Voice Transmissions With The Deceased
by Friedrich Juergenson

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11 CHAPTER 1

May I introduce myself? - My need for “enlightenment” is fulfilled- A modern odyssey

Since all the facts described in this book are new and unique and have involved my person and my family, it is necessary for me to first introduce myself to the reader. You must know that I do not belong to the type of people who are insufficiently critical on self-criticism, and whom their fantasies and dreams carry away easily. Instead, I am fully aware of the significance of what is presented to the public in these pages and clearly aware of the responsibility that I consequently accept. Because this is so, I will begin without further ado and with some key biographical facts this truthful, sensational and factual report about the building of a bridge between this world and the hereafter.

I do not belong to any political party, religious sect, secret fraternity or any other “ism” – like movements or directions.

I was born at the beginning of the century in Odessa by the Black Sea . My parents originated from the Baltic region; my father was a physician. At present I am a Swedish citizen. Before this I had to change my citizenship twice because of the political changes that occurred in 1917. In my childhood I attended a German school in Russia and my childhood was happy and harmonious until the First World War delivered a violent blow to the security of our home and hearth. Even as a child I felt the consequences of this World War. 12 The really violent storm however only started with the subsequent Russian revolution, which showed its true face during those three years of civil war.

Without burdening the reader with the terrible details of those events, it is enough to mention that our daily life was constantly subject to waves of terror, starvation, grinding poverty and outbreaks of typhus, followed by a cholera epidemic.

But despite all that, life went on. Necessity forces one to be objective and teaches one to live in the present. In the short breaks, when we were not being shot at, we bathed in the sun at the beach. We were constantly hungry, froze pitifully in the winter and danced ourselves warm in unheated rooms, despite all deprivation and danger, the human being can tolerate a lot more than one thinks, especially in one’s youth.

In the course of three civil wars, Odessa was “liberated” fourteen times in bloody street battles. The consequences of these alternating “liberations” were always the same, and they affected all levels of society with the ‘intelligentsia’ suffering the most.

I can only describe it as a merciful fate that my family made it through intact. In 1925, we even managed to emigrate and settle legally in Estonia .

As I traveled with my voice teacher to Palestine in 1932 to further my vocal training, I was about to be pulled into warlike unrest again, as Arab terror flashed against the Jews. Terror is terror; and it is rather inconsequential to those who are suffering under it, whether it is in the name of freedom, in the name of religion or is executed by some racist ideology, on a large or small scale, to the left or the right.

As I then returned to Estonia after seven years living abroad, I was 13 caught by the Second World War, and this at the hour when the three Baltic States were in the process of freeing themselves from Russia . Once again history was going to repeat itself, only in a somewhat more modern version. The subject still was: Dictatorship, war, terror and “liberation”. The variations corresponded to the respective rulers and were implemented depending on the circumstances, including devastating bomb attacks, mass deportations, concentration camps, gunshots to the back of the head or gas chambers. Thus from my youth I was surrounded by misery and danger, never any real peace, relaxation or any feeling of confidence such as is needed especially by a young person. One was never capable to remedy the many miseries. Only one thing I did understand, which was that I would never, under any circumstances, take part in a military service, it doesn’t matter if during war or peace, regardless the dangers to which I exposed myself. From my early days I have what amounts to an allergic reaction and intensive dislike against everything that has to do with uniforms and weapons, with military training and the use of force, murder or mass butchery, it doesn’t matter if it applies to humans or animals. That is why I became a vegetarian.

The professional occupations that I have chosen corresponded with my natural abilities. In my youth I was a singer, in my later years I became a painter. Although my voice training took nine years, I was only able to follow my singing career for two years. A problem with my gall bladder, but mainly chronic colds prevented me from continuing with my performances on stage. 

Fortunately when I was young, I was also enjoyed my part time training as a painter and with that the transition to a new occupation went naturally and smoothly. 14 Since my new occupation included exhibitions and traveling abroad, I could make a more closer and varied contacts among people of all social levels, since artists are easily welcomed into most homes.

In the summer of 1958, leaving Italy once again, I returned to Stockholm , my permanent residence at the time. I had spent a productive, beautiful “fairytale like” time at Pompeii , and was in the process to turn an interesting work plan into reality, which was likewise connected to Pompeii . By the way, this buried city has exercised a magical attraction on me since my childhood, and has always been the target of my longings. Something happened in the spring of 1958 that really exceeded my silent hopes by far. I had quite suddenly succeeded to organize an exhibition of my paintings in Pompeii , in the heart of the ancient city, in the airy “palastra” of the forum-bath.

At the same time I was occupied with the completion of a painting that because of its interesting motives gave me much joy, to which in addition a strange circumstance was presented. I was allowed to enjoy working in the delightful house of the so-called “Tragic Poet” that was located diagonally across from my exhibition, its moody, reflective surroundings became my studio. A large room was necessary since every picture that I painted was 9 meters long (29.5 ft.).

I was busy with my paintings from dawn until darkness set in, but I enjoyed the dreamlike atmosphere of the ancient excavated house. Sometimes I left my work and walked through the narrow alleys, and 15 was able to gain an in-depth knowledge of the excavated city since I was in possession of the master keys to all the houses.

An offer was made to me at the official inauguration of this painting, which happened to fall at the end of my exhibition, to take part in an excavation of a house in Pompeii the following spring. One can understand what this offer meant to me. Without doubt I had then reached the top of my career as an artist, and it seemed incomprehensible to think that the dream of my life, taking part in an excavation, should be so easily fulfilled.

As I arrived in Stockholm , and in the intoxication of my success started preparations for my Pompeii plans, something happened that would dampen my ambitions. Slowly, but consistently unfolding, it brought to a halt my artistic activity and all of my future plans. At the same time something different, unbelievable came upon me where my thoughts and feelings, yes my whole consciousness was changing and allowing me to experience a new reality step by step. This is how it happened: