Benson Herbert
was Suzanne Padfield, the British clairvoyant whose ability in psychometry
led to the discovery of a child-killer 1700 miles away in Moscow. In the
Paralab an experiment involved the displacement of a polarised light beam.
Miss Padfield, together with the designer of much of the experimental
equipment (Brian Baily), placed her hands around the collimating tube and
sucessfully `distorted' the light path in a consistent manner.
More recent projects at the Paralab have included an investigation into
psychic healing, experiments with bacteria and viruses and the study of
dermo-optics, including the ability to sense colours and writing through the
fingers. This latter work in collaboration with Yvonne Duplessis (Paris) may
assist blind and colour-blind people in their daily lives. Over the last ten
years I have been involved with the Paralab as a member of technical and
experimental support teams, designing and building equipment when necessary
which would be used for the biophysical measurement of subjects during a
variety of clairvoyance and PK psi-related experiments.
It is paradoxical, I think, that such a character as Benson Herbert should
provoke controversy from the spiritualist and physicist ends of the paranormal
investigation community alike. He would be pleased perhaps to think so.
Benson's quest, I believe, was not to explain away paranormal phenomena in
terms of physical-particle theories or cause- and- effect relationships, but to
investigate the nature of psi phenomena in the hope that his findings, together
with the problems left by classical and theoretical physics, could be combined
to allow a fuller understanding of the Universe around us.
The quarterly International Journal of Paraphysics has been published
from 1968 into the 1990s and has included Paralab reports periodically.
Over the years much correspondence on behalf of the SPR has been taken up
by the Paralab staff.
TONY DICKINSON
Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience
University of Edinburgh
7 George Square, Edinburgh. E118 9JZ
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AND
Professor Bender's death-he died in Freiburg on 7th May at the age of 84--
has closed an important chapter of ;anpost-war parapsychology. In my
opinion, any future historian who finds it worthwhile to pay a closer look at
parapsychology in general will surely rank Hans Bender among the pioneers
of German psi research who, like Albert von Schrenck-Notzing or Rudolf
Tischner (among others), spent most of their professional lives struggling for
the advancement and recognition of our field.
So, let me first recapitulate some data of Bender's biography and then give
an impression of Bender's personal `ausstrahlung', his special `aura'.
Hans Bender was born in 1907 in Freiburg. In 1987 he wrote a short
autobiographical note for Rosemarie Pilkington's book, Men and Women in
Parapsychology, which represents in a sense his last contribution to the field
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 Approved For Rel
[Vol. 58, No. 825
_e psychic investigated by Benson Herbert
lairvoyant whose ability in psychometry
ter 1700 miles away in Moscow. In the
displacement of a polarised light beam.
designer of much of the experimental
w hands around the collimating tube and
in a consistent manner.
Slab have included an investigation into
bacteria and viruses and the study of
to sense colours and writing through the
ation with Yvonne Duplessis (Paris) may
le in their daily lives. Over the last ten
-e Paralab as a member of technical and
9g and building equipment when necessary
iysical measurement of subjects during a
lated experiments.
ich a character as Benson Herbert should
,alist and physicist ends of the paranormal
would be pleased perhaps to think so.
-o explain away paranormal phenomena in
or cause-and-effect relationships, but to
,ena in the hope that his findings, together
nd theoretical physics, could be combined
e Universe around us.
rnal of Paraphysics has been published
as included Paralab reports periodically.
:e on behalf of the SPR has been taken up
9JZ
ase 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000700650004-6 .
October 19911
that he was able to finish. In that piece, Bender describes how, as a seventeen-
year-old boy staying in London with a family with spiritualist leanings, he
took part in automatic spelling by using the Ouija board: "I was impressed,"
he wrote, "by the obvious `intelligent' production of the messages but
skeptical in regard to their alleged origin, namely `discarnate' entities. This
primary experience influenced my life."
In the years between 1925 and 1933 Bender studied French literature,
philosophy and psychology in Paris, Heidelberg and Bonn. It was especially
after attending the lectures given by the French psychiatrist Pierre Janet at
the College de France in Paris and after studying Janet's classic work on
L'Automatisme Psychologique that Bender decided to study experimentally
the dynamics of subconscious processes at the Psychological Institute at
Bonn University, supported by the head of the Institute, the philosopher
and psychologist Erich Rothaker. Bender was intrigued by the observation
that some of his subjects were able to exhibit `intelligent' activities on a
`subconscious' level (as documented by their automatic writing) while their
`conscious' self was seemingly unaware of such complicated processes. In such
a state of dissociation, some of the automatic productions included traces of
information which their producers appeared not to have acquired through
conventional means. In 1933 Bender obtained his Ph.D. degree with a thesis
on Psychische Automatismen [Mental Automatisms], in which he successfully
linked subconscious productions with the problem of ESP. A second
contribution devoted exclusively to the study of clairvoyance under
laboratory conditions followed shortly after and was published in the
prestigious Zeitschrift fur Psychologie [Journal of Psychology] in 1935.
Just before he finished his paper, the philosopher Gerda Walther, acting as a
clearing-house for relevant information, had sent him the recently-published
book Extrasensory Perception by J. B. Rhine. Bender always stressed the
importance of that book in strengthening his desire to introduce parapsychol-
ogical research into a German university in an institutionalised form-a desire
vigorously supported by a prominent German professor of philosophy of
those years, namely Hans Driesch, who had published in 1932 the first
German methodological introduction to the field, his well-known book
Parapsychologie: die Wissenschaft von den `okkulten' Erscheinungen. In order
to be as well equipped as possible to realise such an ambitious project, Bender
finished his additional studies of medicine and began training as a psychiatrist
without, however, completing that medical specialisation. After the outbreak
of war, he had to finish off his `habilitation' in 1941 with experimental work
on eidetic imagery and crystal-gazing, and he was awarded a professorship at
Strasbourg University, where he founded an `Institute for Psychology and
Clinical Psychology, belonging to the Philosophical as well as the Medical
faculty, which he directed until 1944 when Strasbourg was liberated by the
Allied forces.
The `official' beginning of German post-war parapsychology can be traced
back with some justification to 1950. In that year, Bender was able to open in
his native town of Freiburg im Breisgau the doors of his somewhat miraculously
financed `Institut fur Grenzgebiete der Psychologie and Psychohygiene'
[Institute for Fringe Areas of Psychology and Mental Health], which was
;CIENTIST" -A PERSONAL TRIBUTE
I in Freiburg on 7th May at the age of 84--
German post-war parapsychology. In my
finds it worthwhile to pay a closer look at
ely rank Hans Bender among the pioneers
Albert von Schrenck-Notzing or Rudolf
)st of their professional lives struggling for
f our field.
e data of Bender's biography and then give
`ausstrahlung', his special `aura'.
7 in Freiburg. In 1987 he wrote a short
.rie Pilkington's book, Men and Women in
in a sense his last contribution to the field
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 lease 2090/0$11tle:sr11-P,[ Pg%ap, 7228000700650004-HVol.58,No.825
substantially funded in the ensuing years by a legacy from the Swiss biologist
and poltergeist researcher, Dr Fanny Moser, who died in 1953. One year later
there followed the establishment of a Chair for `Fringe Areas of Psychology'
at Freihurg University. It was the first step towards the official recognition of
parapsychology as a legitimate field of study. In 1967 the chair was extended
to cover general psychology as well as fringe areas of psychology (parapsych-
ology), and additionally a Department for Fringe Areas of Psychology was
established at the Psychological Institute of Freiburg University. One year
later, in 1968, Bender hosted the eleventh PA Convention in Freiburg, and
he served as PA President for 1969. After his mandatory retirement from the
university chair in 1975, his colleague Johannes Mischo took it over, whereas
Bender remained until his death the Director of the independent Institut at
Eichhalde 12.
In a sense, the `Eichhalde-Institut' was Bender's most personal creation.
For decades it represented in the Federal Republic of Germany an unrivalled
centre for parapsychological research, information and advice, inspired by the
tireless efforts of its founder. Quite a number of active workers in the field
got their first impressions of psi research by visiting the Bender institute. An
endless stream of visitors from all over the world were full of praise for its
beautiful location overlooking the Rhine valley (I mean the river, of course)
and the hospitality of its director. Among the visitors were mediums and
magicians, astrologers and ufologists, dowsers and numerologists, witches
and healers, gurus and charlatans, spiritualists and hostile sceptics, psychotics
and serious scientists; classes of students, TV teams and hard-nosed journalists
-they all came to Freiburg to see and to talk to the famous professor. Hans
Bender's university lectures, courses and seminars won legendary fame among
generations of Freiburg students. "Wir gehen ,ur Benders Marchenstunde"
[We are going to listen to Bender's fairy tales] was a proverbial saying of
those years. Bender's regular lectures on Tuesday afternoons between five
and six which he held for decades at the 'Aula' of Freiburg University (he
invariably arrived late) were always overcrowded with hundreds of people; not
only university students, from the humanities as well as the natural sciences,
but also `ordinary' people from the city of Freiburg who were interested in
the `occult' or paranormal. In general, Bender's audience was enthralled, with
mixed feelings of amusement and fascination, as the professor, with his face
lit only by a reading lamp and the lecture theatre in pitch darkness, began to
report on experiences, phenomena and events which seemed to transcend the
usual categories of space and time-parapsychology at its best. It was on such
public occasions that Bender's charismatic personality could be felt with all
its suggestive power - nobody was able to present his researches on certain
poltergeist phenomena or metal-benders in such a convincing manner -and
boring questions regarding trivial details could easily be compared to a crimen
majestatis, a lese-majeste. Many of Bender's audience had the feeling that the
lecturer behind the reading desk was not just an ordinary professor presenting
his usual subject-matter, but that, on the contrary, they were listening to
somebody who was completely convinced of the apparently unbelievable
that most of his fellow scientists would mock at. So, Hans Bender was the
prototype of a `frontier scientist'. It is impossible to separate the man from
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 Approved For Re
[Vol. 58, No. 825
ars by a legacy from the Swiss biologist
loser, who died in 1953. One year later
Chair for `Fringe Areas of Psychology'
step towards the official recognition of
study. In 1967 the chair was extended
fringe areas of psychology (parapsych-
-t for Fringe Areas of Psychology was
-ute of Freiburg University. One year
venth PA Convention in Freiburg, and
fter his mandatory retirement from the
Johannes Mischo took it over, whereas
_)irector of the independent Institut at
was Bender's most personal creation.
oral Republic of Germany an unrivalled
information and advice, inspired by the
number of active workers in the field
-ch by visiting the Bender institute. An
er the world were full of praise for its
inc =valley (I mean the river, of course)
\mong the visitors were mediums and
dowsers and numerologists, witches
itualists and hostile sceptics, psychotics
ts, TV teams and hard-nosed journalists
I to talk to the famous professor. Hans
atd seminars won legendary fame among
it gehen zur Benders Marchenstunde"
fairy tales] was a proverbial saying of
s on Tuesday afternoons between five
s the `Aula.' of Freiburg University (he
~rcrowded with hundreds of people; not
snanities as well as the natural sciences,
-ity of Freiburg who were interested in
Bender's audience was enthralled, with
;ination, as the professor, with his face
7ture theatre in pitch darkness, began to
d events which seemed to transcend the
srapsychology at its best. It was on such
matic personality could be felt with all
)le to present his researches on certain
_ers in such a convincing manner-and
its could easily be compared to a crimen
.nder's audience had the feeling that the
lot just an ordinary professor presenting
-n the contrary, they were listening to
vinced of the apparently unbelievable
.uld mock at. So, Hans Bender was the
is impossible to separate the man from
ase 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000700650004-6Obituaries
October 19911
his work. His personal style of life determined his style of work and vice versa.
Hans Bender's `search for psi' was not only a search for `objective' data and
records, it was also a personal `quest for the grail', a deep-seated curiosity
for phenomena and experiences beyond the visible horizon or conventional
boundaries. He was a scientific adventurer always in search of new and
surprising facts. It was impossible for him to separate the paranormal
phenomenon he was after from the persons who were experiencing it, and
so, time and again, he was prepared for new encounters to learn about the
paranormal. One of Bender's basic convictions in dealing with the elusiveness
of psi was the importance of an `affektives Feld' [emotional or affective
field]. Without such a positive `catalyst', he often maintained, there was no
psychic functioning, let alone successful psi-experimentation.
Bender's contributions to the field are multi-faceted, but foremost among
his research interests was qualitative and field work. I hardly need mention
that he was the investigator of dozens of RSPK cases--the topic of his PA
Presidential Address - among them the famous Rosenheim poltergeist case;
another important area was empirical work on the problem of precognition. I
need only point to the so-called `chair experiments' with the Dutch paragnost
Gerard Croiset, developed and performed frequently in collaboration with
his friend Wilhelm Tenhaeff, or the study of the precognitive dreams of the
Hamburg actress Mrs Mylius.
In 1981, in an obituary to his friend Tenhaeff, Bender wrote: "He tried to
make visible the paranormal in its entirety to a scientific community which
was, with a few exceptions, struck with blindness with regard to a `hidden
reality' ". May I say that that is also Hans Bender's legacy which he left for his
friends and colleagues who are missing him.
Romerstrasse 17
D-7814 Breisach 3, GERMANY.
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