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Professor Dr. Hans Holzer, an Austrian-born ghost hunter, was born in 1920 and is widely regarded as the "Father of the Paranormal." His fascination with the paranormal began at the age of 15, when he read Dr. T.K. Oesterreich's book "Occultism in This Modern Age" in 1928. Holzer's approach to ghosts was initially one of idle curiosity mixed with skepticism, but he soon became an avid collector of antiques and coins and developed a passion for writing and music.
As a journalist, Holzer began selling articles to local papers and eventually became an accredited foreign correspondent in 1949. He spent several years traveling between Europe and the United States, writing articles and composing music. During this time, he met comedian Michael Bentine, who introduced him to the world of the paranormal.
In the 1950s, Holzer began working on a television series about actual hauntings and became a regular at the Edgar Cayce Foundation in New York. He also met Eileen Garrett, a well-known medium, who encouraged him to write about his work. In 1963, Holzer published his first book, "Ghost Hunter," which became a bestseller and went into 11 printings.
Holzer's method of ghost hunting, which he developed before the 1950s, combined the work of mediums and academics to obtain data and understand the paranormal. He believed that ghosts were people who were trapped between worlds and needed help to move on. Holzer's approach was unique in that he did not claim to be a medium himself and instead worked with sensitive individuals to help him investigate cases.
Throughout his career, Holzer wrote over 145 books and appeared on numerous television and radio programs. He was a leading authority in the field of the paranormal and was known for his scientific approach to ghost hunting. Holzer's work has been the subject of several films, including "Amityville 11: The Possession" and "The Amityville Curse." He has also taught a class in parapsychology at the New York Institute of Technology and has spent over six decades traveling the world to study the paranormal.
