I personally experienced a performance by Uri Geller in Düsseldorf and it dealt with telepathy and spiritual healing. He was very impressive there also. The subsequently ensuing research established that a number of children, juveniles and adults could also produce such phenomena, for example the bending of metal objects sealed in a glass tube in the presence of an appropriately gifted child. Newspaper commentators, psychoanalysts, lawyers (Wimmer and Schäfer) and stage magicians felt obliged to unbend the bend worldview produced by Uri Geller. They declared that everything was sleight of hand paired with miracle hysteria. As far as they were concerned, this closed the case. Prompted by an SPD delegate, even the German Bundestag concerned itself with this problem. German Bundestag – 7th Electoral Term 79th sitting. Bonn, Thursday the 14th of February 1974, Page 5048 Vice-President von Hassel: We now come to the questions from the area of responsibility of the Federal Minister for Research and Technology and Postal and Telecommunication. The parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Hauff is at our disposal to answer questions. I refer to question 76 by representative Dr. Meinecke (Hamburg). What importance does the Federal Government ascribe to Parapsychology? The questioner is present. May the Parliamentary State Secretary answer, please! Dr. Hauff, Parliamentary State Secretary for the Federal Minister for Research and Technology and Postal and Telecommunication. Mister President, I ask permission from the questioner to answer both questions simultaneously. Vice-President von Hassel: No concerns. Question 77 by representative Dr. Meinecke (Hamburg) is also tabled here, namely ‘ Does the Federal Government feel obliged to support parapsychological research to a considerable degree after the events of recent times?’ Dr. Hauff, Parliamentary State Secretary for the Federal Minister for Research and Technology and Postal and Telecommunication. Colleague Meinecke, as you know yourself, there are a number of researchers and institutes at universities, for instance the Institute for Borderline Psychology, Freiburg, that deals with parapsychology in a serious manner. Decisions for its promotion are taken by the self-governing body of the sciences. So-called border issues of the sciences like parapsychology, undoubtedly belong within basic research. In this respect, something Federal Minister Ehmke emphasised in his speech at the Max-Planck-Institute on the 29th of June 1973, federal departments are well advised to not try to influence detailed decisions. Their capacity – one might say more appropriately – their clairvoyant capacities do not suffice. Vice-President von Hassel: An additional question by the representative Dr. Meinecke. Dr. Meinecke (Hamburg) SPD): State Secretary, does the federal parliament share my opinion and my concerns, that parapsychological epidemics, like for instance the one that was triggered by ‘certain people’ in the mass media, must be scientifically investigated and socio-politically researched, particularly in light of the mass influence through phenomena or also through trickery? Dr. Hauff, Parliamentary State Secretary for the Federal Minister for Research and Technology and Postal and Telecommunication. Mr. Representative, I would like to use your additional question to explain that the events you touched upon must be very accurately investigated, particularly in regards to the fact that with the polarisation of
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