Wiesinger, Alois (1885-1955)
Wiesinger, Alois (1885-1955)
Abbot of the Cistercian Order who was active in the field of parapsychology. He was born on June 3, 1885, at Magdalenaberg, Upper Austria. Ordained in 1909, he received his doctorate in theology in 1912 at the University of Innsbruck. He taught philosophy for five years (1912-17) and then became abbot of the Cistercian Monastery, Schlierbach, when World War I was beginning. During his lengthy career as abbot, he took a great interest in such parapsychological phenomena as poltergeists and materialization.
In addition to his writings on Christianity, he was editor-publisher of the journal Glaube und Erkenntnis (Journal for Christian Parapsychology) and author of Okkulte Phanomene im Lichte der Theologie (Occult Phenomena from the Theological Point of View, 1948). He died January 3, 1955, at Schlierbach, Upper Austria. The German periodical Die Vergorgene Welt published a tribute to his lasting contributions as a parapsychologist.
Sources:
Pleasants, Helene, ed. Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology. New York: Helix Press, 1964.
Wiesinger, Alois. "Wie Stellt Sich der Katholik zu den okkulten Erscheinungen?" (The attitude of the Catholic toward occult phenomena). Neue Wissenschaft (1953).