In the first half of the 20th century, many residents of our city—just like their descendants today—were fascinated by everything mysterious, enigmatic, and inexplicable. Newspapers and magazines specializing in occult topics more than satisfied this curiosity. There were quite a few publications of this kind—to put it bluntly, there was plenty to choose from. Here are just a few of them.
“The Journal of Magnetism”
A monthly illustrated popular science magazine on animal magnetism, hypnotism, suggestion, mediumship, medicine, and psychology. Edited by Z. S. Bissky. Kyiv, 1914.
“Bulletin of the Blagoveshchensk Society of Spiritualists”
A triweekly journal on the study of spiritualism. Blagoveshchensk (Amur Region), 1910–1911.
“Journal of Occult Sciences”
A popular science illustrated magazine devoted to palmistry, chirology, chirognomy, psychographology, physiognomy, phrenology, hypnotism, spiritualism, and clairvoyance. Moscow, 1907, published twice a month.
“The Revival of Palmistry”
A popular science illustrated magazine devoted to palmistry. St. Petersburg, 1906, published twice a month.
“Questions on Palmistry and Hypnotism”
Russia’s first monthly illustrated magazine (according to the authors). Moscow, 1912–1914. In its final year of publication, the circulation was 20,000 copies.
“The Voice of Universal Love”
A spiritualist magazine; from No. 12, 1906—a social-mystical magazine; from 1907—a social-mystical occult magazine; from 1909—a weekly spiritual-occult illustrated journal addressing the spiritual and moral aspects of human life and its social-mystical dimension. Moscow, 1906–1909, weekly. In 1910–1911, the magazine was renamed *Bold Thoughts*, retaining the same focus.
“From Darkness to Light”
A literary-mystical and scientific-philosophical journal of esoteric knowledge. St. Petersburg, 1914.
“Isis”
A monthly journal of the occult sciences, published from 1909 to 1916. This publication served as the official journal of the Russian Martinists (a branch of mystical and esoteric Christianity) and Freemasons. It was this periodical that played the greatest role in the dissemination of astrological and occult knowledge throughout the territory of the then-Empire. It was founded in the fall of 1909 by members of the St. Petersburg Martinist Lodge: I. K. Antoshevsky (editor and publisher until September 1911), A. Mirkovich, and C. von Chinsky. From October 1911 until the end of 1916, A. V. Troyanovsky served as editor.
To this day, little is known about Alexander Valeryanovich Troyanovsky himself, a man of the utmost extraordinary character. He was a talented translator and a member of the “Order of the Illuminati” circle; many still consider him the greatest astrologer of his time. It was “Troyanovsky’s Book Warehouse” that offered its customers the widest possible selection of esoteric literature (dozens of titles). Readers could learn about new books directly from the magazine, which regularly published a catalog.
In Kharkiv, you could subscribe to the magazine at the following addresses:
—
Yekaterinoslavskaya St. 1 — Nikolaevskaya Square, 4
The pages of *Isis* featured articles and advertisements by Russian and foreign occultists and spiritualists. Inquisitive readers could gain theoretical and practical knowledge on alchemy, astrology, hypnotism, magic, magnetism, Hermetic medicine, Kabbalah, spiritualism, telepathy, fakirism, and more. Naturally, detailed illustrations, diagrams, and photographs were also included.
Life in the provinces was also covered. For example, in the May 1910 issue, the “New Circles” section noted that individuals involved in the occult had decided to establish an “Isis” circle in Kharkiv as well. The magazine was as open to advertising as possible. Its pages even featured cosmetics:
and advertisements in national publications that few people have heard of today:
and even ads for *Pravoslavny Blagovestnik* that don’t fit the target audience at all!
In 1916, the magazine *Isis* ceased publication following the deaths of individuals associated with the publication. The circumstances surrounding the death (or disappearance) of Alexander Valeryanovich Troyanovsky himself remain shrouded in mystery to this day…
In those distant times, cinema was a novelty to many. Apparently, that is why as many as two magazines of that era, devoted to various forms of mysticism, bore such an original title.
“Cinema”
A sensational weekly illustrated magazine. A completely new kind of publication. St. Petersburg, 1908.
“Dragonfly”
A weekly illustrated magazine of mysteries and horror. (Supplement to the magazine *The Jumping Dragonfly*). St. Petersburg, 1910.
It is worth noting that the aforementioned “The Jumping Dragonfly” positioned itself as a “weekly magazine of satire and humor.” By publishing a supplement on “mysteries and horror,” the publishers apparently sought to achieve a sense of harmony…
“Mentalism”
A monthly illustrated occult magazine. Moscow, 1906–1908, 1911. The publication featured both original and translated articles devoted to the interpretation of the occult sciences. These articles covered topics such as mentalism, hypnotism, personal magnetism, therapeutic magnetism, phrenology, physiognomy, graphology, chiropathy, and so on.
“New Thoughts”
A magazine devoted to the topic of awakening hidden spiritual powers to achieve health, happiness, and wealth. St. Petersburg, 1907–1908.
A daily illustrated spiritual and occult newspaper with the evocative title *From There* enjoyed considerable popularity among readers. This publication was printed in Moscow from 1907 to 1911. However, starting in 1909, “From There” began to appear in our mortal world not every day, but only twice a week.
“Rebus”
It is rightly considered the oldest occult magazine of its time. It was a weekly publication on psychic phenomena, mediumship, and spiritualism, published from 1881 to 1918. It was stated that the magazine was an independent publication of Russian spiritualists, published in Moscow. Its motto was: “Man is the closest and most difficult of all riddles.”
Readers were presented with riddles, charades, and rebuses, and many were rewarded with valuable prizes for solving them. *Rebus* also featured articles about various mysterious incidents in cities across the Empire. Our beloved city was not overlooked either.
According to D. I. Bagaley, 30 people in Kharkiv subscribed to it regularly in 1886.
An advertisement for a subscription to the magazine in 1914 proudly told potential readers the following:
The 33rd–34th year of publication. Subscriptions are now being accepted for 1914 to Russia’s oldest popular science magazine on spiritualism, psychic phenomena, mediumship, and mysticism. An overview and study of little-known theories and facts: telepathy, clairvoyance, thought transmission, split personality, possession, somnambulism, animal magnetism, hypnotism, and spiritualism; research in the field of ancient and modern mysticism—theosophy, Freemasonry, etc. Controversial issues in science and life. […]
In 1918, the magazine was shut down. In the mid-1930s, for reasons that remain unclear, *Rebus* began to be removed from libraries and destroyed on a massive scale. As a result, a complete set is virtually impossible to find on the antiquarian book market today.
“The Russian Freemason” (The Free Mason)
A popular science and literary magazine. Moscow, 1908; published six times a year.
“The Spiritualist”
Journal of Research into Communication with the Afterlife. A monthly illustrated magazine; from No. 6, 1907—a monthly illustrated family magazine; from 1912—“Journal of Spiritualism and Its Philosophy.” Moscow, 1905–1912.
The publishers of *The Spiritualist* noted that this monthly journal of research into communication with the afterlife was also a family-oriented publication. The publication featured articles on spirit summoning, pieces by Russian and foreign authors on paranormal phenomena and psychic research, archival materials from spiritualist societies, and overviews of spiritualist life in the country… In 2013, a reprint edition of all issues in eight volumes was published for all connoisseurs of vintage periodicals abroad, priced at a quarter of a million—not hryvnias.
“Theosophical Review”
A monthly journal devoted to theosophy and the theosophical movement in Russia and abroad; beginning with Issue No. 3, 1907, it was modestly titled *The Path to Universal Brotherhood*. A magazine devoted to the brotherhood of humanity, theosophy, and the study of ethics, philosophy, the sciences, and the arts. St. Petersburg, 1907–1908.
And finally, *The Gypsy Newspaper*, which was published in Moscow twice a week starting in 1908, was also considered an occult publication.
At this time, some of the publications listed above have been digitized and are available online for free.
So I’m sure that for researchers exploring our city’s mysterious past, the most interesting part is just beginning…
- About the military pilot school and the airfield in Kharkiv… - 04.11.2020
- Nikanor Savich—A Political Career by Mistake - 13.07.2020
- And once again, about the Cavalry Guards… - 21.01.2020