Wolf Messing

[Ya Sam]

Just watched a documentary about the famous psychic Wolf Messing. It is 
quite possible that he will be mentioned in AtD. A truly Pynchonian 
character, whose life is indistinguishable from anecdote. I like these two:

"In 1915, despite the war, the impresario arranged a show for Messing in 
Vienna. He was the “hit of the season.” While in Vienna the sixteen-year-old 
Wolf starred in what is certainly one of the most delicious psychic 
experiments on record.

Albert Einstein invited young Wolf to his apartment. Messing still recalls 
with astonishment the number of books¯”they were everywhere, starting with 
the hall.” In Einstein’s study Wolf was introduced to the founder of 
psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who once remarked that if he’d his life to 
live over again, he would have devoted it to psychic research. So intrigued 
was Freud with Messing’s psychic powers he decided to do a number of tests 
with him. Freud acted as inductor.

“To this day I still remember Freud’s mental command,” says Messing. “Go to 
the bathroom cupboard and pick up some tweezers. Return to Albert Einstein, 
pull out from his luxuriant moustache three hairs.”

After locating the tweezers, Messing gingerly went up to the celebrated 
mathematician and, begging his pardon, explained to him what his scientist 
friend wanted him to do. Einstein smiled and turned his cheek to Messing. 
Freud must have smiled too, because young Messing carried out his mental 
command faultlessly"

http://home.hetnet.nl/~ex_baba/engels/articles/Paper_WM_2.htm

"A second test set by Stalin was to enter his house - surrounded by armed 
guards - without a pass. Later, as Stalin was working in his office, Messing 
walked in. Messing explained that he had broadcasted a mental suggestion 
that he was the feared head of the secret police Lavrenti Beria, and that 
the guards had seen Beria, not Messing."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Messing

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