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Messing, Wolf - The meetings with Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud
Identifier
023330
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Wolf Messing – the true story of Russia’s greatest psychic – Tatiana Lungin
In 1913, my manager took me to the birthplace of Johann Strauss; this was my first serious tour. I began to perform at the Vienna Prater Amusement Park, and I can say without false modesty that I became the hit of the season.
But this is not why beautiful Vienna is so memorable to me. All my life I will be proud of the friendships I made there.
First, I had the good fortune to become acquainted with Albert Einstein. I confess that I was not even superficially familiar with the essence of his theory of relativity. For me he was famous ‘only’ as a world class physicist.
Einstein had arrived from Zurich, where he taught, in November, 1913, after receiving an invitation to report on his recent findings to a convention of natural scientists and physicians. I don’t remember for sure, but I think we gathered at Sigmund Freud’s apartment because Einstein immediately introduced me to this no-less-renowned personality. I was proud and flattered to be presented to two such giants of science at one time.
The apartment amazed me with its abundance of books. It is incomprehensible to me how one man could even lightly skim through such a sea of volumes in a single lifetime.
Sigmund Freud's research was closer to mine in spirit than Einstein's calculations and formulae. But later, after becoming better acquainted with psychoanalytic theory I couldn't agree with him on everything. I acknowledged the importance of his work, but I think he erred when he tried to apply his findings - based on his work with hysterics - to everyone. I especially disagree with his over emphasis of the libido. Freud was an important scientist, but he made mistakes.
"Freud already knew about my powers and proposed that we conduct some experiments immediately. He assumed the role of sender. I will never forget his mental command: go to the dressing table, pick up the tweezers, walk over to Einstein, and pull out three hairs from his luxuriant moustache.
You can imagine my reaction. What could I do? I walked up to Einstein and explained apologetically what his friend wanted me to do.
Einstein smiled and submissively presented his cheek to me.