Stanislawa P

          THE WIFE of a Polish officer, subject of Baron von Schrenck Notzing for important materialisation experiments. At the age of 18 she saw the phantom of a friend, Sophie M., who died at the exact time. Soon after, spontaneous telekinetic phenomena developed. Having joined a spiritualistic circle, Sophie M. materialised and became the medium's permanent attendant, occasionally sharing control with "Adalbert" and a young Polish boy.

In 1911 P. Lebiedzinski, a Polish engineer, began a series of experimental séances which lasted intermittently until 1916. His report, published in the Revue Metapsychique (1921, No. 4) was favourable. The experiments of Baron Schrenck Notzing began in 1913. After a few months the mediumship lapsed and did not return until 1915. In 1906, when Baron Schrenck Notzing recommenced his séance observations, he became satisfied that Mme. Stanislawa P. produces ectoplasmic flow. He made many striking photographs. Stanislawa P., as a result of Baron Schrenck Notzing's findings, has been acknowledged as a powerful medium.

In 1930 her reputation suffered a heavy blow. She appeared at the Institut Metapsychique, shortly after a special automatic registering apparatus for phenomena produced in the dark was installed. She made her own conditions and produced nearly blank séances until assured that no registering apparatus would remain in the room. Dr. Eugene Osty suspected that the abortive phenomena noticed on the second séance were brought about by her secretly freed hand. He decided to catch her in flagranto delicto.

In the fourth séance when the movement of the objects placed on the table was heard a secret flashlight was exploded and three stereoscopic photographs were taken. Both the sudden light and the developed photographs have clearly shown that a hand of the medium was free and manipulated the table. Dr. Osty concludes in the Revue Metapsychique (Nov.-Dec., 1930):

(1) Stanislawa P. played a comedy of mediumship at the Institute.

(2) Her fraud was persevering and perfectly organised. 

(3) Her procedure consists in giving the illusion of perfect control while she is capable of disengaging one of her hands from its liens and putting it back without apparently disturbing them.

(4) With this procedure it is easy for her to displace objects and show luminous movements, etc.

Dr. Osty, however, hastens to add that his findings mean no attempt to judge the phenomena of Mme. Stanislawa P. which were produced elsewhere.

Source (with minor modifications): An Encyclopaedia of Psychic Science by Nandor Fodor (1934).