CRITICAL REVIEW BY J.G. HELMCKE
of Werner Petri’s Contribution "Radiesthetic Studies -
a Contribution to Natural Building?"

The statements on the alleged reaction of diviners to
snderground watercourses were not unopposed by scienfific
 circles during the symposium. The doubts about
this method are intensified by the following facts:

The diviners remain unaffected by the powerfully
lowing water masses of rivers and the breakers of
‘he oceans.
They do not notice the natural magnetic field of the
2arth to which any simple magnetic needle reacts.
In physics laboratories where high-strength magnetic
fields are used, their attention must first be called
to this fact by warning signs (just as any non-diviner
so that they may, for instance. remove sensitive
watches.
They do not sense the electromagnetic waves transmitted
 by broadcasting and TV stations which are,
however, picked up by any simple radio set.
they do not react to the high-energy cosmic corpus -
cular rays which pass through all objects on the
earth’s surface and even penetrate the earths crust
oy more than 100 m.
They do not notice the high-energy undulating
-adiation, e.g. X-rays which "expose" oll photographic
 materials.
What is the explanation for the fact that divining
was only practised in the Germanic region where
groundwater can be found practically anywhere,
but that it is unknown to all non-Germanic primitive
 races and ancient cultures?
why has no “measuring instrument with divining
function" been able to be designed yet, although
work has been carried out in this field for some
centuries now, and the production of an operationally
 dependent instrument within two to three years
nas been announced over and over again?

Should the diviners maintain that the "earth rays" to
hich they allegedly react cannot be detected yet by
shysical means, then this is contradictory to the fact
that these persons are not affected by powerfully flow-‘ng
 water (rivers. etc.).

Should such rays, however, be physically detectable,
as it maintained by diviners, then it is also unintelligible
 why already existing highest-duty instruments
are not employed for this purpose.
The crotches of some trees or shrubs can be used as
divining rods; and some properly bent wires are also
supposed to serve this function.
If an alleged success can already be achieved by such
primitive means, instruments of maximum sensitivity
should then, logically, be even better suited if operated
 by a diviner. One should not underestimate the fact
that diviners involuntarily take into account landscape
criteria which have nothing to do with "earth rays" .
Geologists are using such criteria deliberately and also
detect water.

COMMENT BY WERNER PETRI
>n the above criticism by H.-G. Helmcke

Since the space available for a detailed reply to the
critical review is very limited, let me make some gene--al
 remarks:

|. The critic is reminded that the lecture is a first
workshop paper which cannot satisfy the claim for
completeness. The efforts of the study group are
directed on the investigation of a range of phenome
ng which have only little been explored and are
still associated to the "borderline sciences", which
may, however, have decisive consequences on
slanning and building and significant effects on
human health, in order to establish well-founded
scientific results.
By the paper presented, a start has been made which
opens up many paths. Please let it pass that there
are still some unsolved questions.
With regard to the remark on the reception of electromagnetic
 waves being transmitted by broadcast
ing and TV stations, Mr. Helmcke is invited to
personally see for himself that test persons (diviners)
react on the electromagnetic waves radiated by a
simple TV oscillator in a double blind study after
anly short instruction.

D

4. With regard to the subject of search for water, it
is pointed out the numerous test results are available,
 These permit - among other things = to compare
 the drilling holes determined by geologists
and hydrogeoligists to the drilling points established
 in the same area by well-trained diviners. The
documentation can be examined by Mr. Helmcke.
Lacking research funds and little interest in scientific
 and economic circles have handicapped the
purposeful development of "measuring instruments
with divining function", Private initiative has,
however, been able to bring about that informatior
will be given on new measurement methods using
UHF radiometers in October this year, on the
occasion of a symposium at Schloss Elmau.
A bibliography that is more carefully compiled
than that of Prokop/Wimmer can be found, inter
alia, in Klinkowstrsm/Maltzahn: Handbuch zur
Wunschelrute, 1932, Christopher Bird: Divining,
Mac Donald and Janes’s, London, 1979.
We appreciate constructive criticism which furthers
development. Research would, however, be able ic
be better furthered if, in particular, the biologists
would not close their minds fo radiesthesy, but
would apply themselves to these interesting tasks anc
make contributions from their field of knowledge to
clarify these still unexplored phenomena. They are
invited to join us in our efforts to create not only
progressive, but also natural and healthy homes for
man.

LITERATURHINWEIS

Herbert L. König, Unsichtbare Umwelt, Heinz-Moos-Verlag, München
E. Hartmann, Krankheit als Standortproblein, Haug-Verlag, Heidelbera
H.Palm, Das gesunde Haus, Eigenverlag, Konstanz
Reinhard Schneider, Leitfaden und Lehrkurs der Ruten- und Pendelkunst.
Einfuhrung in die Radidsthesie, Eigenverlaa des Forschunaskreises fur
Geobiologie, Munchen
Candi, Radidsthetische Studien, Verlag RGS, St.Gallen/Schweiz
Hugo Kukelhaus, Fassen, Fuhlen, Bilden, Gaia-Verlag, Koln
Schwarz-Winklhofer-Biedermann, Zeichen und Symbole, Droemer-Knaur
Dr. Joseph Wust, Physikalische und chemische Untersuchungen mit einer
Rutengänger als Indikator, Selbstverlag des Forschunaskreises für Geobiologie,
 München
Reinhard Schneider, Radiästhesie und die Baukunst der Alten, Vortrag
auf der Jahrestagung in Puchberg 1979 (Österreich)
~odex agrimensores romanorum. Wolfenbiittel

‚0

Anmerkungen
] Reinhard Schneider, Physiker, Ingenieurbüro für Mikrophysik und
Mikrotechnik, 6980 Wertheim, Postfach 314
Dr. Sieanot Lang ( ). Zoologisches Institut der Universität Saarbriick er

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