A REVOLUTION IN MEDICINE?

"Revue", 14.8.1949 Clarification of a fateful question

The future activity of the Herford miracle man Bruno Gröning, who, according to eyewitness testimony, healed thousands of hopelessly ill people in May and June, 1949, has been made impossible through the intolerance of physicians and officials in northern Germany. On May 3, 1949, Gröning was forbidden to further pursue his healing activity. Since June 29, Gröning has withdrawn from the public eye. But Bruno Gröning has not disappeared; nor is the question of his wonderful healing power settled. For the Revue (a magazine) has opened the way for Gröning to participate in a large medical clinical trial, where he can prove his healing power to critical, but unprejudiced physicians. Thus, the Revue gave Gröning the chance to prove to modern scientists, "I heal the incurable." Today, the Revue begins by publishing the findings of 150 indisputable experiments. Read what our correspondents Bongartz and Laux report in the Revue, under the scientific direction of the psychologist and physician, Prof. Dr. Fischer.

THE PLAN OF THE REVUE

Today, the Revue begins a publication, whose subject matter goes far beyond the purely journalistic. Its focal point is a man who, though simple, has risen to fame in but a few months: Bruno Gröning who, in Herford and other cities, has healed or improved in a wonderful, mysterious way the ailments of thousands of sick people, who had been considered incurable. No politician, no economist, and no artist has moved people in the post-war years as Bruno Gröning has done. Other countries as well, even England and America, have been stirred by the spread of his fame and the sensational press reports that have alternated between praise, skepticism and arrogant rejection. The derisive contempt fed on sensation, uncontrolled rumors and contradictory statements. Almost everywhere there has been a lack of the necessary seriousness, responsibility, impartiality and knowledge of the significance of the problem that Bruno Gröning has brought overnight to public attention from the narrow realm of medical disputes.

The medical collaborators of the Revue have already long concerned themselves with the question of the emotional causes of most illnesses, and have been studying the development of relevant research in the non-German world, which often goes unnoticed in Germany. In the case of Gröning, it is a matter not only of the person of the miracle doctor, but of the significant question of the psychological, i.e., mental causes of illness and of the consideration of these causes in the psychotherapeutic treatment of patients. Gröning may be a phenomenon in the area of the treatment of mentally-caused illnesses. Therefore, as the campaign around Gröning in northern Germany took on a more and more chaotic form - on some days, as many as 6,000 people gathered in front of his place of activity - the Revue came to what is an unusual decision for a magazine.

The conflict between Gröning's countless followers and his few, but influential, opponents had meanwhile increased to an intolerable extent. A medical commission and the Herford officials issued Gröning a prohibition to heal. In Herford, Hamburg and many other cities, however, thousands of sick people continued waiting for the miracle man’s help. Finally, the official authorities were seized by a great helplessness in the face of the Gröning phenomenon, so that one had to fear an unhappy end to this phenomenon itself. Would Gröning be worn out between the power of the opponents and the power of the believers? Would the simple, intellectually clumsy man Gröning - who is, however, filled with a genuine sense of mission and honest readiness to help - perish because of ‘supporters’ who sidled up to him to cash in on his healing power and thus exposed him to his opponents in numerous cases? Or would a medical or other scientific institute in Germany - out of an honest desire to do research - agree to give Bruno Gröning the opportunity to clinically verify his abilities? Any larger clinic in the USA today would readily agree to this. After fruitless discussions, it was to be feared at the end of June that Gröning would be worn out. The question as to whether he would be acknowledged as having a wonderful, salutary ability to influence others spiritually, or whether it would be certified that his alleged abilities were a mistake - even charlatanism - remained unanswered for millions of suffering people.

At this point in time, the Revue decided to send a special staff of correspondents to northern Germany, consisting of Helmut Laux, Heinz Bongartz and a scientist, the Marburg psychologist and physician Prof. H.G. Fischer. The staff were supposed to locate Gröning, whose tracks were already starting to blur. They were supposed to carefully examine a large number of cases treated by Gröning and give a convincing account of the success or failure of his healings. In the case of a positive outcome of this preliminary examination, the Revue staff were supposed to form an impression of the circumstances surrounding Gröning and of the person of Gröning himself. Depending on the results of these investigations, the staff had the assignment and the means to separate Gröning from the possibly unfavorable influence of his environment and pave the way for him to escape the smothering chaos among believers, physicians and bureaucratic authorities. After obtaining his approval, Gröning would be provided asylum in an unknown, secluded place. At the same time, the Revue staff - in the case of a favorable outcome of the preliminary examinations - would make preparations to win the cooperation of a leading German university clinic. It would give Gröning the opportunity to prove his abilities in the presence of a committee of scientists. In the case of failure, a clear, incontestable report would inform the public of the negative result. This was the Revue’s plan.

Its realization began on June 28, 1949. It brought with it difficulties, adventure and surprises. But the plan succeeded, without the public being able to find out about it - to assure its success - until today. For them, Gröning had disappeared on June 29, 1949 at 11:45 PM in Hamburg. Today, the Revue begins with the in-depth report of the correspondents and the leading physicians on the prehistory and history of the greatest and most astonishing medical experiment that was ever made possible with the help of a magazine.

Bruno Gröning: the phenomenon of a doctor of the soul

By Helmut Laux and Heinz Bongartz, under the scientific direction of psychologist Professor Fischer

On the tracks of Bruno Gröning

The attitude of the doctors

We left Frankfurt on June 29, the very same day that Gröning disappeared from Hamburg without a trace. We journalists were naturally curious, and, although he was reserved, Professor Fischer couldn't completely hide his curiosity. But he was determined to approach the Gröning case systematically and to form a judgment slowly and conscientiously. Our collaboration with Professor Fischer was excellent from the very first day. He had gone through the usual medical education. As a traditional physician, he was in a position to assess cases of illness and to judge whether they had deteriorated or been healed. On the other hand, he was a psychologist and practiced with the help of psychoanalysis (analysis of the mind) and psychotherapy (therapy of the mind). If it did actually prove to be effective, however, Gröning's method would have to be categorized as therapy of the mind – unless Gröning had other powers at his disposal that are still unknown to psychotherapy today.

We arrived in Bielefeld on the evening of June 29, and since Professor Fischer coincidentally already knew the director of the healing institutions in Bethel, Professor Schorsch, we went to him first. Professor Schorsch had played an essential role in the medical commission whose decision had contributed to the prohibition against healing for Gröning. At first he didn't want to see us journalists and received only Professor Fischer and told him of the impression he had of Gröning: He is a totally primitive person; above all, he has no "charisma." For those who don't know the word, we should add that the scientists define that as "a sense of mission". Schorsch said that the “sense of mission” that Gröning often spoke of in Herford and elsewhere is "pure dramatics". It is much more a matter of egoism and arrogance. As proof of what he said, Schorsch showed us a written expert opinion that stated the same. Professor Fischer took notice of his judgment. By the way, Professor Schorsch did not give the impression of conscious prejudice. He seemed somewhat uninterested. He was plump and pleasant, and it seemed as though he would prefer to hear nothing more of the Gröning case. He probably did not like to plunge into emotional excitement and wanted to have no further inconvenience. He said we shouldn't depend on his judgment, but should dig into the case for ourselves.

Prof. Dr. Wolf, the head physician of the city healing institutions in Bielefeld, was more open. He definitely appeared to share our opinion that the Gröning case had to be checked out without reservation. He pointed out, however, that it was well known that they had offered Gröning the opportunity to prove his ability in clinics. What should he think of the fact that Gröning rejected this offer? Could one blame the physicians if they observed a man with extraordinary skepticism who had refused to demonstrate his abilities to them?

We ourselves naturally also wondered why Gröning had avoided such a clinical observation and appraisal of his treatment methods. Did Gröning have reason to doubt Professor Wolf's objectivity? When Professor Fischer arranged a few weeks later for Gröning to practice before the physicians of the Bielefeld city healing institutions, he had to experience that only one intention existed, namely to destroy Gröning; while giving the appearance of being obliging, they brought him only cases that were beyond help, even for Gröning. Professor Fischer therefore had to abstain from allowing Gröning's methods to be appraised by the Bielefeld physicians.

Further, it was said that the Detmolder public medical officer, Dr. Dyes, had told Gröning that it didn't matter how much proof of his healing ability he furnished, they would prevent his work anyway! Therefore, Professor Fischer called Dr. Dyes by telephone from Herford and asked him about this, and Dr. Dyes made no bones about his statement. Gröning had made a bad impression on him. Dr. Dyes was full of medical arrogance, and extraordinarily satisfied with his own position.

In this way, Gröning was to lose all faith that the physicians would have an objective attitude, so one cannot blame him for not accepting the offer of hospital experiments. The natural, simple man’s instincts had sensed the unfair intentions that lay in wait for him.

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The flood of chronic illnesses of psychological origin

On June 30, we first started in Northrhine-Westphalia, but thereafter went up as far as the Hamburg area, examining patients Gröning had treated and apparently healed. This was easier said than done.

The sick people treated by Gröning had returned to their home areas. No one had recorded their exact names and addresses. Gröning, like a wandering healer in the true sense of the word, went around healing wildly, and except for stories, press notices, allegations and rumors, no exact material about his activity was available, even from his followers. We would probably have had to overcome considerable difficulty if pure coincidence had not connected us with a man in Bielefeld who had already attempted to get a certain overview of Gröning's actual successes before us.

This man, by the name of Lanzenrath, was the district director of a health insurance fund. He was smart, down-to-earth and farsighted. He had been able to penetrate the "entourage" that had formed around Gröning – at that time we couldn't yet judge whether they were believers or profiteers – some members of which had remained in the Hülsmann home, where Gröning had been active, after his departure for Hamburg. He was just as convinced of Gröning's ability to influence and heal numerous illnesses as he was of his personal modesty. But he was afraid that the "entourage" would direct Gröning's good attributes in the wrong direction. Lanzenrath himself was at first mistrustful of us. But at the same time, it was also Professor Fischer who opened doors for our group and moved Lanzenrath to help us further and to cite cases he knew of, where closer investigation could lead to conclusions about the seriousness of the Gröning phenomenon. The motives that had led Lanzenrath to Gröning's entourage, by the way, were extraordinarily interesting. An illness, a painful kidney ailment, had also led him to Gröning. Since then – two months had passed, meanwhile – he had been free of pain. At the same time, the fate of his health insurance funds had caused him to seek a connection with Gröning. He told us that the German health insurance funds were threatened with financial breakdown because they were confronted with a sea of chronic illnesses that simply would not heal. He thus naturally confirmed something that is well known to the psychotherapists who pay attention to what has been happening in our time. The Second World War, with all its trauma, left behind a real flood of illness that, for the most part, would have had emotional causes, which are, however, expressed organically, from countless stomach and rheumatic ailments to marked neurosis or paralysis. For these illnesses, the psychologists have created the concept of the so-called 'psychosomatic' illnesses. After the currency reform, they were able to statistically identify a new rise in the number of illnesses that had never before appeared to this extent and which could hardly be attributed to organic causes. Lanzenrath had actually hoped to find a method of healing through Gröning that could perhaps serve to relieve the overburdened insurance funds. Lanzenrath had carefully observed a large number of treatments and healings. He first introduced to us to 20 cases. In the period of a week we carefully analyzed and investigated these cases and, wherever possible, interviewed the respective family doctors in order to clarify the question that was decisive for us: "Can Gröning heal?”

On July 8, we surveyed the results of the 20 investigations. Among the 20 cases there were seven that were perhaps interesting, and here and there even somewhat mysterious, but they gave no clear picture for or against Gröning. Of all cases we first worked hard on these seven. On the third day of investigation we were inclined to despair. At least that was true for us laypersons.

The Housing Office

There was, for instance, the Klüglich case in Bielefeld. Klüglich, an ordinary white-collar worker, had been shot through the kidney during the war. The injured kidney functioned only partially. After the war, the second kidney became greatly inflamed and it advanced to that stage that the doctors treating him were considering an operation. We saw the x-rays and other findings. Before Pentecost, Klüglich had approached Gröning through a letter to Lanzenrath. At first, he "distance-healed" and asked Klüglich to carefully observe what happened in his body over the next days. Klüglich noticed an increased activity of the kidneys and a lot of dark-colored urine and after that, a growing relief from his complaints.

The doctor treating him also confirmed an improvement. Afterwards, Gröning visited Klüglich personally, and the improvement continued. Klüglich had left his bed and went on walks. However, when we visited him and Professor Fischer examined him, his condition had worsened again. The Professor soon learned that Klüglich had been granted an additional room from the Housing Office due to his illness. Since word had quickly gotten around about his "healing," the Housing Office had informed him that, under these circumstances, they had to take back the room. On the same day, the worsening of his condition set in again. It was obviously not a pretense, but a genuine worsening, which was however, doubtless to be attributed to a mental cause, namely fear of losing the room and the association between the ideas of illness and possession of the room. It was naturally nonsense to speak of a healing. In this case, traditional medicine could point out that Gröning had merely succeeded in bringing the sick person out of his lethargy and thereby temporarily increased his resilience. They admitted the immediate relationship between psychic treatment and the power of the body to resist illness, but rightfully rejected the idea of a healing. The question naturally remained open as to what Gröning could have achieved, had he been able to continue to influence the patient.

She sat on her cash-box

The second case was that of Mrs. W., also from Bielefeld. She was a widow and owner of a bicycle shop. She oversaw the shop and the family from an armchair in the kitchen behind her shop. For 15 years, she had suffered from demonstrable problems with walking and dropsical swelling of her legs. Her heart and kidney activity were, however, normal. On the other hand, there were signs of rheumatoid arthritis. Gröning had sat with her for half an hour and predicted a quick recovery. After that, she was able to walk around the yard and felt quite well. The professor determined that the edema was only negligible. An examination by the physician who had also treated her found considerable decline in the swelling since Gröning had visited Mrs. W. Recently, however, the complaints appeared to slightly worsen again. In this case, too, did the psychological uplift and stimulation bring about a temporary improvement which – while again pointing out the close relationship between emotional condition and illness – was not sufficiently conclusive for us? That is, unless one in this case also expected a continuing and conclusive success through regular treatment by Gröning. It is also an interesting discovery that Mrs. W. had sat for many years on her cash-box, and that the difficulty in walking, which bordered on paralysis, could have been exacerbated by the compulsion to continually guard the cash-box. Gröning had probably also temporarily eliminated this compulsion, which is in itself a remarkable achievement, which, for a normal psychotherapist would have required days or even weeks, instead of half an hour. But this achievement, too, did not suggest anything unusual enough in Gröning's work to justify our support of major clinical experiments.

Gröning gave her a silver ball...

Then there was the Schwerdt case in Bielefeld. This concerned two patients: a girl, the daughter of a minor official or white-collar worker, whose mother exerted an oppressive influence on her; and, secondly, a factory owner who seemed to be watched by his inheritance-seeking relatives. The man and the girl had begun a relationship with one another, and as a result, the man came into violent conflict with his family. The girl was faced with continual reproach from her mother, who wanted nothing to do with the rich man because "nothing could come of it." Both of them, the man and the girl, finally lost courage. They separated. The girl became ill with an unusually severe cardiac neurosis, which forced her to lie down continually. The man had an accident at the same time and stayed in bed, even after the injury was long healed. He felt drawn to his beloved. To avoid following this urge, he grew obsessed with being ill and took to his bed. Gröning treated the case. On his first visit with the girl, he effected a considerable improvement, so that Miss Schwerdt could leave her bed. She then visited Gröning and gave him the name of the factory owner, among other names of persons he should help, without saying anything further about him. But Gröning obviously suspected the true circumstances. He took the silver paper of a cigarette package out of his pocket and gave the ball he made from it to the girl with the command to hold it in her hand until she could personally put it in the hand of the man she had named. He would then regain his health. Miss Schwerdt carried the ball in her hand for 36 hours.

Meanwhile, through the rumors that were circulating, the man heard about Gröning's successes and his instructions to Miss Schwerdt. Curiosity drove him from his bed to the girl. The severed relationship was thereby restored, and both felt healthy again. In reply to Professor Fischer's question as to whether they both saw one another regularly, the girl said, "Yes, unfortunately." The actual conflict that had brought on all the havoc, the tension with the mother and with the relatives respectively, had not been removed – for she had said "unfortunately" - and could sooner or later give rise to the old situation again.

The impression in this case was also unclear. Nevertheless, here, too, Gröning had removed an ailment brought about through emotional complexities in an amazingly short time. He had correctly recognized the situation with remarkable powers of empathy and had employed a trick with the little ball method which the best psychotherapist could be proud of. He had, however, failed to see that the cause had remained. The Schwerdt case was the first case that began to convince Professor Fischer about Gröning. If there was nothing else of an unusual nature to find out about Gröning, it couldn't be denied that he possessed a surprising natural talent for psychotherapy.

The recalcitrant motorcycle

The so-called "Wehmeyer case" was very strange. Wehmeyer was a haulage contractor in Herford. He was active, powerful and with healthy nerves, certainly not the kind of man who would kid himself. He had also gone to Gröning to get help for his wife, who lay in a clinic in Münster with a chronic illness of an indeterminable nature. Gröning had explained to him, "Your wife will, after a certain time, express the wish to come home. But you are not allowed to go there earlier and prompt her to come home." Wehmeyer was, as mentioned, a man who neither believed in clairvoyance, nor liked to take orders. So, against Gröning's instructions, he got on his motorcycle and went off to Münster to see his wife. It was then that a strange event took place that he simply couldn't cope with. Along the way, the motorcycle stopped running. He then went to a repair shop in Bielefeld. They examined the cycle from top to bottom – the cycle was in good condition. It should have run. The mechanic changed the plugs, did everything possible, but couldn't understand why the motorcycle wouldn’t work. At a loss, he told Mr Wehmeyer he’d better drive home again. Wehmeyer started back. And the moment he turned back toward Herford, the motorcycle ran as if nothing had been wrong. He happily turned it around. It immediately stood still again. It wouldn't run in the direction of Münster.

Still completely shaken by this spooky event, Wehmeyer then went a short time later to Münster by train. There his wife indeed spontaneously said she would like to go home at once. She felt considerably better and the physician treating her also said that he had finished his treatment.

The hot current
An unusual preliminary success

On the fifth day of our investigation, we experienced our first really great surprise. And from that day on, there was one surprise after the other, which finally led to an incident that, without exaggeration, must be called a sensation.

We had all driven to Hamburg, because Lanzenrath knew of a case there that seemed particularly impressive to him. Moreover, the case had been closely medically monitored. It was a matter of the little daughter of Mr. Mendt, who ran a car repair shop in Hamburg. The child had survived spinal poliomyelitis, but was left with paralysis in her legs.

Here there was a precise, carefully-compiled case history with clear diagnosis. Gröning had treated the child in his usual way, through calmly sitting opposite her, slowly asking her about her physical feelings, and perhaps lightly stroking her with his hand. Then he left, after instructing them to carefully write down what else the child felt in her body in the days to come. This had been carefully done, and Prof. Fischer now read that the child had felt tugging pains in her legs going toward the lower back. These increased and gave way to an increasing warmth and strong flow of blood in the paralyzed legs. The child began to make movements again, which she previously had not been able to make. Professor Fischer carefully examined the limbs of the child and found that the circulation of blood was astonishingly good. The entire process reminded him of the principle of "autogenic training," although it had not as yet been successfully applied to spinal poliomyelitis. "Autogenic training" was developed and taught in Germany by Prof. I. H. Schulz, former lecturer in psychotherapy at the University of Jena. Schulz's methods were basically nothing other than the application of the old, well-known and – for every European – mysterious practice of Indian yoga in modern European medicine. It put all physicians trained by him in a position to steer the blood circulation of their patients into particular parts of the body through an emotional influence that should not be confused with hypnosis. They didn't succeed in all cases. Above all, it demanded weeks, sometimes months of effort, which really deserved the name "training." Here in the Mendt case, Gröning had chalked up an initial success that was completely unusual. Even if a medically-trained psychotherapist had tackled the case, he would at best have required many weeks to achieve the result that Gröning brought about in half an hour. Fischer had another long conversation with the Hamburg Professor Burckhard, and both were so excited that Professor Fischer said for the first time that he was now of the opinion that Gröning possessed unusual psychotherapeutic powers, that he emitted a vibration or something else which had to be investigated in a large clinical test. In the same way, the possibility of influencing spinal poliomyelitis and its consequences should be observed over a long period through a continuing treatment.

No physician could help him

The very next day brought a new, impressive surprise. Lanzenrath had brought us to another patient of Gröning, a Mr. Kargesmeyer in Bad Oeynhausen. Kargesmeyer was 47 years old, and from two years of age had suffered from headaches that developed over time to a severe trigeminal neuralgia. This involves pain in the facial nerves that is one of the most terrible forms of suffering there is. The severity of this pain can drive people to suicide. The ailment can rarely be influenced by a normal physician. Medication offers only partial relief of the pain. In totally desperate cases, they try to obliterate the nerves through alcohol injections or simply by severing them. In both cases it is a matter of a difficult operation with uncertain results. Kargesmeyer had undergone various operations. Finally, they removed his tonsils and sinuses through a radical operation in a clinic in Münster, since it was suspected that an inflammation located there was the cause of the facial pain. The operation had had no effect on the neuralgia. Naturally, it was possible that the inflammation mentioned had originally provoked the neuralgia. But after the removal, the pain remained "fixated" in the facial nerves, similar to the terrible pain that amputees often feel in the nerves of the amputation stump and thus have the impression that the pain runs through the whole arm or amputated leg which is no longer present. Gröning had treated Kargesmeyer. He had asked him to hold his head firmly between his hands.

After that, Kargesmeyer felt a hot current in his face. The pain continued for a few days, but then disappeared more and more, day by day. He had already been free of pain for four weeks.

Here also, an unusual ability to steer the circulation of blood had obviously led to success. Perhaps other factors were also involved. But at this moment, they could not play a role for us. Up until then, only a miniscule number of trigeminal neuralgia cases were known to have been treated by psychotherapy. And in those cases, it had taken weeks and months before success was achieved. Gröning had done it in a short session – an achievement that is unparalleled to this day.

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The famous case of Dieter Hülsmann

The next day we were in Herford again, and Lanzenrath suggested to Fischer that he take a look at the case of Dieter Hülsmann. It involved the nine-year-old son of the engineer Hülsmann, whose alleged healing had brought Gröning out of seclusion. For the first time, we entered the house from which Gröning's fame had gone out and in which he had stayed until just a short time before. Dieter Hülsmann had never learned to walk properly. But they had not recognized the true character of his ailment. For a long time, he was forced into plaster casts. Finally, they determined at the university clinic in Münster that he had progressive muscular dystrophy, which is advanced muscular atrophy.

After the almost one-year stay in Bethel that followed, one of the physicians there declared, "You can leave the boy here. You can also take the boy home. No one can help him." After all, the child could no longer sit, and his legs were ice-cold. Heated blankets, hot-water bottles and electric pads could not get rid of the incessant coldness and numbness. Gröning had carried out a one-time treatment while he was in this condition. Shortly thereafter, the boy felt an intense burning in his back and a sudden warming of his legs. It persisted, and thus the boy was able to walk again, although in a wobbly fashion.

The case of Dieter Hülsmann was drawn with vehemence into the controversy of opinion, and both sides indulged in untenable exaggeration. It could surely not be called a "healing." But in the same way, the assertion that nothing had changed through Gröning's treatment was a malicious distortion. After a careful examination, Professor Fischer was of the opinion that it was indeed a neurotic, progressive muscular atrophy, that is, a degeneration of the nerve that runs from the spinal cord to the muscles and obviously influences their nourishment and development. The starting point of the degeneration is probably located in the cells of the anterior horn. The nerve fibers coming from the cerebrum come together here. A transfer or commutation of the impulses coming from the brain takes place here, without these fibers coming into immediate contact with the nerves leading to the muscles. It could not be denied that the degenerated nerves had experienced an unusual stimulation, which was then passed on to the leg muscles. What astonished us the most, however, was the fact that Gröning had made a diagnosis which had been uncannily close to the anatomic reality.

Kargesmeyer had already maintained that Gröning had told him, unsolicited, that he suffered from facial pain, and that this had tormented him since the age of two. We had regarded this as the exaggeration of a grateful patient. With Dieter Hülsmann, however, there was a definite report on Gröning's diagnosis, confirmed by witnesses. Gröning had spoken of a torn nerve in the spinal cord, defining the place in which the diseased cells of the anterior horn are located. This is where the boy had then experienced the previously-mentioned burning and thereafter, a strange fluttering, which Gröning called a beginning regeneration and which he compared with the flickering of a light bulb into which electricity slowly "flows." This explanation sounded primitive. But it came so close to reality, that this experience moved us profoundly.

On the verge of the uncanny

The last decision in favor of Gröning came about, however, through an experience that we had shortly after Professor Fischer's examination of Dieter Hülsmann. We were led into a living room, without suspecting that Gröning had worked here. Professor Fischer sat down wearily on one of the arm chairs that were there. At almost the same moment, his face became deathly pale. He gasped for breath, but quickly got control of himself. Then he looked at us through narrowed eyes, as if a mysterious power, whose origin he could not explain, had just touched him. He told us that at the moment he sat down, he had felt a violent pain in the area of his right kidney and, simultaneously, palpitations of the heart and shortness of breath. His right kidney had been inflamed several times in the past. It was his body’s weakest organ. As we further puzzled over the strange phenomenon, Lanzenrath came into the room and said that the professor was sitting in the very chair in which Gröning had treated his sick people.

Prof. Dr. Fischer’s unusual healing success by means of the arm chair, in which Gröning healed numerous sick people in Herford. When Prof. Fischer sat down in this chair, he felt touched by a mysterious energy and got the idea to use the energy active in this chair for a treatment of a young woman suffering from paralysis for years. The treatment forms the highlight of our report today.

Gröning had always maintained that he could leave special power behind in a chair. Had the professor perhaps perceived some of that? "Certainly," said Fischer, in the somewhat oppressive stillness that emanated from us. But he was already occupied with some kind of plan. He suddenly asked Lanzenrath to come with him and went into the garden where, just as on the day we’d arrived in Herford, the sick people were waiting patiently or desperately. He looked for a paralyzed person and found a young girl, who lay helpless in an arbor, her legs immobile. With Lanzenrath's help, he carried her into the living room, where she was put onto the mysterious chair. Then he began to treat her in his usual way, as a psychotherapist. He quickly determined the cause of her paralysis.

The girl, Anni Schwedler, 21 years old, came from Darmstadt, and had experienced a heavy air-strike on the city in the autumn of 1944. Anni was buried with her mother and around 20 other people in the air-raid shelter of a brewery. All of the others, including her mother, were able to escape through an emergency exit that they had been able to open wide enough for a person to get through. Somehow, however, the girl’s body got stuck in the opening in the wall. The house was ablaze. The girl's hair had already caught fire. At the very last moment, the air-raid warden was able to pull Anni out and extinguish her burning clothing with a jet of water. Even as she was describing it, her horrified facial expression showed the inner process that must have taken place within her back then. Shortly after her rescue, she already had felt insecure when walking. A few days later, she began to stumble. Her walking became more and more unsteady, until her legs were completely paralyzed. All medical treatment proved unsuccessful. And now the girl sat in the strange chair that had given Professor Fischer such a severe shock.

As the girl finished her description, the professor reached the following conclusion: if Gröning had left mysterious healing powers in his chair, then these powers should still have an effect on the sick people in his absence. He briefly told the girl about Gröning and that he had already helped many paralyzed people in this room. And he did something else – he showed the girl a picture of Gröning. Then, charged with inner tension, he very abruptly commanded, "Stand up!" He thought that Gröning would act in a similar manner. The girl's face all of a sudden shone, and Anni got up from the arm chair almost boldly, and was so astonished and overcome from her ability to stand up, that she at first didn't dare to take a step. The professor commanded again, "Now walk!" Lanzenrath, who stood nearby, had to take the girl lightly by the hand, and then she walked with still insecure steps and with tears of joy across the whole room to the chair where Anni's completely overwhelmed mother sat. But here, Anni Schwedler collapsed. The experiment had to be carried out a second time. In this second attempt, Fischer also showed the patient Gröning's picture, and as he did so, noticed signs of a stronger circulation of blood in the previously paralyzed legs, redness and a developing warmth. The girl got up again. The professor commanded her to stand up and sit down again a few times. Standing up got better and better. Finally, the girl was able to go out of the room and all the way over the courtyard to a nearby street. From there she was then taken in a car to a relative in Herford.

We had all watched the experiment in breathless suspense. On that same evening, we notified the Revue that we had to extend our stay in northern Germany. There was no longer any doubt that Gröning was a phenomenon that had to be clarified through the planned clinical experiments. We wanted to try to make contact with Gröning the next day, in order to pave the way for him to the physicians of the Heidelberg University Clinic, so that he could prove his abilities in their presence.

Sequence of events surrounding Bruno Gröning from March 1949 onwards

The confusion of these events is so great, that only with great trouble were we able to half-way bring them in order for the outside observer.

March 18, 1949
Bruno Gröning's star is suddenly rising in Herford. The alleged or actual healing of Dieter, the son of the Herford engineer Hülsmann, who was suffering from muscular atrophy, has become known to the public. News of further healings follows. Rumors and reports spread like the wind. Great crowds of the sick gather before the Hülsmann home at 7 Wilhelmsplatz in Herford, where Gröning is staying.

April 4, 1949
The beginning of Gröning's public healing activity in Herford. A huge response. Gröning becomes the Miracle Worker of Herford. He is elevated by some to the status of a kind of messiah, all the more since he himself attributes his effect to divine powers.

April 27, 1949
As a result of the huge crowds of people, the authorities, in particular the health authorities, intervene. Gröning and Hülsmann are asked to meet with the director of the health department in Herford, Senior Medical Officer Dr. Siebert. Siebert explains that he had tolerated Gröning's activity up to then, but must now step in because of the great number of sick people and his responsibility to the public health system. He attempts to determine the details of Gröning's work in a rather tactless, provocative manner. Gröning says he has no right to do this and instead invites him to convince himself of his methods and successes at his place of work. Siebert rejects this on the grounds that he couldn't make a fool of himself.

In the days that follow, Hülsmann, Senior Medical Officer Dr. Siebert, and the Herford Detective Investigator Auer meet three times. Hülsmann insists - as an enthusiastic follower of Gröning, also not in a very clever way - that the gentlemen should convince themselves of Gröning's successes. Siebert declines. Auer behaves objectively.

April 30, 1949
In the face of the growing crowd of people seeking healing and the growing difficulties with the authorities, Gröning holds a kind of press conference at the Hülsmann home. The press had meanwhile seized upon the Gröning case, sensationalized it and published numerous false reports and distortions of the case. The Herford Chief Municipal Director Meister comes to the conference along with Superintendent Kunst. Gröning corrects the false reports. However, no real relationship is established between the somewhat insecure and inhibited Gröning, who has had no experience negotiating with physicians or in dealing with people from the press, and the others who are present. The authorities' fear of a disturbance of public order by the huge crowds of sick people, mistrust or open rejection of the physicians and lack of objectivity by the press prevail.

May 3, 1949
Chief Municipal Director Meister makes a visit to Gröning in the Hülsmann home. He personally chooses a woman with signs of paralysis from the crowd of those waiting and leads her to Gröning. Gröning achieves an obvious success, and Meister leaves greatly impressed.

May 3, afternoon
Nevertheless, in the afternoon, the Chief Municipal Director sends Gröning a prohibition against any further healing activity. It allows for an appeal period of three weeks. The relationship between the authorities, Gröning and the waiting masses, among whom numerous remarkable healings have taken place during the previous weeks, becomes ever more complex.

May 13, 1949
Just ten days after the prohibition, which is superficially based on the Non-Medical Practitioners Act of the Third Reich, a medical commission appears in the Hülsmann home. It consists of the director of the city hospitals of Bielefeld, Prof. Dr. Wolf, the director of the healing institutions in Bethel, Prof. Dr. Schorsch; and the Senior Medical Officer of Bielefeld, Dr. Rainer. Also present are Chief Municipal Director Meister and Superintendent Kunst. Kunst and Wolf try to remain objective. Dr. Rainer is completely negative. He declares, "Gentlemen! Nothing which will be shown to you here is new to medical science. We can treat these kinds of cases with the same success. If I come here, I want to see miracles." The alliance between Gröning’s medical opponents and the helplessness of the authorities in the face of the phenomenon of Gröning and his ability to move the masses, solidifies. However, Gröning receives the offer to prove his healing ability in clinically verifiable cases by a deadline of June 28 in any university clinic of the British zone of Germany, in the Bielefeld city hospitals, or the Bethel clinic, following arrangement with the senior physicians.

In the next days:
Despite verbal and written notices by Gröning and his assistants of the healing prohibition and the uselessness of waiting, the seekers of healing persist in staying in front of the Hülsmann home. Healings which are difficult to verify also occur. These are only explicable as occurring through a distance effect by Gröning on those waiting.

May 20, 1949
Gröning declares himself ready to prove his healing ability in the city hospitals of Bielefeld, but aborts the trip to Prof. Wolf out of an instinctive distrust, a fear of a possible trap on the part of the physicians. A Mr. Klemme, whom Gröning had healed, plays a role here. Klemme suggests to Gröning that he give up the battle with the Herford authorities and instead negotiate with the district president in Detmold, Drake, whom he knows well.

May 23, 1949
The relationship is formed with Drake under unfortunate circumstances. At the insistence of a Mr. Egon-Arthur Schmidt, who has appeared in Gröning's circle and who calls himself an editor, Gröning gives a so-called "distance-diagnosis" of the condition of Drake's health on the evening before the visit with Drake. Gröning's distance-diagnoses are a very special thing that are not easily interpreted in medical terms. (In the course of the Revue report, they will be covered in detail). Convinced of Gröning's ability, Schmidt presents the distance-diagnosis to Drake. He notices some mistakes in it. The Detmold Public Health Officer, Dr. Dyes, a definite opponent of Gröning who took part in the meeting, wins the upper hand. He literally declares to Gröning that he can do and prove what he will, but the healing prohibition will not be lifted (Dr. Dyes confirms this statement himself to the Revue collaborator, Dr. Fischer). Dyes' words have a disastrous effect on further developments. Gröning's instinctive distrust of the medical profession is finally solidified and renders a reasonable collaboration impossible from his side, too. Dr. Dyes had not pointed out to Gröning the sections of the Non-Medical Practitioners Act that deal with exceptions. They state that in exceptional cases, special permission for the carrying out of a healing practice can be granted, notwithstanding the sections of the law.

May 24, 1949
A meeting takes place between Gröning and city director Wöhrmann, a representative of Chief Municipal Director Meister, who is on holiday. According to the statement of eight witnesses, Wöhrmann uses words to the following effect: If 1,000 people are waiting in front of the house at 7 Wilhelmsplatz, this crowd doesn't interest him. The healing of sick is of secondary importance. What interests him is only salvation and the forgiveness of sins. All physical suffering is small in relation to salvation. Since Gröning does not answer the question as to whether he could carry out the forgiveness of sins, Wöhrmann is completely dissatisfied with the conversation with Gröning.

June 7, 1949
Another medical commission – this time including Wöhrmann and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Siebert - visits Gröning. A five-hour confrontation. The prohibition of all healing activity is upheld. Extension of the appeal deadline until July 28. Gröning is again given the previously-known offer to prove his healing ability in clinics and hospitals. As a result of Gröning's deep-rooted mistrust, this does not come about. (As Revue representative Prof. Dr. Fischer later determines, this mistrust was not unjustified).

June 18-19, 1949
In order to calm down the thousands of sick people waiting for Gröning at the Wilhelmsplatz, Wöhrmann feels forced to temporarily relax the prohibition on healing.

June 20, 1949
Demonstration of those waiting for healing in front of the city hall and the Wöhrmann home. The police are powerless.

June 21, 1949
The prohibition is relaxed again.

24 June, 1949
Chief Municipal Director Meister returns and confirms the prohibition. Renewed demonstrations. The confusion of circumstances becomes more and more dreadful.

June 25, 1949
At the invitation of the Hamburg merchant Westphal, whose asthma had been improved by Gröning, Gröning goes to Hamburg. He hopes to be able to continue his healing activity there. However, this also proves to be impossible in Hamburg.

June 29, 1949
Gröning leaves Hamburg for an unknown destination. He is accompanied by Hülsmann and his wife. The public and the police lose trace of him.

Caption:
Sick people who had been treated by Gröning, whom Dr. Fischer visited before he met with Gröning himself.

1. Mr. Klüglich in Bielefeld, with renal disease, who lived in continual fear of an operation. Our report describes the condition he was in when the Revue's representative, Prof. Fischer, met him weeks after Gröning's treatment.
2. The little daughter of the Mendt family of Hamburg proved to Prof. Fischer that the Gröning effect must be utilized by medicine. Gröning had successfully influenced spinal poliomyelitis in a psychotherapeutic way.
3. Mrs. Wehmayer. When Prof. Fischer visited her and heard of her hospital stays, he was very impressed with Gröning's distance effect and the experience related by her husband (see the report).
4. Miss Schwerdt related the encounter with Gröning described in the report, to Prof. Fischer, about how he had led her back to the man she loved with the help of the tin foil ball, l and how he healed both of them.
5. Mrs. W., who runs bicycle shop in Bielefeld of her husband, who died in 1946. Prof. Fischer spoke with the doctor who had carried out the protracted and seemimngly hopeless treatment before Gröning.
6. The down-to-earth businessman Kargesmeier in Bad Oeynhausen, for whom no operation could stop the excruciating pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia. After Gröning's treatment, Professor Fischer found him to be healed.
7. Dr. Morters, who treated the patient before Gröning's influence, sits at the bedside of Mrs. E. This case also caused the Revue to convince the physicians of a university clinic of the necessity of a clinical test, about which the Revue reports in the next issue.

Noaptea marilor vindecări

Noaptea marilor vindecări

Revista "Zeitungsblitz", septembrie 1949: Ediţie specială despre succesele lui Gröning

În rândurile ce urmează vă oferim o relatare obiectivă făcută de către corespondentul nostru special care, în calitate de reprezentant al presei s-a aflat timp de 15 ore la Traberhof în 27 şi 28 august, pe urmele marelui vindecător Bruno Gröning. In acest răstimp el a urmărit încercările de vindecare ale acestuia, la care au asistat şi alte câteva sute de oameni.

Primele vindecări ale zilei

Corespondentul nostru relatează: Deja în decursul dimineţii numeroşi oameni în căutare de ajutor care, la prânz ajunseseră să strige în cor după „Gröning al lor“, au avut marele noroc că acesta li s-a adresat într-o scurtă cuvântare. Dar nu doresc să vă relatez despre asta, ci despre orele unice din timpul după-amiezii şi serii, pe care le-am trăit personal şi pe care nu le pot uita:

Se simte un fel de tensiune în aer: din oarecare motive azi - sâmbătă - se află deosebit de mulţi suferinzi şi curioşi în faţa Traberhof-ului şi în curte, iar această tensiune creşte de la oră la oră, căci s-a auzit că domnul Gröning le va vorbi încă o dată, în această seară, celor care aşteptă. Pe balcon, pe terasă şi pe locul de parcare se instalează deja aparatele de filmat şi încep să se adune din ce în ce mai mulţi oameni.

Între timp, mă informez despre ultimile succese de vindecare, pentru că mă simt dator să ofer un reportaj realist, lipsit de senzaţional, atât cititorului cât şi celor din jurul lui Gröning.

Astfel, doamna Würstl din Rosenheim, Münchenerstr. 42 îmi relatează într-un mod convingător că astăzi, înainte de prânz, dânsa nu se putea apleca şi nu-şi putea ridica picioarele, din cauza paraliziei de care suferea. După cuvântarea ţinută de Gröning dânsa, plină de bucurie se îndreptă spre soţul ei pentru prima oară fără ajutor, acum putând şi să se aplece ca un om sănătos.

La fel ca şi domnul Haas din München, o femeie din Endorf s-a ridicat din căruciorul pe rotile, făcând primele încercări de a merge: noi toţi o văzusem înainte stând numai culcată.

M-am aşezat la masa unui cunoscut a cărui soţie este actriţa de film Karin Lembeck din München-Laim, o apariţie marcantă, o brunetă care le era cunoscută tuturor „oaspeţilor permanenţi”. Ea îmi relatează despre vindecarea unei paralizii a braţului stâng, pe care o avea de luni de zile, o vindecare de la distanţă prin intermediul unei convorbiri telefonice avute cu Gröning, la ora zece dimineaţa. Din momentul sosirii domnului Gröning la Traberhof, „câmpul său de radiaţii" a devenit dintr-o dată activ, astfel că doamna L. a simţit valuri de fierbinţeală şi frisoane care au făcut-o să exclame: „Doamne, ce se întâmplă cu braţul meu? Nu-l mai simt!" – şi, cu acelaşi braţ „dispărut", cu acelaşi braţ paralizat pe care înainte nu-l putea ridica nici până la nivelul mesei, îşi atinge involuntar obrazul şi, câteva clipe mai târziu, îl ridică deja complet liber la pălăria ei mare, de soare. Atunci, foarte emoţionată au podidit-o lacrimile de bucurie şi de recunoştinţă, lacrimi care fac orice cuvânt de prisos. Câteva ore mai târziu are posibilitatea ca, plină de recunoştinţă, să-i dea mâna domnului Gröning la care marele vindecător se apără modest: "Nu mie mi se cuvin mulţumirile, ci marelui nostru Creator care astăzi dimineaţă, în timpul convorbirii telefonice cu soţul dumneavoastră, mi-a dat putere să pregătesc această vindecare pe care, în clipa sosirii dumneavoastră Dumnezeu a desăvârşit-o, fără contribuţia mea. Credinţa dumneavoastră v-a ajutat, stimată doamnă!"

O altă doamnă din anturajul lui Lembeck, doamna Wagner din München-Laim care, în urma unei embolii cerebrale este de patru ani paralizată pe partea stângă, stare care între timp a suferit o uşoară ameliorare. Doamna este „ajutată de la distanţă”, în timp ce se află în grădină, pentru că Gröning se ocupă de ea, din camera sa de la etaj. Noi urmărim încordaţi efectele însă, din cauza agitaţiei din jur, doamna nu reuşeşte să se concentreze suficient. Din aceeaşi cauză nu s-a ajuns la efectul dorit nici la încercarea făcută în timpul nopţii, faţă în faţă cu maestrul, deoarece ei îi lipsea disponibilitatea lăuntrică şi puterea de concentrare mentală, la care se adăuga şi faptul stânjenitor că era o încercare repetată la câteva ore după tratamentul la distanţă.

În acest caz, ca şi în altele două, s-a dovedit în mod evident că încercarea repetată de a ajunge personal la domnul Gröning, crezând că procedura de la distanţă n-ar avea efect, este doar un semn al neîncrederii faţă de cel ce înfăptuieşte vindecarea.

Şi, dintr-o dată, momentul aşteptat a sosit. Sutele de oameni stau înghesuiţi unul lângă altul. Este ora 7.30 seara. Încep să se vadă umbrele serii. Caii au dispărut de pe păşuni şi soarele străluceşte deasupra minunaţilor munţi cu reflexii albastrui îmbrăcându-i într-o lumină aurie. Tensiunea creşte din ce în ce mai mult, devenind aproape insuportabilă. Atunci Gröning apare la balcon, întâmpinat cu urale de bucurie şi roagă mulţimea să aibă răbdare câteva minute, pentru a se putea concentra în linişte asupra atâtor oameni pe care el, de asemenea, îi roagă să se concentreze. Domnul S., unul din colaboratorii săi, îi călăuzeşte pe bolnavi în faţă şi în şoaptă le precizează modul în care trebuie să se comporte: Mâinile aşezate pe genunchi cu palmele în sus, fără să se atingă între ei, fără să se gândească la boală – acestea erau sfaturile lui. Tocmai această aşteptare liniştită dar încordată, această pregătire lăuntrică, spirituală pentru momentul acţiunii puterii tămăduitoare a lui Gröning conduce la cel mai mare succes de vindecare. Aproape nu se mai aude nici o şoaptă în mulţimea de oameni. Este imposibil de descris situaţia şi starea de spirit, atmosfera emoţionantă plină de credinţă, în care aceşti sărmani oameni, chinuiţi de suferinţe vizibile şi invizibile aşteptau clipa vindecării, mai mult sau mai puţin încrezători.

Între timp au trecut 15 minute cu pregătirile filmărilor pentru un documentar, minute unice, pline de aşteptare în care simţi bătăile propriei inimi dar şi pe-ale vecinului tău. Un colaborator al lui Gröning îl întreabă pe fiecare în parte de unde vine. Sunt reprezentate localităţi din toate părţile şi zonele Germaniei: din Allgäu şi din regiunea şvabilor, din Köln şi Frankfurt, din toată Bavaria, de la Bodensee şi de la Waterkant, chiar şi din Berlin şi bineînţeles mulţi localnici. O bucurie cu totul deosebită i-a făcut mai târziu domnului Gröning prezenţa unui camarad de război, care se afla în rândurile celor ce aşteptau: cu el împărţise destinul dur al prizonieratului de război în Karelia şi Finlanda. Mulţimea este rugată din nou să nu pună nici un fel de întrebări domnului Gröning şi să se concentreze numai asupra a ceea ce va spune Gröning.

Gröning vorbeşte mulţimii aflate în aşteptare

Acum s-a înserat complet. Din toate părţile se aprind reflectoare iar aparatele de filmat încep să se audă în surdină. Zgomotele încetează complet şi toate privirile se îndreaptă spre balconul în care, la ora 20:15 apare domnul Gröning înconjurat de gazde, colaboratori şi vindecaţi. Urmează minute de tăcere profundă în care marele vindecător al omenirii îşi împreunează mâinile, privind spre cer. După aceea, privind faţa emoţionată a fiecăruia el intră într-o legatură profundă cu aceşti credincioşi care, îşi caută vindecarea.

Acum Gröning începe să vorbească mulţimii în cuvinte simple dar încărcate de o credinţă profundă, cu acea voce caldă, plăcută care captivează mulţimea:

„Dragii mei în căutare de ajutor! Şi astăzi, la fel ca în fiecare zi, s-au adunat aici oameni necăjiţi şi chinuiţi care caută şi vor găsi vindecare, dar şi unii oameni mânaţi de pură curiozitate, precum şi câţiva care sunt conştienţi de scepticismul lor. Eu simt foarte clar acest lucru şi, de aceea, vă rog să lăsaţi aceste gânduri deoparte şi să vă convingeţi mai întâi de realitate. Aici nu este vorba de un spectacol sau de reprezentaţii ieftine de minunăţii, căci este un moment prea grav şi suferinţa oamenilor din jurul meu este prea mare.

Eu nu am chemat aici pe nimeni ci, dimpotrivă, eu v-am rugat să aşteptaţi până în ziua în care vi se va putea acorda ajutor în condiţii organizate. Cine nu crede în mine, acela nici nu trebuie să mai vină!

Eu ştiu că mulţi dintre dumneavoastră se află în această clipă pe calea vindecării! Întenţionez să rămân aici în sudul Bavariei aşa că, vă rog să aveţi răbdare până voi obţine permisiunea pentru vindecarea în mod public şi până se vor înfiinţa locaşuri de vindecare. Pot fi vindecaţi însă, doar cei care poartă în ei credinţa în puterea divină. Din păcate, există oameni care de ani de zile au pierdut-o sau au târât-o în noroi.

Vă aduc la cunoştinţă: Singurul medic, medicul tuturor oamenilor este şi rămâne Domnul Dumnezeu! Numai EL singur poate să ajute. El îi ajută, însă, numai pe cei credincioşi care sunt dispuşi să se debaraseze de suferinţa lor. Nu trebuie să credeţi în Gröning cel mărunt trebuie, însă, să aveţi încredere în mine. Nu eu sunt cel ce vrea mulţumirile dumneavoastră ci doar Dumnezeu le merită – eu îmi fac numai datoria!

Intrucât nu v-a informat nimeni, vă aduc la cunoştinţă că puteţi lăsa acasă frica şi banii, dar trebuie să aduceţi cu dumneavoastră boala şi timp suficient, căci pe acestea o să vi le răpesc eu. Dumneavoastră trebuie să fiţi cu toţii omenoşi faţă de ceilalţi oameni; să nu fiţi răutăcioşi, nici ipocriţi, să nu faceţi nimănui rău şi să nu fiţi niciodată invidioşi. Cel mai bun şi cel mai mare dar în această viaţă pe Pământ nu este bogăţia, nu sunt banii ci sănătatea, care valorează mai mult decât tot binele din lume. Aţi aflat de la colaboratorul meu cum trebuie să vă comportaţi pentru a resimţi cel mai puternic efect posibil. Nu vreau să fac aici o vindecare în mod public! Trebuie să ştiu mai întâi cu certitudine, că mi se permite în mod oficial să ajut. Până acum, însă, a fost aşa că oamenii care se aflau în preajma mea s-au vindecat. Nu trebuie să-mi enumeraţi suferinţele, privirea mea pătrunde prin voi toţi şi ştiu totul despre dumneavoastră!"

Domnul Gröning a făcut atunci câteva demonstraţii privind puterile sale, a căror influenţă a fost confirmată prin exclamaţii, după care a continuat: „Fiecare a primit acum ceea ce a dorit; dar numai acela care s-a simţit unit cu Domnul Dumnezeu. Dacă totul va merge bine, în strânsă colaborare cu medicii doresc să înfiinţez mai multe locaşuri de vindecare, având nucleul în acest loc, pentru a vă ajuta pe toţi. Tuturor celor care au venit pentru rudele lor bolnave vreau să le spun: 'Mă aflu deja la ei!' Când veţi ajunge acasă veţi constata că bolnavul nu mai este la fel ca atunci când aţi plecat!" Acestui bărbat altruist i s-a mulţumit pentru cuvintele sale cu aplauze îndelungate.

Doi reprezentanţi ai guvernului sunt de partea lui Gröning

Dintr-o dată, venind din spate, apare prin surprindere preşedintele poliţiei din München, domnul Pitzer: „Dragii locuitori ai Rosenheim-ului! Eu vă vorbesc aici în urma experienţei mele personale de astăzi. Am venit aici în primul rând ca bolnav, dar şi în calitate de funcţionar public bavarez şi observator. Eu nu am primit în viaţa mea o dignoză atât de grozavă., nici chiar din partea profesorilor celebrii, aşa cum am primit aici în câteva clipe din partea domnului Gröning, cu toate că el nici măcar nu m-a atins. Eu personal cred ferm în vindecarea mea, iar pentru ceea ce se-ntâmplă aici răspund în faţa celor din guvern, până în faţa a celor sus-puşi, chiar dacă anumitor domni le convine sau nu, ştiţi la cine mă refer. Decisiv este doar faptul ca bolnavii să fie ajutaţi. De patru ani de zile mă aflu la datorie zi şi noapte şi astfel m-am ales cu o suferinţă grea pentru a cărei vindecare deja am risipit jumătate din bunuri, dar degeaba. Eu vorbesc în numele meu şi al dumneavoastră al tuturor – să se audă pretutindeni, că trebuie să rămân sănătos pentru toţi oamenii integri. Vă mulţumesc domnule Gröning pentru ajutorul dumneavoastră. Să vă dea Bunul Dumnezeu putere ca să-i puteţi ajuta pe toţi oamenii care au venit la dumneavoastră cu credinţă puternică şi cu inima deschisă.

Continuaţi să aveţi încredere deplină în capacitatea de vindecare a lui Gröning şi daţi-vă cu toţii sprjinul să fie învinse toate piedicile. Prietenul meu din parlament va avea grijă ca într-o zi, poate chiar curând, domnul Gröning să primească autorizaţia de vindecare.

Apoi ia cuvântul parlamentarul din partidul C S U, dl. Ha gn: "De fapt nu am vrut să vorbesc deoarece, în ceea ce-l priveşte pe Gröning eram foarte sceptic şi vroiam să mă conving personal de ceea ce se-ntâmplă aici. Astăzi am trăit atâtea lucruri impresionante încât nu am cuvinte să le descriu. Mai mult nu vă pot spune. Vă rog pe toţi să credeţi în Vocaţia domnului Gröning!" Din nou s-au auzit aplauzele furtunoase ale mulţimii entuziasmate.

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Vindecările nocturne de la Traberhof

Gröning se concentrează acum asupra unor cazuri grave de paralizie, vrednice de milă.

Doamna Monika Baumgärtner din Bad Aibling aşteaptă de câteva zile la Traberhof deoarece, în urma unei căzături pe muntele Watzmann cu trei ani în urmă, a suferit o rănire la coloana vertebrală cu afectarea completă a părţii inferioare a corpului. Pentru prima oară după ani de zile, cu mare greutate şi complet transpirată se străduieşte să se ridice, reuşind chiar, pentru scurt timp, să stea în picioare. – Acum Gröning îi roagă şi pe alţi bolnavi cu membrele paralizate şi anchilozate să le mişte sau să le îndoaie. Nu mă pot apropia decât anevoios de domnul Georg Aigner din Rosenheim-Thallerbräu, un invalid demn de milă, care-mi demonstrează plin de bucurie cum îşi poate îndoi scrâşnind încheieturile deja înţepenite şi mândru îşi duce călcâiul stâng la genunchiul drept şi invers. Acesta era al doilea caz de care s-au putut convinge toţi cei de faţă şi, mai ales, scepticii. În sfârşit, un maistru brutar din Bad Aibling a scăpat aproape complet de efectele unui şoc nervos suferit în urmă cu ani de zile, micile sechele urmând să-i fie luate în câteva săptămâni, după cum îi promisese domnul Gröning.

Acum Gröning vorbeşte încă o dată în faţa mulţimii uimite: „Dacă a apărut o ameliorare la cunoştinţele şi rudele dumneavoastră de acasă, daţi-mi cât se poate de repede de ştire referindu-vă la data de azi, ca să ştiu, câte vindecări au avut loc astăzi. Vă doresc dumneavoastră tuturor o noapte bună şi însănătoşirea completă în numele lui Dumnezeu."

După aceea, marele vindecător s-a întors în clădire împreună cu colaboratorii săi dovedindu-şi în continuare, cu succes capacitatea sa de a vindeca la cazurile ce i-au fost prezentate de către medici şi presă, fără să fi făcut nicio pauză din zorii zilei.

Până acum m-am aflat exclusiv lângă bolnavi, pentru a fi în contact apropiat cu aceştia, iar acum eram invitat de familia Hawart să asist la tratarea cazurilor deosebit de grave. Am pătruns în încăperile ce aparţineau familiei, trecând prin mulţimea celor care aşteptau în antreu. Cu toată obiectivitatea, nu am putut să nu simt un curent deosebit care te învăluia încă de la intrare. Şi atunci domnul Gröning s-a îndreptat spre mine, strângându-mi mâna. Pentru un moment am avut senzaţia că privirea sa pătrunzătoare dar nespus de prietenoasă m-a străpuns. Primele sale cuvinte dovedeau marea dezamăgire pe care el deja o trăise în legătură cu presa.

In timpul unor tratamente interesante a câtorva cazuri de paralizie infantilă, cu un succes vizibil, în grădina de iarnă amenajată exotic colaboratorii săi au pregătit o întâlnire de cerc pentru miezul nopţii. La lumina celor patru lămpi cu arc electric s-au adunat 24 de persoane, printre care şi domnul dr. Meyer de la spitalul de invalizi din Bad Tölz, medicul curant a doi dintre pacienţi, încă o doctoriţă, un student la medicină şi personalul ce-i îngrijea pe cei imobilizaţi. Ploaia se aude neîntrerupt pe acoperişul de sticlă şi cei trei operatori de film îndreaptă camerele asupra pacienţilor. Fiecare caz este înregistrat în prealabil, apoi în timpul procedurii şi ulterior, în vederea realizării unui film documentar, ce urma să facă lumină în cazul Gröning, în rândul populaţiei. Ca întotdeauna, într-o încăpere alăturată, Gröning se pregăteşte pentru tratament. Asistentul său, domnul Schmidt apare şi roagă pe cei de faţă să se pregătească la rândul lor atât lăuntric cât şi în exterior pentru încercările de vindecare ce urmau. El anunţă în mod surprinzător – probabil în calitate de mediu al lui Gröning – că printre cei de faţă se află un domn care trebuie să renunţe la scepticismul lui nejustificat sau dacă nu, să părăsească încăperea, pentru a nu întrerupe legăturile la nivel mental cu cei care sunt în căutare de ajutor. – Totuşi nimeni nu părăseşte încăperea.

Atunci, în pragul uşii apare Gröning şi roagă ca toţi cei de faţă să se concentreze, fiecare asupra a ceea ce simte în propriul corp. Gröning pătrunde în cerc ocupându-se intens de doamna Baumgärtner din Bad Aibling care, încă o dată, îi este prezentată personal. Se aşterne o linişte plină de încordare. Aparatele de filmat încep să se audă alternativ. Dintr-o dată Gröning se întoarce şi o întreabă pe pacienta respectivă: „Şi ce simţiţi acum?" Răspunsurile frecvente sunt: furnicături în picioare, înţepături în gambă, un junghi dureros în regiunea rinichilor sau a vezicii urinare, o rumoare masivă în intestine, o apăsare în coşul pieptului sau, în faţa tuturor, se manifestă un tremur vizibil al întregului corp. Astfel sau asemănător se manifestă efectele tratamentului aproape la fiecare pacient. Acum maestrul fixează exact locul bolnav, care a provocat paralizia. El o lasă pe doamna B. să respire adânc de trei ori. După care pacienta strigă dintr-o dată. „S – a r u p t!" Întors cu spatele la pacientă încât aceasta nu vedea, printr-un uimitor limbaj al degetelor sale, domnul Gröning demonstrează medicilor cum se poate secţiona un anumit nerv şi apoi coase la loc, fără nici o intervenţie chirurgicală, pacientul având senzaţia că simte toată durerea unei asemenea operaţii. În continuarea tratamentului pacienta se simte „uşoară", ea nu-şi mai simte aproape deloc corpul, prezintă senzaţii euforice crescânde, îşi ridică şovăitor braţul stâng, se sprijină de speteaza scaunului şi face a doua încercare de a sta în picioare: „În scurt timp, dânsa va putea umbla!" – a fost diagnoza lui Gröning.

Tratarea cazurilor grave

O fetiţă de 8 ani aproape oarbă, Evelyn Gschwind din München, care avea grave leziuni de cornee şi făcuse cinci operaţii, după procedura repetată în aceeaşi zi, poate deja să vadă fără ochelari, mai bine decât văzuse vreodată, înainte, de exemplu trenul care trecea la o distanţă de 500 m. Gröning îi cere micuţei Evelyn să-şi pună palma stângă pe ochiul stâng şi, la comanda lui, să o dea rapid la o parte, reuşind astfel să îndepărteze acel văl de pe ochi. Fetiţa este eliberată şi poate descrie fiecare detaliu din încăpere.

Apoi Gröning îi trimite pe cei trei domni însoţitori ai pacientelor afară pe balcon, deoarece aceştia distrăgeau atenţia protejatelor lor. Acum împarte bile de staniol confecţionate din cutiile goale de ţigări, pe care le-a modelat cu mâna sa şi care, se pare că, poartă în ele un adevărat rezervor de putere magnetică. Ele sunt atât de râvnite încât deja se vând pe piaţa neagră din München – bineînţeles falsificate. Aceste bile „purtătoare de putere" trebuie să realizeze contactul de la distanţă dintre pacient şi Gröning şi să înlesnească puterea de concentrare, foarte necesară în cazul tratării la distanţă.

Între timp, în partea de răsărit cerul începe să se întunece şi totuşi maestrul nu arată încă nici un semn de oboseală. Puterea sa de rezistenţă o transmite evident şi vizitatorilor săi, căci nici unul dintre aceştia nu vrea să părăsească „lăcaşul minunilor". Noţiunea de somn este ceva străin pentru Gröning. O mişcare rapidă a mâinii de la frunte spre ceafă, peste creştetul său bine profilat, îndepărtează cea mai mică urmă de oboseală. Însă, permanent are în mână o ţigaretă şi hrana sa este compusă numai din porţii mici.

Cel râvnit fără încetare este acum chemat în curtea din spate la un caz foarte grav, unde aşteaptă deja de câteva zile domnul Fischaber în vârstă de 35 de ani, din Bad Tölz, Gröning fiind ultima sa speranţă. În urma unui accident de motocicletă şi de sanie cu motor, domnul F. era paralizat parţial în diferite zone ale corpului, paralizii care din mai 1949 s-au agravat în continuu. Trei expertize medicale ale unor profesori renumiţi din München oscilau între intoxicare cu vapori de benzină, leziunea coloanei vertebrale, tumori pe traiectoriile nervilor cranieni. Cea mai recentă constatare era a medicului care-l adusese la Gröning şi anume leziunea diencefalului. In urmă cu două luni, domnul F. îl căutase deja pe Gröning la Herford, unde acesta i-a promis vindecarea. În timp ce suferinţa cauzată rinichilor de tratamentul medicamentos făcut ani de zile a dispărut complet după vizita de la Herford, celelalte simptome ale bolii persistau. Pregătirea pentru această consultaţie matinală Gröning a făcut-o cu o seară înainte prin tratamentul la distanţă, prin intermediul mediului său, timp în care domnul F. a putut simţi furnicături puternice în mâna stângă şi în gamba stângă, precum şi senzaţii de febră musculară în laba piciorului.

Motivul pentru care vindecarea sau ameliorarea încă nu se manifestase până acum în mod evident a fost precizat de domnul Gröning într-o formulare „clarvăzătoare", şocantă, în care a spus următoarele: „Feriţi-vă de un cuplu cu care sunteţi prieten, care nu vă vrea binele. Femeia are părul negru, bărbatul este şaten, are cărare, înalt de cca. 1,70 m. Acest bărbat va veni la dumneavoastră acasă - dacă vreţi să ştiţi exact - la două zile după ce plecaţi de aici, mai precis la ora 6.00 seara. Îl veţi recunoaşte prin aceea că el se va şterge la nas cu o batistă albă - încă înainte să închidă uşa. Acest bărbat a împiedicat până în ziua de azi vindecarea dumneavoastră prin intermediul meu, căci el s-a exprimat dispreţuitor în mod public. Această persoană se interpune între dumneavoastră şi mine şi întrerupe legătura atât de necesară. Feriţi-vă de acest domn şi în scurt timp veţi deveni sănătos."

Ultimele cuvinte ale vindecătorului, pe care mi le-a spus pe drumul spre casă şi care sunt relevante pentru munca sa în viitor, au fost: „Doresc să-i vindec pe pacienţii mei în câteva minute cu următoarele cuvinte: BUNĂ ZIUA! ERAŢI BOLNAV! LA REVEDERE!

A. Stecher

Nota redacţiei!

Aceasta a fost relatarea corespondentului nostru pe care o redăm fără comentarii. Cititorii noştri vor putea acum, pe baza celor prezentate, să-şi formeze o părere proprie despre „arta de a vindeca" a lui Gröning, să decidă dacă este necesară şi de urgenţă autorizarea din partea ministerului de stat responsabil ca „medic naturopat", în interesul multor bolnavi şi a celor cu afecţiuni fizice.

Deoarece Gröning intenţionează să rămână deocamdată mai departe la Traberhof lângă Rosenheim, vom publica la timpul potrivit alte „ediţii speciale".

Nu este posibil să transmitem domnului Gröning scrisori sau să facem intermedieri. Bineînţeles că fiecare dintre cei interesaţi poate trimite scrisori (fără fotografii) sau alte mesaje la adresa sa: Domnului Bruno Gröning, Rosenheim-Land, Traberhof. Alte adrese care pot fi procurate de pe piaţa neagră sunt false. Domnul Gröning roagă să se renunţe la vizite personale, până la obţinerea aprobării oficiale.

Bruno Gröning – cuvântul său alungă boala

„Das neue Blatt“ din 09.05.1957

Relatarea doctorului Horst Mann

Trebuie spus foarte clar: nu este vorba despre persoana lui Bruno Gröning. Publicația „Das Neue Blatt“ nu vrea să facă parte din corul care, într-un entuziasm debordant, îl ridică în slăvi ca pe un vindecător sau, dimpotrivă, îl declară șarlatan. Sarcina noastră a fost să examinăm vindecările lui Bruno Gröning – în mod critic și integru, purtaţi doar de efortul onest de a descoperi, în sfârşit, adevărul. Deoarece, toți oamenii suferinzi au dreptul la acest adevăr.

Das Neue Blatt deschide un capitol interesant al timpurilor noastre. Iată faptele:

1. De mai bine de 10 ani, Bruno Gröning obţine vindecări care pot fi confirmate. Numărul lor nu poate fi estimat, este vorba despre mii de asemenea vindecări.
2. Acest om s-a aflat de mai multe ori în fața instanțelor de judecată, din cauza metodelor sale. A trebuit să fie achitat. In momentul de faţă, el aşteaptă cu încredere un nou şi foarte controversat proces.
3. Pretutindeni în Germania există asociații-Gröning. Membrii lor îl privesc cu respect pe bărbatul care, nu numai că le-a adus vindecarea, ci le oferă și sprijin sufletesc.

Das Neue Blatt a stat de vorbă cu acești oameni. Noi am cercetat succesele de vindecare în mod critic, i-am întrebat pe medici și pe oamenii de știință și am stat de vorbă cu Bruno Gröning personal. Fără să ezite, el ne-a pus la dispoziție material necunoscut până atunci.

Cele ce urmează s-au întâmplat în 27 noiembrie 1953 în satul Ostenfeld, situat la 14 km de Husum. In încăperea joasă a hanului din sat plana o tensiune apăsătoare care, ca o ghiară de fier, cuprinsese inimile oamenilor înghesuiți pe bănci și pe scaune. Erau în jur de 100, poate chiar 150 de persoane.

Ei au venit din Ostenfeld și din satele învecinate, între Rendsburg și Schleswig, Husum și Kappeln. Vestea s-a răspândit repede: Bruno Gröning este aici! El a vindecat din nou oameni bolnavi. Poate că m-ar putea ajuta și pe mine sau pe tatăl meu cu guta lui sau pe copilul atât de slăbit, pentru care medicul nu a putut decât să ridice din umeri. Poate că acestea erau gândurile oamenilor care veniseră aici, în această seară.

Lumina slabă abia pătrundea în încăpere. Ea cădea pe chipurile pline de aşteptări și credinţă, dar se reflecta și în ochii celor sceptici și ai celor curioși. Ei nu așteptau nimic deosebit. Voiau doar să fie prezenți aici, pentru ca mai târziu, în serile de iarnă ale anului 1954, să-și poată da cu părerea. Se întâmplau atât puţine lucruri aici, în aceste sate. Discuțiile se învârteau mereu în jurul acelorași teme: vremea, recolta, animalele și boala. Da, în final, fiecare putea să ajungă bolnav - poate că Gröning le va arăta o cale de scăpare ...

Murmurul vocilor se spărgea de tavanul încăperii supraaglomerate, despicând perdeaua de fum. Unii își țineau mâinile crispate, ca și când s-ar fi rugat. Alții spuneau glume, pentru a se elibera de încordarea interioară. Alții se ocupau de rudele lor bolnave.

Doar ultimul rând era foarte tăcut. Fusese transportat înăuntru un bărbat foarte bolnav. Durerile îl chinuiau atât de îngrozitor, încât nici nu putea sta pe scaun. A fost ajutat să se întindă pe podea, pe nişte pături. Lumea îl cunoștea. Era fermierul Thies Paasch din Norby. Îi cunoșteau și soarta sa crudă, durerile care îl sileau uneori să stea şi câteva săptămâni la pat.

Deodată, murmurul s-a oprit. Bruno Gröning a intrat în încăpere. S-a îndreptat cu pași repezi spre podium şi părea destul de scund la înălţimea sa de 1,70 metri, aproape delicat. Hainele sale erau asemănătoare celor din poze. Ceea ce era frapant, era capul său impozant cu părul ondulat, ochii mari, strălucitori care, realmente, parcă ardeau pe chipul palid şi subţire.

Apoi, totul s-a petrecut altfel decât se aşteptau cei care veniseră doar din curiozitate sau din dorința de senzație. ”Dragii mei prieteni!”, li s-a adresat Gröning. Și acea voce era blândă și melodioasă, lipsită de dramatism sau emfază. Ea nu vorbea nici despre vindecările, nici despre miracolele înfăptuite de posesorul ei. Ea nu l-a lăudat ori preamărit ca pe un Mesia, care a reînviat pentru a-i salva pe cei disperați. Gröning a vorbit despre credință și puterea acesteia, cu vorbe simple, pe care fiecare le-a înțeles şi le-a asimilat. A vorbit ajutându-se de imagini şi comparații, fără să folosească culori stridente şi întâmplări şocante.

Gröning a vorbit mai bine de o oră. Nimeni nu se uita la ceas şi fiecare avea impresia că lui îi vorbeşte. Apoi, el s-a adresat direct unor ascultători: ”Ați simțit ceva?”, a întrebat. Răspunsurile au venit cu glas coborât, şovăitor, sau cu bucurie. Unii țineau în mâinile lor crispate bile de staniol, care le-au fost împărțite în prealabil, relatând despre o senzație ciudată de căldură. Alții au povestit despre frisoane sau puseuri dureroase. Alții au dat doar din cap în semn de negație.

Unii au vrut să-și povestească evoluţia bolii lor. Dar bărbatul cu cămașă de mătase de culoare închisă și cu un nod mare la cravată nu era întotdeauna un auditor atent. Uneori îi intrerupea aproape răstit: ”Eu nu tratez nici o boală! Boala înseamnă dezordine. Intraţi în ordine cu propria voastră persoană și cu Dumnezeu, iar vindecarea nu se va lăsa aşteptată. Aşadar, să vorbim despre lucruri bune. Simțiți-vă bine în cercul nostru!”

Bruno Gröning s-a dus de la masă la masă, de la scaun la scaun. Apoi s-a întors. Un apel care venea din ultimul rând l-a făcut să se oprească. „Domnule Gröning, ați uitat pe cineva!” Era primarul localității Owschlag, care s-a ridicat arătând înspre Thies Paasch, cel întins pe podea.

Gröning s-a dus la bolnav, s-a aplecat și i-a adresat o întrebare, nu numai lui, ci întregii audiențe: ”Ați simțit ceva în timpul acestei întâlniri?” Bărbatul, care din cauza durerilor era nevoit să stea întins pe podea, a dat din cap. „Da” a spus el. „Deodată mi s-a făcut tare cald. Jumătate din piciorul stâng a rămas însă rece ca gheața. Și apoi am simțit furnicături în mâna dreaptă.” Gröning a dat din cap. Nimic altceva. Nici o mișcare, nici o consolare, nici o indicație. Cu pași mărunți a străbătut încăperea.

Apoi, cineva din mijlocul publicului a strigat: „Ii mulțumin domnului Gröning prin faptul că ne ridicăm de la locurile noastre!” Scaunele au început să fie mișcate cu zgomot, la fel și mesele, apoi s-a întâmplat ceva incredibil. Thies Paasch s-a ridicat de jos. S-a ridicat în picioare, la fel ca și cei sănătoși. Pe chipul său se citea bucuria. A refuzat sprijinul vecinului său, fiindcă voia să reușească singur. A și reușit, fără efort, fără greutate – fără dureri.

El stătea în picioare drept și privea aproape triumfător chipurile impresionate ale oamenilor din jurul său. Apoi, s-a îndreptat cu pași hotărâți spre tejghea. „Un coniac, domnule cârciumar“, a cerut el. Vocea lui era aproape stridentă, pătrunsă de spaimă, speranță dar și bucurie: „Un coniac, domnule cârciumar!“

Norby, 18 aprilie 1957

În fața mea se află o mapă cu scrisori de mulțumire adresate lui Bruno Gröning. Ea cuprinde 58 de relatări ale unor oameni care văd în acest bărbat vindecătorul și salvatorul lor de grele suferinţe. Aceştia provin din zona localităţii Ostenfeld și împrejurimi. Relatările au fost făcute începând din iarna lui 1953 până în primăvara lui 1954 de către fermieri, femei casnice, șoferi, zidari și diverşi meșteșugari. Ele vorbesc, de asemenea, și despre vindecările unor copii.

Mintea mea nu vrea să creadă ceea ce citesc ochii. Este de-a dreptul incredibil. Oamenii enumeră suferințele lor, probleme de inimă și circulație, reumatism, varice, răni deschise, dureri de cap, eczeme, tromboze, inflamaţii ale articulaţiei şoldului, obezitate, paralizii, boli degenerative de disc, probleme cu fierea și tuberculoză. O mulțime de boli care au fost vindecate de Bruno Gröning.

Şovăiesc. Privirea îmi cade asupra numelui Thies Paasch, bărbatul care în urmă cu trei ani, după o cuvântare a lui Bruno Gröning s-a ridicat deodată în picioare și s-a simțit vindecat. Citesc următoarele: „Din anul 1944, deci de 10 ani, am suferit de dureri reumatice și de nevralgii, dureri care au apărut în timpul războiului din Prusia Răsăriteană. Am consultat numeroşi medici și terapeuți naturiști, am făcut cure de ceai de plante, dar toate au dus doar la ameliorarea durerilor, nicidecum la vindecarea lor. In toamna trecută, durerile au devenit atât de puternice, încât nu m-am mai putut mișca. Medicul a constatat că am o degenerare a discului intervertebral şi o inflamație a nervului sciatic. După ce am zăcut timp de 4 săptămâni, fără să simt nici o ameliorare, m-am hotărât ca în 27 noiembrie să mă duc la Ostenfeld, unde se găsea dl. Bruno Gröning. Deoarece nu puteam nici să merg, nici să stau, am stat întins pe podea timp de două ore. Când dl. Gröning a intrat în sală, am simțit imediat o alinare. După ce a terminat de vorbit celor aproximativ 200 de oameni prezenţi acolo, m-am ridicat şi eu, singur, și am putut părăsi sala fără baston. Ca printr-o minune, acum sunt sănătos și pot să lucrez. Îi mulțumesc din suflet domnului Gröning pentru că prin el mi-am recăpătat sănătatea. Thies Paasch, Norby”

Ce s-a întâmplat cu acest bărbat? Vindecarea spontană s-a dovedit a fi definitivă? Oare este într-adevăr o vindecare miraculoasă, sau este vorba de o putere de moment, de credința aprinsă brusc de Bruno Gröning, care a secat sursa de durere, doar ca ea să izbucnească mai târziu, poate şi mai intens?

Câteva ore mai târziu stau împreună cu el, în gospodăria sa ţărănească din Norby. Un om proaspăt şi vesel, care putea avea la fel de bine 40 sau 50 de ani. Tocmai s-a întors cu trenul și a venit cu bicicleta din Husum, unde a făcut școala de șoferi.

El povestește deschis. Primele lui cuvinte mă scutesc să-i adresez întrebarea, dacă vindecarea sa este de durată. „Îi sunt profund recunoscător domnului Gröning. Lui îi mulțumesc pentru faptul că azi sunt sănătos și că munca îmi face din nou plăcere.”

Thies Paasch are toate motivele s-o facă. Când mi-a povestit despre toată perioada lui de suferință, am conștientizat gravitatea bolii sale. După prima criză din timpul războiului, a încercat totul, dar reumatismul a avansat. Spatele lui s-a încovoiat, iar medicii i-au putut atenua durerile numai cu injecții.

”Pe vremea aceea nu vedeam nici o scăpare” a spus Thies Paasch. ”Am avut parte de prea multe înfrângeri. Când am auzit numele Gröning am știut și am simțit că numai el mă poate salva! Am crezut în acest lucru şi mi-am înăbuşit durerile când am fost dus cu mașina la Ostenfeld.”

„Aţi fost între timp din nou la medic?” l-am întrebat pe fermierul cu pielea arsă de soare, care de atunci munceşte din nou, şi cu siguranţă nu face o muncă uşoară. Thies Paasch râde. „De ce ar trebui să fac asta? Eu mă simt sănătos, perfect sănătos!”

Cu toate acestea, mai târziu am stat de vorbă cu medicul care l-a tratat mult timp cu injecții. „Este adevărat.” a spus el. ”Dl. Paasch a fost bolnav. Printre altele, el a avut şi o nevrită. Pentru o vindecare a avut nevoie de un impuls puternic. Este posibil să-l fi primit de la Gröning.”

Mi s-a trezit curiozitatea. A fost oare acest caz o excepție, un succes singular? Am vizitat și alți pacienți - și am avut parte de noi surprize. Despre ele voi relata săptămâna viitoare.