Practice and Problems of the Use of Psychics in Police Investigations from the End of the 19th Century until Today

Cooperation project of the departments "Cultural Studies and Social Research" and "Cultural and Historical Studies" (together with external co-operation partners)

The objective of this project is the historical and phenomenological reconstruction of the confrontation and cooperation of telepathists and other psychics with the criminal prosecution authorities in Germany from the end of the 19th century up to the present day.

The first part of the project will be conducted by the department of "Historical and Cultural Studies". It investigates the historical developmental lines of the use of psychics for the detection of crimes, from around 1890 until 1990.

The second part of the project will be organized by the department of "Cultural Studies and Social Research". It is concerned with the reconstruction of current cases of cooperation between the criminal prosecution authorities and psychics as well as with the public reception of the role of psychics in the detection of crimes. In the first stage of the project an exemplary case at a time shall be analyzed in cooperation with external partners. The findings of the two exemplary studies shall serve as a starting point for further case-investigations in subsequent stages of the project.

Project Leaders: PD. Dr. Michael Schetsche / Dipl.-Psych. Eberhard Bauer (with external co-operation-partners)

Coordination:

Part 1: Uwe Schellinger, M.A.

Part 2: Michael Schetsche

Publications:

Michael Schetsche, Uwe Schellinger (2008): ‚Psychic detectives’ auch in Deutschland? Hellseher und polizeiliche Ermittlungsarbeit. In: Die Kriminalpolizei 25 (4), S. 142-146.
["Psychic detectives" also in Germany? Psychics and police investigations.]