Occultist, palmist, astrologer, science fiction writer, professor Alexander Vasilyevich Barchenko is one of the most mysterious figures of alternative science at the beginning of the 20th century. For many years his tragic fate and teachings were forgotten, but in the early 90s they started talking about him, a burning interest in his search and teaching arose again.
At the beginning of the last century, a fascination with mysticism captured almost all circles of society. Even among the peasants, exotic sects grew like mushrooms. Alexander Barchenko did not escape this fashionable trend, but, unlike many others, esoteric experiments and the search for ancient knowledge became his vocation for life.
He became interested in conspiracy theories while studying at the University, where he studied medicine. For a long time he lived as odd jobs, opened a palmistry salon in the provinces, but went bankrupt. Then he began to publish science fiction novels, which gained great popularity. The plot of the novels is very curious: the hero searches for ancient knowledge in the Himalayas, passes tests and initiation, after which he teaches secret knowledge from the Mahatmas.
In addition to writing novels, Barchenko studied the paranormal abilities of a person, set up experiments on the transmission of thoughts at a distance. He allegedly even invented a special helmet that enhances telepathic abilities. The newspapers also wrote about this a lot even before the revolution. But it was the revolution that allowed Barchenko to realize a significant part of his dreams.
Having started his career in post-revolutionary Russia, as a lecturer in the Baltic Fleet, he soon managed to find contacts with the Brain Institute, headed by Academician Bekhterev. The experiments of Alexander Barchenko interested the great scientist. Soon, the institute organized a famous expedition to the Kola Peninsula, where, according to Barchenko, it was possible to find traces of Hyperborea - a civilization that possessed unprecedented technologies and perished from a worldwide cataclysm in ancient times.
True, the search for a mythical country was not the goal of the institute - Barchenko was sent to the Far North to investigate the mysterious disease "measuring", also called Arctic hysteria. The disease affected both local residents - Lapps and Sami, and newcomers and usually manifested itself during shamanic rituals. It was a massive zombie-like psychosis. The people struck by him fell into a trance, mumbled meaninglessly and unconditionally obeyed any commands.
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Barchenko's group has been conducting research for two years. It was not possible to solve the riddle of measuring, so Barchenko soon had to leave the Institute of the Brain. But, according to conspiracy theorists, he managed to find traces of an ancient civilization.
How did they manifest themselves? In a giant rock carving of a certain Old Man (in Sami - Kuiva), who was worshiped by the inhabitants of the peninsula. This figure towered over Seydozero, to which a clearing led, resembling a tract because of the stone slabs that emerged on the surface of the turf.
This place was considered sacred and attempts to swim across the lake were not crowned with success - the Lapps flatly refused to help scientists. But the local residents showed them one of the underground passages, which they also failed to penetrate. Firstly, it was littered with earth, and secondly, at the entrance to the dungeon, many were seized by mystical horror, which was considered a sure sign of the presence of higher powers. During the expedition, they also found - stone blocks, altars, and other sanctuaries of the northern peoples. All finds upon their return were declared traces of antediluvian civilization. "Krasnaya Gazeta" dated February 19, 1923 wrote: "Prof. Barchenko discovered the remnants of ancient cultures belonging to a period older than the era of the birth of Egyptian civilization."
Returning from the Far North, Barchenko soon became close to the Chekists, among whom was Yakov Blumkin, who was also fond of mysticism. The scientist was offered cooperation with the GPU NKVD, whose special department was engaged in researching paranormal phenomena. Barchenko headed a laboratory specializing in the study of non-contact effects on the human psyche. It was the GPU that financed the scientist's expeditions to the Crimea and Altai, where he looked for traces of the ancient progenitors of mankind and the mysterious Shambhala.
In addition, Alexander Barchenko founded a secret occult organization "United Labor Brotherhood", which even included such a prominent Chekist as Gleb Bokiy. At the meetings of the society, a certain ancient science "Dunhor" was studied. The creation of a secret organization was the reason for the death of an enthusiast of alternative science. First, Gleb Bokiy was arrested, and soon the rest of the Brotherhood members, together with its head, who was arrested on May 22, 1937.
Alexander Barchenko was accused of creating a "Masonic counter-revolutionary terrorist organization" United Labor Brotherhood "and spying for England." In addition, accusations were made of links with the Trotskyist Blumkin, who had been shot by that time, and of squandering state money on charlatan experiments.
The verdict was carried out on April 25, 1938.
There is a popular opinion among conspiracy theorists that before the execution, the Chekists forced the scientist to write down everything that he managed to learn about the secrets of ancient civilizations and human paranormal abilities. This manuscript disappeared without a trace in the archives of the NKVD.
