Annotated bibliographical survey of Scientology related literature

Volume 4, No.1 (July 1999)
12 Pages (11.981 words)
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L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology:
An annotated bibliographical survey of primary
and selected secondary literature

Marco Frenschkowski
University of Mainz, Germany

CONTENTS:

Introduction

A. Primary sources: writings by L. Ron Hubbard

1. Hubbard’s literary output (fiction)
2. Hubbard’s books in the fields of Dianetics and Scientology

B. Secondary literature

3. Studies about Hubbard as a narrative writer
4. L. Ron Hubbard: biographical material and similar matters published
by Scientologists
5. L. Ron Hubbard: biographical studies and related material by
non-scientologists
6. Selected general literature on Dianetics and Scientology
7. Library holdings

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Introduction

No New Religious Movement has been a subject of more public interest
and of more heated discussions in Germany during the last two decades
than Scientology. I first became interested in this debate in the
early Eighties, but only in 1996/1997 - after completing a similar
project about Theosophy and Helena Blavatsky - I seriously started
to search for available material on Hubbard and the movement he
founded. Only then I became aware of the rather paradoxical situation
in Germany, that there exists a large New Religious Movement (whose
status as a religion nevertheless is doubted by some) which is being
discussed on German TV almost every week, which forms a topic of
forensic debate in many legal proceedings, and which is the one
movement treated most extensively in the official report on New
Religious Movements published by the German parliament (Endbericht
der Enquete-Kommission des Deutschen Bundestages "Sogenannte
Sekten und Psychogruppen", 1998) - but nevertheless has almost
never been treated on an academic level of research.

One simple reason for this situation immediately became clear
to me: no German public (or academic) library has a collection of
the pertinent material deserving the name. Some of the critical
books about Scientology (Kaufman’s, Haack’s, Thiede’s) are easily
available. There is also no dearth of books by former Scientologists
that want to expose the movement. Some of these are quite valuable
(as Atack’s A Piece of Blue Sky). Others are not. Also they are
extremely repetitive. When turning to the sources (that is, the
writings of L. Ron Hubbard) I quickly discovered that they were
hardly read by critics and sometimes not much more by sympathisers.
Of the large output of Hubbard, the same 5 or 10 titles turned up
again and again. A first step into research seemed to me to compile
a bibliography of material available and to get a personal look
at Hubbard as a writer. A minor outcome of this is my biographical
article on Hubbard forthcoming in the supplements to Biographisch-Bibliographisches
Kirchenlexikon (Verlag Traugott Bautz, Herzberg). This article contains
as an appendix also a bibliography of which the following is an
abridged, but also annotated version.

Observing the public discussion about Scientology in Germany while
not being directly involved I became increasingly critical about
the journalistic and sensationalist concentration on "atrocity
tales". I only slowly realised that being an ex-scientologist
is one of the most lucrative religious markets in Germany. People
affiliated with Scientology just for a few weeks (!) who obviously
had not read a tenth of the material already known to me wrote lengthy
exposures of Scientology that were completey interchangeable, quoting
always exactly the same material spiced by a very few personal experiences,
to be used by the still growing anti-cult market. Christian apologetics
has produced at least two excellent major studies on Scientology
and a few minor ones, but is highly biased and very often completely
unable to get a feeling for the dynamics of a non-theistic religion.
The counter-cult publications also contain some quite comic Anti-Americanisms
and rather violent reactions to the (very!) "American"
side of Scientology.

A main drawback of the public discussion was that ex-scientologists
formed a main and very often the only source of information. Now
apostates have a special impact for exposing Human Rights violations
in religious groups and similar problems. But what would we say
of a book - let’s say - about the Roman Catholic Church that almost
only relied on statements made by apostate priests, while almost
never taking into account the writings of e.g. catholic theologians?
Wouldn’t we consider such a procedure highly unfair (though very
much conseding the importance of critical questions asked by apostates)?
So I decided that my articles should give more attention to Hubbard’s
own writings.

The following survey of primary and selected secondary literature
wants to contribute to a fair study of Scientology and especially
its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Being a Protestant theologian, I regard
it as highly undesirable that Scientology grows. I regard Hubbard’s
and Christian views on man, on the deity, on salvation as not reconcilable.
But being also a scholar of religion I see basic fairness as a prerequisite
of studying a religious movement: which means to look for the best
sources, for all sources, for sources of all kinds, but most of
all for original and authentic sources. As this is a somewhat abridged,
but also reorganised and annoted version of a bibliography going
to appear as an appendix to a biographical study of Hubbard, I have
given most attention to material by and about Scientology’s founder
himself. I annotate only some of the material with a few remarks,
the main reason being simply that this English version (written
at the request of my colleague Andreas Grünschloß) had
to be produced at very short notice.

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A. Primary sources: writings by L. Ron Hubbard

1. Hubbard’s literary output (fiction)

As is well known, Hubbard started his career as a writer in all
genres of popular literature. In the Thirties he wrote mainly adventure
fiction, aviation stories, travel stories, but also mysteries, western,
romance, and even some love stories. Later he concentrated on fantasy
and especially science fiction. Many of his yarns touch religious
aspects of man: his desire for transcendence and immortality, his
struggle for happiness and freedom, his fascination with the starry
heavens, his wonder about his own future. None of this fiction is
"religious" in a traditional sense of the word, nevertheless
is deserves some attention in the light of his later developments.
Also in his later years - after founding Dianetics and Scientology
- he turned back to the SF market with some major novels. I start
with a few remarks on these texts as they are almost completely
unknown in Germany.

For the literary part of Hubbard’s oeuvre exists a fairly complete
and dependable bibliography: William J. Widder, The Fiction of L.
Ron Hubbard. A Comprehensive Bibliography & Reference Guide
to Published and Selected Unpublished Works, Los Angeles 1994. As
many other books written from the Scientology point of view, Widder
much overrates Hubbard’s importance for genre literature; nevertheless
he gives a complete listing and short plot summaries of the relevant
titles and even lists unpublished piece (to be published at some
later time). The history of religion scholar who wants to gain some
first hand acquaintance with Hubbard as a fiction writer might start
with the following texts that are of some interest in the light
of Hubbard’s religious and philosophical ideas (I give only first
publication dates. All titles are available in many reprints):

- Dead Men Kill, Thrilling Detective 11, 2, 1934, pp. 12-52. Weird
menace tale.

- The Ethnologist, Argosy 269, Nov. 28th., 1936, pp. 112-122. About
out-witching a witch-doctor…

- Buckskin Brigades, New York 1937. This is Hubbard’s first novel,
an adventure yarn about the North Western fur trade and the feet
Indians that reflects Hubbard’s own experiences growing up in frontier
Montana and his early contacts with feet Indians (of which he is
said to have become a tribal blood brother at an early age).

- The Dangerous Dimension, Astounding Science Fiction 21, 5, July
1938, pp. 100-112. Hubbard’s first Science Fiction story already
showing many themes of his later and more mature work: meek, diffident
Dr. Mudge undergoes an astonishing personality change when he discovers
a mathematical formula that enables him to go wherever he wants
- by just thinking about the place. Of course there is one place
about which he desperately tries not to think… Mind’s superiority
over matter already forms the central topic in this still fresh
and entertaining tale.

- The Tramp, Astounding Science Fiction 22, 1, Sept. 1938, pp.
70-86/22, 2, Oct. 1938, pp. 90-105/22, 3, Nov. 1938, pp. 46-65 (as
a book Los Angeles 1992). A predictable but not uninteresting tale
about a tramp who after having had to undergo brain surgery by chance
develops miraculous powers so far only sleeping in him and is destroyed
by his not being able to cope with the new situation.

- Slaves of Sleep, Unknown 1, 5, July 1939 and the sequel The Masters
of Sleep, Fantastic Adventures 12, 10, Oct. 1950, pp. 6-83 (both
titles as a book printed together Los Angeles 1993). Masters of
Sleep (written when Dianetics had just come out) is one of the very
few titles of Hubbard that make open propaganda for Dianetics. Also
a tale about personality changes through the integration of waking
consicousness and dream consciousness.

- The Indigestible Triton, Unknown 3, 2, April 1940, pp. 9-80.
A humorous fantasy yarn.

- Final out, Astounding Science Fiction 25, 2, April 1940, pp.
9-37/25, 3, Mai 1940, pp. 11-147/25, 4, Juni 1940, pp. 113-151 (as
book: East Providence, RI 1948). This certainly is Hubbard’s most
controversial literary work (he was quite unsure about its merits
himself). Written before the American participation in WWII and
before the existence of nuclear weapons, it tells the tale of a
Europe weakened and devastated by decades of war. In some regards
it is one of the early post-nuclear fantasies, though written before
the first atom bomb. England only recovers its strength by the benevolent
rule of a military dictator, who in the end sacrifices himself to
free England from an impending American invasion. Final out has
been read as decidedly anti-faschist but also as pro-faschist. The
hero (the "lieutenant" who in the novel never receives
a name) certainly is an alter ego of how Hubbard liked to see himself:
a man of action, very sure of his decisions, cruel but willing to
sacrifice himself for the greater good, not understood by his contemporaries
but almost adored by later generations who have at last realised
for which goals he worked.

- Fear, Unknown Fantasy Fiction 3, 5, July 1940, pp. 9-84 (as a
book Los Angeles 1991). Though Hubbard in his fiction on the main
is just a competent second rate author, he has written a few major
items also from a more sophisticated point of view. Fear is such
a piece, a tale about a man who does not believe in demons and encounters
the demonic forces in himself. Stephen King called this one of the
major weird fiction tales of the 20th. century, which indeed it
is, especially by its imaginative use of the prosaic and its demythologizing
of traditional weird fiction themes. I have reviewed it at length
in Das schwarze Geheimnis. Magazin zur unheimlich-phantastischen
Literatur 3, 1998, pp. 145-147.

- One Was Stubborn, Astounding Science Fiction 26, 3, Nov. 1940,
pp. 82-95. Enjoyable though not very logical philosophical entertainment.

- Typewriter in the Sky, Unknown Fantasy Fiction 4, 3, Nov. 1940,
pp. 9-67/4, 4, Dec. 1940, pp. 127-162 (also as a book Los Angeles
1994). Classic fantasy tale about a man who discovers he is part
of someone else’s imagination.

- The Great Secret, Science Fiction Stories 3, 4, April 1943, pp.
81-85 (also in: L. Ron Hubbard Classic Fiction Series. SF Short
Stories 6, Los Angeles 1998, pp. 1-13). Almost a Buddhistic parable
as it might have been written by Gustav Meyrink.

- Ole Doc Methuselah, Astounding Science Fiction 40, 2, Oct. 1947.
First part of a cycle of tales about a cosmic physician, very funny
and entertaining. Published in book form Los Angeles 1992.

- Death’s Deputy, Los Angeles 1948. Haunting tale about fate and
death.

- The Kingslayer, Los Angeles 1949. A young man is recruited to
try the assassination of the world’s secret dictator, who at last
is shown not have been a dictator after all and actually turns out
to be the hero’s own father who wanted to test his son destined
to become his successor. Important for what it very clearly shows
about Hubbard’s personality.

- To the Stars, Astounding Science Fiction 44, 6, Febr. 1950, pp.
5-45/45, 1, March 1950, pp. 78-123 (as a book Los Angeles 1995).
Melancholy tale about interplanetary travel and the effects of time
dilation. The space voyagers are the outcasts of society, as they
cannot form any normal relationships with those living on planets
(hundreds of years have passed when they return through the time
dilation effect), but they are also the only ones to guarantee man’s
survival as a species.

- He Found God, Meta SF Magazine 1, 1, Sept. 1982, pp. 5-9 (available
in: The L. Ron Hubbard Classic Fiction Series. Fantasy Short Stories
I, Los Angeles 1993). One of his very few later short stories.

- Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000, New York 1982. After
decades of writing only about Scientology, in the early Eighties
Hubbard with this 1000-page novel returned to the SF-market. Battlefield
Earth is a long tale about a future mankind that has been subject
to thousand years of slavery to some alien life form (who in the
end are revealed to have been some kind of evil cosmic psychiatrists…).
One man gains access to their technology and overcomes slavery.
(He is described very much like the young Hubbard…).

- Mission Earth, Los Angeles. A decalogy (group of 10 volumes)
comprising the following parts: I. The Invader’s Plan, 1985. II.
Genesis, 1986. III. The Enemy Within, 1986. IV. An Alien Affair,
1986. V. Fortune of Fear, 1986. VI. Death Quest, 1987. VII. Voyage
of Vengeance, 1987. VIII. Disaster, 1987. IX. Villainy Victorious,
1987. X. The Doomed Planet, 1987. This is not a series, but a single
novel in 10 volumes. Hubbard’s magnum opus, but certainly not his
best SF writing. In a long preface Hubbard explaines Mission Earth
as a piece of satire. A possible invasion of the planet Earth (which
in the end does not take place) is seen completely through the eyes
of extraterrestrials. This rather uncommon idea is made a vehicle
for a heavy satire on many aspects of American life: public relations,
the income tax system, modern psychology, ideas about educational
reform, homosexual liberation, and many other topics form the subjects
of a very sarcastic settling with modern America.

The satire is not humorous, but biting and harsh, which makes the
novels not easy to read. Also Hubbard somehow had lost contact with
developing narrative techniques: he writes exactly as he had done
40 years earlier. When read as entertainment Mission Earth is disappointing:
it does not entertain. Many of the scenes (especially some sexual
encounters) are incredibly grotesque, not in a pornographic sense,
but they are violently aggressive about modern American ideals.
The Mission Earth novels on the whole are a subversive, harsh, poignant
attack on American society in the 1980ies. As such they has so far
received almost no attention, which perhaps they do deserve a bit
more. They also have some quite interesting characters, especially
when read with a deconstructionist approach. These 11 later novels
by Hubbard are not Scientology propaganda literature, but have some
topics in common, especially the very strong opposition against
20th century psychology and psychiatry, which is seen as a major
source of evil. All open allusions to Scientology are strictly avoided.
They are not as successful in their use of suspense and humour as
Hubbard’s early tales, but have to say perhaps more about the complex
personality of their author.

When reading Hubbard’s fiction myself, I had expected him to be
third-rate hack writer as he is mostly seen by his critics. He is
not. Before founding Dianetics he was a good, competent second-rate
writer in many fields writing not for self-fulfillment but for a
living. In this regard he is much overrated by Scientologists but
also much underrated by critics who read him only with the glasses
of antipathy against Scientology. Hubbard’s literary output is enormous
(about 220 tales and novellas, about 20 novels besides many poems
and some pieces for the theatre; also film scripts). These items
have become available almost completely in the last years in carefully
edited, but also very expensive reprints published by Author Services,
Los Angeles. A bibliography of some more recent editions is given
in my study on Hubbard as a writer to appear in Quarber Merkur (see
below). The insights these texts allow into the mind and soul of
Hubbard have so far never been seriously used for an understanding
of Scientology.

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2. Hubbard’s books in the fields of Dianetics and Scientology

I first give a complete listing of relevant titles and then add
some recommendations what perhaps to read first for those who want
to gain some first-hand acquaintance with Hubbard’s ideas.

Dianetics: The Original Thesis, Wichita, Kansas, 1951 (Los Angeles
1977; originally written in 1947/48 and now republished as The Dynamics
of Life. This is Hubbard’s first major statement about Dianetics);
- Terra Incognita: The Mind, in: Explorer’s Club Journal, Spring
1950 (a short article that introduced Dianetics to the prestigious
Explorer’s Club of which Hubbard had become a member in 1940); -
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, New York 1950 ("Book
1", of which 20 million copies are said to have been sold by
1999); - Notes on the Lectures of L. Ron Hubbard, Wichita, Kansas
1951; - Science of Survival: Simplified, Faster Dianetic Techniques,
Wichita, Kansas 1951 (later published as: Science of Survival: Prediction
of Human Behavior); - Self-Analysis, Wichita, Kansas 1951; - The
Dianetics Axioms, Wichita, Kansas 1951; - Child Dianetics. Dianetic
Processing for Children, Wichita, Kansas 1951; - Advanced Procedure
and Axioms, Wichita, Kansas 1951; - Handbook for Preclears, Wichita,
Kansas 1951; - Individual Track Map, Phoenix, Arizona 1952; - A
Key to the Unconscious - Symbolical Processing, Phoenix, Arizona
1952; - What to Audit, Phoenix, Arizona 1952 (later republished
- minus one chapter - as: History of Man, London 1952 and most recently
as: Scientology: A History of Man, Los Angeles and Copenhagen 1988);
- Self Analysis in Dianetics - A Handbook of Dianetic Therapy, London
1952; - Scientology 8-80, Phoenix, Arizona 1952; - Scientology 8-8008,
London 1952; - How to Live Though an Executive: Communication Manual,
Phoenix, Arizona 1953; - Self-Analysis in Scientology, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 1953; - This Is Scientology. The Science of Certainty,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1953; - Group Auditor’s Handbook, Vol.
I, Phoenix, Arizona 1954; - Scientology: Auditor’s Handbook - Including
Intensive Procedure, Phoenix, Arizona 1954; - Group Auditor’s Handbook,
Vol. II, Phoenix, Arizona 1954; - Dianetics 55!, Phoenix, Arizona
1954; - Dianetics: the Evolution of a Science, Phoenix, Arizona
1955 (written already in 1950); - The Scientologist. A Manual on
the Dissimination of Material, Phoenix, Arizona 1955; - The Creation
of Human Ability, London 1955; - Key to Tomorrow, Phoenix, Arizona
1955 (later as: Scientology: Its Contribution to Knowledge); - Straightwire:
A Manual of Operation, Washington, DC 1955; - Scientology: The Fundamentals
of Thought, Washington, DC 1956; - The Problems of Work, Washington,
DC 1956; - All About Radiation, London 1957 (with the rather strange
subtitle "by a nuclear physicist and a medical doctor",
none of which Hubbard was; today published by Dr. F.R.Spink and
L.Ron Hubbard, Introduction by Dr. G. Denk, Los Angeles & Copenhagen
1989); - Axioms and Logics, London 1958; - ACC Clear Procedure,
Washington, DC 1958; - Ceremonies of the Founding Church of Scientology,
Washington, DC 1959; - Have You Lived Before This Life?, East Grinstead,
Sussex 1960 (augmented with an essay in the editions from 1977 on);
- E-Meter Essentials, East Grinstead, Sussex 1961; - The Book of
Case Remedies - A Manual Covering Preclear Difficulties and Their
Remedies, East Grinstead, Sussex 1964; - The Book of E-Meter Drills,
East Grinstead, Sussex 1965 (revised version 1988); - Scientology:
A New Slant on Life, East Grinstead, Sussex 1965; - Introducing
the E-Meter, East Grinstead, Sussex 1966 (revised version 1988);
- A Test of Whole Track Recall, East Grinstead, Sussex 1967 (later
a part of Mission into Time, 1972); - Introduction to Scientology
Ethics, East Grinstead, Sussex 1968; - The Phoenix Lectures, East
Grinstead, Sussex 1968; - A Summary on Scientology for Scientists,
East Grinstead, Sussex 1969; - The Best of the Auditor, East Grinstead,
Sussex 1969 (collected magazine articles); - Scientology 0-8: The
Book of Basics, Copenhagen, Denmark 1970; - Mission Into Time, Los
Angeles 1972 (with important preface); - Organization Executive
Course, vol. 0-7 (sic), Los Angeles, Kalifornien 1973 (rev. edition
1991); - The Management Series 1970-1974, Los Angeles 1974 (rev.
edition in 2 vols. 1983, in 3 vols. 1991); - Hymn of Asia: An Eastern
Poem, Los Angeles 1974; - The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and
Scientology, Vol. I-X, Los Angeles 1976 (rev. edition 1991); - The
Volunteer Minister’s Handbook, Los Angeles 1976; - The Volunteer
Minister’s Booklets, 9 booklets, Los Angeles 1977; - The Technical
Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology, Vol. XI, 1976-1978, Los
Angeles 1979 (rev. edition 1991); - Research and Discovery Series
I, Copenhagen and Los Angeles 1980 (lectures in chronological order);
- The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology, Vol. XII,
1978-1979, Copenhagen/Los Angeles 1980 (rev. edition 1991); - The
Way to Happiness, Los Angeles 1981; - Research and Discovery Series
II, Copenhagen and Los Angeles 1981; - Research and Discovery Series
III, Copenhagen and Los Angeles 1982. IV, ibid. 1982; - Management
Series I+II, Los Angeles 1983; - Research and Discovery Series V,
Los Angeles 1983; - The Original L. Ron Hubbard Executive Directives,
2 Bände, Los Angeles 1983; - Research and Discovery Series
VI + VII, Los Angeles 1984; - The Future of Scientology and Western
Civilization, Copenhagen 1985; - Research and Discovery Series VIII
+ IX, Los Angeles 1985; - The Organization Executive Course 0, Los
Angeles 1985; - The Hope of Man, Los Angeles 1986; - The Game Called
Man, Los Angeles 1987; - Individual Track Map, New Edition, Los
Angeles 1988; - E-Meter Essentials, Los Angeles 1988; - Introducing
the E-Meter, Los Angeles 1988; - The Book of E-Meter Drills, Los
Angeles 1988; - Understanding the E-Meter, Los Angeles 1988; - Basic
Dictionary of Dianetics and Scientology, Los Angeles 1988; - Research
and Discovery Series X, Los Angeles 1989; - Clay Table Processing
Picture Book, Los Angeles 1989; - Hubbard Key to Life Course Books,
Los Angeles 1990; - Hubbard Life Orientation Course Books, Los Angeles
1990; - Clear Body, Clear Mind: The Effective Purification Program,
Los Angeles 1990; - The Management Series Policy Volumes, 3 vols.,
Los Angeles 1991; - Understanding: The Universal Solvent, Los Angeles
1991; - Knowingness, Los Angeles 1991 (these two volumes form an
anthology of "fine sayings" and are used as a kind of
devotional literature); - The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and
Scientology, 18 vols., Los Angeles 1991; - The Book of Case Remedies,
Los Angeles 1991; - Art, Los Angeles 1992 (collects essays on art
in all forms); - Assists Processing Handbook, Los Angeles 1992;
- Group Auditor’s Handbook, Los Angeles 1992; - Introduction and
Demonstration Processes Handbook, Los Angeles 1992; - Research and
Discovery Series, augmented new edition. Los Angeles vol. 1-4, 1994;
vol. 5-8, 1995; vol. 9-10, 1996; vol. 11-12, 1997; vol. 13, 1998;
- Introduction to Scientology Ethics, rev. edition, Los Angeles
and Copenhagen 1998.

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These are only the publicly available titles by Hubbard. There
is also much material regarded as confidential by the Church of
Scientology. This refers especially to the so called OT materials
and New OT materials that are delivered to Scientologists who have
attained the status of "clear". Some of this material
has been published by ex-scientologists; it is also available on
some internet sites. The Church of Scientology has denied the reliability
and authenticity of some of these irregular publications. Hubbard’s
many smaller pieces addressed to Scientologists, as e. g. the "LRH
Executive Directives" or the "Hubbard Communications Office
Policy Letters", are available in the above mentioned collections
(as The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology, 18 vols.,
and others). They are completely listed in What is Scientology?,
1998 edition (see below), pp. 891-971.

There are also many books published by Scientology organisations
as "based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard". These usually
are selected and thematically linked passages from his original
books. For serious research I recommend using original material,
not such compilations. As far as I know no effort has been made
so far to compare early and late editions of Hubbard. It is not
known whether the recent editions have been adapted to the later
developments of Hubbard’s ideas.

Scientologists usually try to sell first Dianetics: The Modern
Science of Mental Health, New York 1950, of which many reprints
exist. This was written for a general public and can easily be read,
but it gives only a very small part of what Scientology (that only
developed later from Dianetics) is about. I do not recommend it
for getting a first idea about Scientology. When it came out in
May 1950, it remained a New York Times bestseller for 28 consecutive
weeks, which is quite illuminating about the American situation
in the early Fifties. A more general overview is Scientology: the
Fundamentals of Thought, Washington, DC 1956, which contains a description
of many of Scientology’s fundamental concepts: the conditions of
existence, the parts of man (thetan, mind and body), the ARC triangle,
the cycle of action. Hubbard saw this as his first "real"
Scientology book. Science of Survival: Simplified, Faster Dianetic
Techniques, Wichita, Kansas 1951, today available as Science of
Survival: Prediction of Human Behavior, is quite interestig for
the so-called "tone-scale", Hubbard’s psychology. To get
a feeling for the pragmatic approach of Scientology and its appeal
to devotees Scientology: A New Slant on Life, East Grinstead, Sussex
1965 is a recommended item. This is a series of popular essays which
perhaps best describe what Scientology means for "normal people".
For the therapeutic side of Scientology and its different "technologies"
the best introduction is The Scientology Handbook. Based on the
Works of L. Ron Hubbard, Hollywood, California 1994. The Way to
Happiness, Los Angeles 1981, is Hubbard’s "common sense ethics",
a book given freely away by Scientologists as a gift.

The more esoteric side of Scientology teaching has as its basis
the belief in "past lives" (like Crowley, Hubbard did
not like the term reincarnation). He tried to give some kind of
proof to this in Have You Lived Before This Life?, East Grinstead,
Sussex 1960 (augmented with a new essay in the editions from 1977
on). A more general overview of man’s "cosmic history"
is given in Scientology: A History of Man, Los Angeles and Copenhagen
1988 (first published 1952), which starts with the sentence: "This
is a cold-blooded and factual account of your last sixty trillion
years". Both are very strange books easily ridiculed. They
should perhaps be compared to Buddhist or Hindu scriptures about
reincarnation. Many Scientologists are not very much interested
in these mythological matters and try to make them look only supplementary
to the fundamental "life improvement approach" of Scientology.
They have never been studied from the point of view of comparative
religion.

Mission Into Time, Los Angeles 1972 is another strange but important
book. Its preface gives an early biographic overview about Hubbard’s
life from the Scientology point of view and relates his travels
in the Mediterranean in 1968 to check his "recall" of
incidents occurring several thousand years ago. As in all such books,
this never reaches the dignity of a "proof" but illustrates
how Hubbard saw his earlier "past lives". These three
books are quite important for the inner side of Scientology and
its founder. Another such title is Hymn of Asia: An Eastern Poem,
Los Angeles 1974 (written in 1955/56), where Hubbard speculates
whether he might be Maitreya (Mettaya), the future Buddha spoken
of in Buddhist literature.

I would not advise German researchers to use German translations
of these titles. The translations available from the Church of Scientology
usually are quite accurate but a bit lifeless and wooden by their
slavish dependancy on the English versions which makes them not
too easy to read. For serious research only original editions can
be used, anyway. Nobody would claim to do research on the New Testament
when just reading a translation: in the field of New Religious Movements
this kind of second hand research is still quite common.

For Scientology it is impossible for a very special reason: "Scientologese".
Hubbard had a bit of a kink creating new words and artificial composita
(words like knowingness, enturbulation, MEST). He also used some
words in a very special sense (like his favourite "to handle"
which is the one word he could not abstain from employing in his
own special way even in his late SF novels). It has also often been
asserted that words like "ethics" do not exactly have
the same meaning for him as in everyday language. For this reason
more specialized Scientology literature cannot be used without giving
attention to Hubbard’s language and his own definitions (he was
very careful about exactly defining how he used words, indeed more
so than almost all religious personalities of the 20th. century).
His special vocabulary is documented in some reference books:

- Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary, Los Angeles 1975.
Rev. Ed. 1987 (new edition in preparation)

- Basic Dictionary of Dianetics and Scientology, Los Angeles 1988

- The Policy Subject Index, Los Angeles 1976

- Modern Management Technology Defined - Hubbard Dictionary of
Administration and Management, Los Angeles 1976.
A study of Hubbard’s artificial language and often very unusual
definitions is an undertaking very well worth the trouble. ("Art"
for example is defined as "the quality of communication").

PAGE 5

B. Secondary literature

A complete bibliography does not exist so far. Some major monographs
have fairly comprehensive overviews, especially Haack’s classic
German language monograph (see below).

3. Studies about Hubbard as a narrative writer

Most more general reference works on popular literature and especially
on Science Fiction mention Hubbard at least en passant. In the Fifties
and Sixties a vehement discussion about the merits and demerits
of Scientology took place in some of the great Science Fiction magazines
(who had their hey day in the Fourties and started to decline in
the Fifties, loosing their market to the pocket book). This material
from magazines has never been collected so far.

On the other side there are not many dependable discussions of
Hubbard’s literary output from a point of view dedicated mainly
to genre history. Very few books on general American literature
(that is, main-stream literature) mention Hubbard, but most histories
of SF do. The most useful general introduction to the SF field at
the moment is John Clute and Peter Nicholls (ed.), The Encyclopedia
of Science Fiction, London 1993 (new edition), pp. 187s. 327. 592s.
1078. 1268-1270. A scholar who wants to get a feeling for the SF
genre is strongly advised to start with this reference work, that
for sheer comprehensiveness, objectivity and clear presentation
is unsurpassed. A quite good short German introduction is: Klaus
Geus, Science Fiction und Dianetik, Bonsai 6/Zimmerit 5, Aalen und
Gärtringen 1995, pp. 20-26. I cannot recommend the articles
on Hubbard in the German standard reference works in the fields
of fantasy and SF: Heiko Langhans and Uli Kohnle, L. Ron Hubbard.
Biographie. Bibliographie, in: Bibliographisches Lexikon der utopisch-phantastischen
Literatur, 7. Erg.-Lief., Meitingen 1986 and Hans Joachim Alpers/Werner
Fuchs/Ronald M. Hahn/Wolfgang Jeschke (ed.), Lexikon der Science
Fiction Literatur. Augmented New Edition, München 1988, pp.
566s. These are well-known reference works in the field, but the
articles about Hubbards are not too well-informed and very polemical.
One does not get a feeling that the authors have read the original
English language versions of most of Hubbard’s literary works.

A not to be neglected source is The John W. Campbell Letters,
vol. I and II, ed. by Perry A. Chapdelaine, Sr., Tony Chapdelaine
and George Hay, Franklin, TN 1985-1993. John W. Campbell (1910-1971)
of course was the most important SF editor in the "golden age"
of SF (as the time between 1938 and approximately 1950 is often
called). He is probably the one individual who did most for Science
Fiction to become a part of American popular culture. When Campbell
first encountered Dianetics, he was immediately spell-bound: the
young "science of the mind" promised to fulfill many of
the ideas, expectations and secret hopes of SF afficionados. He
gave Hubbard much encouragement and supported him for some time.
Eventually he became disillusioned, like A. E. van Vogt, James Blish
and many other authors and fans from the SF scene. In some regards
his story is quite typical. His letters give some rare insights
into the SF movement of the time when Hubbard became notorious,
and discuss him regularly.

I only give the titles of some more specialized literature on
Hubbard as a writer: Jürgen von Scheidt, Descensus ad Inferos.
Tiefenpsychologische Aspekte der Science Fiction, in: E. Barmeyer
(ed.), Science Fiction. Theorie und Geschichte, München 1972,
pp. 133-163; - Lester del Rey, The World of Science Fiction, 1926-1976:
The History of a Subculture, New York 1979; - John P. Brennan, L.
Ron Hubbard, in: Twentieth Century Science Fiction Writers, ed.
by Curtis C. Smith, London 1981; - Charles Platt, Dream Makers II,
New York 1983; - Carl B. Yoke, Art. Slaves of Sleep, in: Survey
of Modern Fantasy Literature, ed. by Frank N. Magill, vol. IV, Englewood
Cliffs, N. J. 1983, pp. 1763-1765; - Neil Barron (ed.), Anatomy
of Wonder. A Critical Guide to Science Fiction, New York & London
3rd. ed. 1987, pp. 147 and 265; - D. Coopers Vesco, Scientology
and Science Fiction, Science Fiction Eye 1 (4), August 1988, pp.
2-3; - Albert I. Berger, Towards a Science of the Nuclear Mind:
Science Fiction Origins of Dianetics, Science Fiction Studies 16,
1989, 2, pp. 123-144; - Neil Barron, Fantasy Literature: A Reader’s
Guide, New York u. London 1990, p. 174; - Montgomery Lee, Big Sellers
5: L. Ron Hubbard, Interzone 35, Mai 1990, pp. 31. 33-43; - Alexei
Panshin, L. Ron Hubbard: Science Fiction Giant?, New York Review
of Science Fiction 25, September 1990, pp. 12-17; - Linus Hauser,
Science Fiction, Neomythos und Neue Religiosität, Das Science
Fiction Jahr 9, ed. by Wolfgang Jeschke, München 1994, pp.
509-572; - id., Scientology and Science Fiction, in: Friederike
Valentin/Horand Knaup, Scientology - der Griff nach Macht und Geld.
Selbstbefreiung als Geschäft, Freiburg a. o. 1992. 4th. ed.
1997, pp. 53-69; - Jörg Weigand, Hubbards "Klassiker",
Sagittarius 30, Febr. 1999, pp. 24-27.

The articles by the Roman catholic theologian Linus Hauser (though
also not too well-informed) are sensitive to questions history of
religion scholars might ask. Insofar they are certainly a step in
the right direction. Nevertheless they start to mix religious judgements
and literary evaluations much too quickly. I have tried to give
an as I hope balanced view on Hubbard as a writer and on his theoretical
views on SF in the following article: Marco Frenschkowski, Science
Fiction und Scientology. Beobachtungen zum Erzählwerk L. Ron
Hubbards. Forthcoming in: Quarber Merkur, ed. by Franz Rottensteiner
(1999/2000). This contribution is part of an ongoing project of
research into the exact relationship between artificial mythologies,
fantastic and supernatural literature, religious traditions and
the late 20th. century religious situation.

PAGE 6

4. L. Ron Hubbard: biographical material and similar matters published
by Scientologists

I mention first L. Ron Hubbard - Images of a Lifetime. A Photographic
Biography, Los Angeles, CA 1996, a splendid photographic picture
book, given freely away by the Church of Scientology, but containing
very little real information. An ongoing project of collecting and
presenting biographical material on Hubbard by the Church of Scientology
is The Ron Series, a collection of booklets devoted to different
aspects of Hubbards life and oeuvre. It started publication with:
L. Ron Hubbard: A Profile, Los Angeles 1995 (German edition as:
L. Ron Hubbard. Ein Porträt, n. p. 1995). Further titles from
the series are: L. Ron Hubbard. The Music Maker, Los Angeles 1995;
- L. Ron Hubbard. The Poet and Lyricist, Los Angeles 1995; - L.
Ron Hubbard. The Humanitarian: The Road to Self-Respect, Los Angeles
1995; - L. Ron Hubbard. The Philosopher: The Rediscovery of the
Human Soul, Los Angeles 1996; - L. Ron Hubbard. The Adventurer and
Explorer: Daring Deeds and Unknown Realms, Los Angeles 1996; - L.
Ron Hubbard. The Humanitarian: Education, Los Angeles 1996; - L.
Ron Hubbard. The Humanitarian: Rehabilitating a Drugged Society,
Los Angeles 1996; - L. Ron Hubbard. Letters and Journals. The Dianetics
Letters, Los Angeles 1997; - L. Ron Hubbard. The Writer: The Shaping
of Popular Fiction, Los Angeles 1997; - L. Ron Hubbard. Letters
and Journals. Literary Correspondence, Los Angeles 1997; - L. Ron
Hubbard. The Humanitarian: Freedom Fighter: Articles and Essays,
Los Angeles 1997; - L. Ron Hubbard. Letters and Journals. Early
Years of Adventure, Los Angeles 1997. Many further issues are in
preparation. Non-Scientologist readers immediately recognize some
parts of Hubbard’s life are here systematically left out: no information
whatsoever is given about his private life (his marriages, divorces,
children), his legal affairs and so on. Nevertheless the series
makes available material otherwise unknown, if cautiously used.
A full biography is in preparation.

Other relevant titles by Scientologists are:

Hubbard College of Scientology, Ceremonies of the Founding Church
of Scientology, East Grinstead, Sussex 2nd. ed. 1966; - Catherine
Briggs/Colin Chalmers/Margaret Chalmers/Doreen Elton/Gladys Goodyer/Chatherine
Steele/Dorothy Penberthy, Scientology and the Bible - A Manifest
Paralleling the Discoveries of Scientology by L. Ron Hubbard with
the Holy Scriptures, East Grinstead, Sussex 1967; - Dianetic Information
Group, A Selection of Articles on Dianetics by Members of the Medical
Profession. Series One, East Grinstead 1971; - Glaube und religiöses
Brauchtum der Scientology Kirche, ed. by the Scientology Kirche
Deutschland, München, 1973; - Omar V. Garrison, The Hidden
Story of Scientology, London 2nd. ed. 1974 (German as: Geheimreport
Scientology, Wiesbaden 1984); - Scientology Kirche Deutschland (ed.),
Der Klerus der Scientology Kirche, München 1974; - id., Kultus
und Dogmatik der Scientology Kirche, München 1974; - Holger
Loges, Scientology Expansion, München 1975; - Peter Ginever
and André de Groot, Auf der Suche nach dem Dialog, München
1978; - Lance J. Klass and Paolo Lionni, The Leipzig Connection
- A Report on the Origins and Growth of Educational Psychology,
Sheridan, Oregon 3rd. ed. 1978; - Scientology: Documenting the Truth,
Los Angeles 1978; - Uwe Klähn, Was ist Scientology? Eine Religion,
eine Wissenschaft - Die Betrachtung einer Bewegung unserer Zeit
aus der Sicht eines ‘Insiders’, Stuttgart 1980; - Ruth Minshull,
Einführung in die Ethik der Scientology, Copenhagen 1989; -
What Is Scientology? The Comprehensive Reference on the World’s
Fastest Growing Religion, Los Angeles, CA 1992; - The Scientology
Handbook. Based on the Works of L. Ron Hubbard, Hollywood, CA 1994;
- The Church of Scientology. 40th. Anniversary, Los Angeles 1994;
- Die Fakten hinter den Schlagzeilen, ed. by the Church of Scientology,
Los Angeles, CA 1996; - Scientology. Lehre und Ausübung einer
modernen Religion. Ein Überblick aus religionswissenschaftlicher
Sicht. Vorgestellt von der Church of Scientology International,
Copenhagen 1998 (containing also seven long expert statements about
the religious status of Scientology by well-known scholars of religion);
- Vom Rechtsstaat zur Inquisition. Zur Methodik des grundgesetzwidrigen
Umgangs mit Minderheitsreligionen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
am Beispiel Scientology, ed. by Scientology-Kirche, Los Angeles,
CA, 21998 (full analysis of the German situation from the Scientology
point of view; quite well-informed).

The official "guide-book", so to say, and the best general
introduction to Scientology at the moment is What is Scientology?
Based on the Works of L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles and Copenhagen
1998. No serious discussion about Scientology is possible without
taking into account this "official" representation.

Of course there also exist many magazines edited by the different
local Churches of Scientology and affiliated organisations. I might
mention: Ability. Minor Issue, Bi-Monthly, Washington; Advance!,
Los Angeles; Centre, Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex; Die
Brücke, Wien; Freedom, Los Angeles; Freiheit, München;
Neue Zivilisation, Hamburg; Source. Magazine of Flag Land Base,
Tampa, Florida; The Auditor, Los Angeles; Theta, Stuttgart; Ursprung,
München.

PAGE 7

5. L. Ron Hubbard: biographical studies and related material by
non-scientologists

I first mention the more important titles and then add some minor
other articles.

- Robert Kaufman, Inside Scientology. How I Joined Scientology
and Became Superhuman, London 1972/New York 1972 (German as: Übermenschen
unter uns, Frankfurt a. M. 1972). This was the first book by an
ex-scientologist to publish extensive material from the OT-courses
seen as confidential by the Church of Scientology. It is still a
major item for Scientology in the Sixties.

- Christopher Riche Evans, Cults of Unreason, London 1973/New York
1974 (German as: Kulte des Irrationalen, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1976).
Another still-important early item.

- Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack, Scientology - Magie des 20. Jahrhunderts,
München 1982. 3rd ed., (slightly) augmented and revised by
Thomas Gandow, 1995. This is the single most influential critical
book on Scientology in Germany. It is discussed at greater length
below.

- Brent Corydon and L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., L. Ron Hubbard - Messiah
or Madman?, Secaucus, N. J. 1987. Another very important book but
also a deeply problematical item. L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. (who in civil
life uses the name Ronald DeWolfe) is Hubbard’s eldest son (born
1934 from his first marriage) who till a break in 1959 was his father’s
confidant. Bent Corydon is a former Scientologist who undertook
to write the above mentioned book. Contrary to the title Hubbard
Jr. is not co-author, but just contributed some intrviews used by
Corydon. After the publication of the book Hubbard Jr. signed an
affidavit in which he denied many of the statements made in the
book (copy in my possession). He says he never had access to the
manuscript and only was given a copy of the book using his name
when it was already in print. It is usually assumed that the Church
of Scientology paid Hubbard Jr. for this statement. This cannot
be proven. A legal affidavit has to be taken into consideration.
Many of the claims made in Corydon’s book are very sensationalist.
It is quite believable that Hubbard Jr. was not happy with the book
even when he wanted to expose the darker side of his father.

- Russell Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron
Hubbard, New York 1987. London 1988. The most important critical
biography of Hubbard. Like Haack’s and Corydon’s books it is extremely
polemical and very much tries to pull Hubbard to pieces who is seen
as a dangerous megalomanic and notorious liar (especially when talking
about himself). Miller has definitely exposed some inflated statements
about Hubbard’s early achievements, as they are represented e. g.
in the preface to Mission into Time. On the other side the Church
of Scientology has been able to disprove some of Millers assumptions.
Hubbard’s assertions about his military career in WWII, e.g., have
been much nearer to the truth than Miller is trying to show, as
can be seen from his naval records that have been made public during
the processes following the publication of Bare-Faced Messiah (a
complete set of the relevant documents is part of my collection).
The Church of Scientology has also been able to verify Hubbard’s
statements about "Comander Thompson", the source of his
early acquaintance with Freudian psychoanalysis. Joseph "Snake"
Thompson (1874-1943) was Commander in the US Navy Medical Corps;
his personal relation with Freud is documented by a letter written
by Freud and addressed to him (in the Library of Congress, Washington.
Copy in my possession). This material so far is not part of any
bibliography of Hubbard.

A topic of special interest has been for many years Hubbard’s
short-lived acquaintance with the nuclear physicist John ("Jack")
Whiteside Parsons (1914-1952) who was also a devotee of the founder
of modern neo-pagan "magick", Aleister Crowley. In the
winter of 1945/1946 Hubbard lived in Parson’s house in Pasadena,
CA and took part in Parson’s magical experiments to produce a "moonchild".
This connection has been a subject of much speculation, especially
in the books of Brent Corydon, Miller and Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack.
A better discussion can be found in Jon Atack, A Piece of Blue Sky
(see below). Nevertheless it remains quite obvious that Hubbard
did not take much inspiration from Crowley and Parsons. Some sources
for the Hubbard-Parsons connection became available only in recent
years. It is discussed also in the most thorough biography of Crowley:
John Symmonds, The King of the Shadow Realm. Aleister Crowley: His
Life and Magic, London 1989, pp. 562-565.

Which brings us to Jon Atack, A Piece of Blue Sky. Scientology,
Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed, Secaucus, N. Y. 1990. This
is the most thorough general history of Hubbard and Scientology,
very bitter, but always well-researched and on the whole to be prefered
to Haack. It has a very fine documentation and omits many unproven
sensationalist claims made by Corydon and others. Atack - who was
a Scientologist from 1974-1983 - is also violently opposed to Scientology,
but tries to stick to facts (whereas Corydon often speculates).
The starting point for all further researches. Atack has since then
only written minor pieces on Scientology, but is a collector of
pertinent material much of which he has made available on internet.
Other more general articles on Hubbard include:

Who’s Who in America, 40th. ed., vol. I, Chicago, Il. 1978, p.
1574; - Contemporary Authors, vols. 77-80, ed. by Frances Carol
Locher, Detroit, Michigan 1979, pp. 254s.; - Dictionary of International
Biography, ed. by Ernest Kay, 19th. ed. "1986", London
1985, p. 330; - Contemporary Authors, vol. 118, ed. by Hal May,
Detroit, Michigan 1986, p. 230; - John Gordon Melton, Religious
Leaders of America. A Biographical Guide to Founders and Leaders
of Religious Bodies, Churches, and Spiritual Groups in North America,
Detroit/London 1991, pp. 215s.; - Volker Albers, Vom Science-Fiction
Autor zum Sektenguru. Die Lebensgeschichte des L. Ron Hubbard, in:
Jörg Herrmann (ed.), Mission mit allen Mitteln. Der Scientology-Konzern
auf Seelenfang, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1992, pp. 56-69.
Newspaper Obituaries: Chicago Tribune, Jan. 29th., 1986; Detroit
News, Jan. 28th., 1986; Los Angeles Times, Jan. 28th., 1986; Newsweek,
Febr. 10th., 1986; New York Times, Jan. 29th., 1986; Publisher’s
Weekly, Febr. 14th., 1986; Time, Febr. 10th., 1986; Washington Post,
Jan. 29th., 1986; Washington Times, Jan. 29th., 1986.

PAGE 8

6. Selected general literature on Dianetics and Scientology

I begin my short overview with remarks on three important authors
who write on an academic level of research: Roy Wallis, Friedrich-Wilhelm
Haack and Werner Thiede.

There are so far very few professional sociologists of religion
who have studied Scientology. The most important one is Roy Wallis,
whose book The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of
Scientology, London 1976. New York 1977 already forms something
of a small, well-balanced classic. But it is now sadly in need of
an up-date. Other writings by Roy Wallis about Scientology are:
The Sectarianism of Scientology, A Sociological Yearbook of Religion
in Britain 6, London 1973, pp. 136-155; - id., A Comparative Analysis
of Problems and Processes of Change in Two Manipulationist Movements:
Christian Science and Scientology, in: Contemporary Metamorphoses
of Religion? Acts of the 12th International Conference for the Sociology
of Religion, The Hague 1973, pp. 407-422; - id., Scientology: Therapeutic
Cult to Religious Sect, Sociology: The Journal of the British Sociological
Association 9, 1, Oxford 1975, pp. 89-100; - id., Societal Reactions
to Scientology: A Study in the Sociology of Deviant Religions, in:
id., Sectarianism: Analyses of Religious and Non-Religious Sects,
London 1975, pp. 86-116; - id., Dianetics: A Marginal Psychotherapy,
in: R. Wallis und P. Morley (ed.), Marginal Medicine, London, New
York 1976, pp. 77-109; - id., Poor Man’s Psychiatry? Observations
on Dianetics, a Marginal Psychotherapy, The Zetetic 1, 1, Ypsilanti,
Michigan 1976, pp. 9-24; - id., Scientology: From Psychotherapy
to New Religion, Psychology Today (UK Edition) 2, 10, 1976, pp.
12-19; - id., Coping with Institutional Fragility: An Analysis of
Christian Science and Scientology, in: id., Salvation and Protest:
Studies of Social and Religious Movements, London 1979, pp. 25-43;
- id., The Elementary Forms of the New Religious Life, London 1984.

In 1974 another very important writer started to publish about
Scientology: Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack. As he wrote the single most
influential book on Scientology in Germany, a few words about Haack
might be desirable. Haack (who died in 1991) was "Sektenbeauftragter"
of the Protestant Bayerische Landeskirche and is usually seen as
the most outspoken proponent of a stricly Christian apologetic approach.
He also coined the label "Jugendreligionen" (youth religions)
in 1974. Some of his books ran into as many as 24 editions. A good
bibliography of his writings (with excellent English annotations)
can be found in Elisabeth Arweck and Peter B. Clarke, New Religious
Movements in Western Europe. An Annotated Bibliography, Bibliographies
and Indexes in Religious Studies 41, Westport, CN/London 1997, pp.
88-99. It cannot be denied that Haack in some regards was a problematical
personality. On the other side he was an excellent researcher almost
fanatically devoted to getting first-hand material. As a collector
of source material on New Religious Movements in many quite different
fields he is unsurpassed in Germany. His extreme and sometimes very
unfair polemics have made him a primary target of counter attacks
by Scientology and many other organisations. On the other side his
books are absolutely indispensable for the rich documentation they
contain, and this especially is true for Scientology - Magie des
20. Jahrhunderts, München 1982. 3rd ed. augmented by Thomas
Gandow 1995, his major study on the topic. Still no research on
Scientology is possible without a careful reading of this study.
In the Seventies and Eighties Haack’s book were read widely and
formed a main source of information on New Religious Movements and
the religious sub-culture for German society for many readers (that
a New Religious Movement might form a part of the German religious
main culture was completely unthinkable in those not so far-away
days). One of Haack’s seminal more substantial publications in the
field was Von Gott und Der Welt verlassen. Der religiöse Untergrund
unserer Tage, Düsseldorf 1974, which on pp. 140-158 also deals
with Scientology. Later relevant writings include: "Täglich
war ich diesem Druck ausgesetzt" - Erlebnisberichte zu Scientology,
München 1983; - Scientology, Dianetik und andere Hubbardismen,
21990 (3rd. ed., revised by Thomas Gandow, München 1993).

Another important writer with a counter-cult apologetic approach
is Werner Thiede (born 1955, another theologian of the Protestant
Bayerische Landeskirche). His Scientology - Religion oder Geistesmagie?,
Konstanz 1992. 2nd edition (R. A. T. 1), Neukirchen-Vluyn 1995 is
at the moment the most sophisticated treatment available on Scientology
in Germany, though I completely disagree with him on many points.
This book is well-researched on Hubbard’s own writings, but not
on Hubbard’s background. He denies the religious status of Scientology,
a question I discuss more fully in a forthcoming paper. Other important
articles and books of his include: Scientology und Religionswissenschaft.
Zum Thesenpapier des REMID, Materialdienst der EZW 55, 5, 1992,
pp. 149-156; - id., Politische Aktivitäten contra Scientology,
Materialdienst der EZW 57, 2, 1994, pp. 57-60; - id., Unterwegs
zur OT-Zivilisation? Geistesmagische Utopien der Scientologen, Materialdienst
der EZW 57, 10, 1994, pp. 282-294 (= Sonderdruck Nr. 22); - id.,
Scientology - der Magie-Konzern. Medienpaket mit 18 Dias, Ton-Cassette
und Begleitheft, Offenbach 1994; - id., Art. Scientology-Kirche,
Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon, vol. IV, 1996, pp. 158-160; - id.,
Problemfeld Scientology: ethische und juristische Aspekte einer
selbsternannten "Kirche", Ethica 1, 1993, pp. 339-359.

PAGE 9

Other secondary literature, with special emphasis on books about
the European discussion, I give here only in a general chronological
list, without much annotation:

(1951–1979)

Ricardo Olives, Dianetik - die Psychoanalyse von morgen, Büdingen-Gettenbach
1951 (this seems to have been the first booklet on Dianetics in
Germany. Non vidi); - Report of the Board of Enquiry into Scientology,
Anderson, K. V., Q. C., State of Victoria, Australia 1965; - Maurice
C. Burrell, Scientology: What It Is and What It Does, London 1970;
- John A. Lee, Sectarian Healers and Hypnotherapy - A Study for
the Committee on the Healing Arts, Toronto 1970; - George Malko,
Scientology - The New Religion, New York 1970; - Paulette Cooper,
The Scandal of Scientology - A Chilling Examination of the Nature,
Beliefs, and Practices of the "New Religion", New York
1971; - Sir John G. Forster, Enquiry into the Practice and Effects
of Scientology, London 1971 ("Forster-Report"); - Hannelore
Schilling, Dianetics - Scientology - Scientology Kirche, Materialdienst
der EZW 36, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 162-171. 178-187. 208-213; - Harriet
Whitehead, Reasonably Fantastic: Some Perspectives on Scientology,
Science Fiction, and Occultism, in: I. I. Zaretsky and M. P. Leone
(ed.), Religious Movements in Contemporary America, Princeton 1974,
pp. 547-587; - Torkil Olesen, Scientology - science eller science
fiction? &91;Scientology: Science or Science Fiction?&93;, Mission. Nordisk
Missions Tidsskrift 86, Copenhagen 1975, pp. 121-126; - Jochen Maes,
Geschäfte mit der Sucht. Von der Droge in die Sekte. Scientology
Sekte Narconon e. V.: Staatlich bezuschußte Heilslehre, Berlin
1977; - Svante Nycander, De fördömda Scientologerna, Stockholm
1977 (mainly about NARCONON); - Aktion Bildungsinformation e. V.
(ed.), Die Scientology-Sekte und ihre Tarnorganisiationen. Informationen
über die größte der neuen Sekten, Stuttgart 1979.

(1980-1985)

Trevor Meldal-Johnson and Patrick Lusey, The Truth About Scientology,
New York 1980; - Eugene H. Methvin, Scientology: Anatomy of a Frightening
Cult, Reader’s Digest 116 &91;697&93;, 1980, pp. 86-91 (German version
in: Das Beste aus Reader’s Digest, Mai. August. Sept. 1980. Jan.
1981; also published separately, much differing from the English
version); - Henri Nannen (ed.), Die himmlischen Verführer.
Sekten in Deutschland, Hamburg 1980; - Ingo Heinemann, Aus der Schule
in die Sekte. Wie die Scientology-Sekte mit Hilfe einer Tarnorganisation
um Nachwuchs wirbt, Stuttgart 1981; - id., Die Scientology- Sekte
und ihre Tarnorganisationen, Stuttgart n. d.; - Jens Johansen, New
Leadership in Scientology, New Religious Movements Up-Date V, 3/4,
Aarhus, Dec. 1981, p. 85; - Pastoralamt der Erzdiözese Wien,
Erfahrungen mit Scientology, Dokumentation 2/81, Wien 1981; - id.,
Scientology in Theorie und Praxis, Dokumentation 2/83, Wien 1983;
- Eileen Barker (ed.), New Religious Movements. A Perspective for
Understanding Society, New York 1982 (important collection of articles);
- Ingo Heinemann, Die Scientology-"Kirche" ist ein weltweiter
Konzern zur Vermarktung des Copyrights des Gründers, Aktion
Bildungsinformation, Stuttgart 1982; - Anders Hydén, Scientologykirkan
&91;The Church of Scientology&93;, Lund 1982; - J. Gordon Melton and Robert
L. Moore, The Cult Experience: Responding to the New Religious Pluralism,
New York 1982; - Wolfgang Redtenbacher, Scientology, in: "Jugendsekten"
und neue Religiosität: Notwendige Anmerkungen, ed. by H.-W.
Baumann a. o., Gelsenkrichen-Buer 1982, pp. 32-52; - Hans-Diether
Reimer, Scientology und Religion, Materialdienst der EZW 45, 9/1982,
pp. 244-253; - Hugo Stamm, Scientology - Seele im Würgegriff.
Übermenschen zwischen Ausbeutung und Psychoterror, Horgen 1982;
- Frank Flinn, Scientology as Technological Buddhism, in: Alternatives
to American Mainline Churches, ed. by Joseph Fichter, New York 1983;
- James Beckford, Cult Controversies: The Societal Response to the
New Religious Movements, London 1985; - Diane Choquette, New Religious
Movements in the United States and Canada: A Critical Assessment
and Annotated Bibliography, Bibliographies and Indexes in Religious
Studies 5, Westport, CN and London 1985; - H. J. Geppert, Götter
mit beschränkter Haftung. Die Jugendsektenszene, München
1985; - Peter Jennrich, Die Okkupation des Willens. Macht und Methoden
der neuen Kultbewegungen, Hamburg 1985; - Rodney Stark and I. Bainbridge,
The Future of Religion, London 1985; - Eric Townsend, The Sad Tale
of Scientology: A Short History, 1950-1985, Stockport 1985.

(1986-1989)

Maximilian Alexander, Die falschen Propheten - Schein und Wirklichkeit
der Sekten, Düsseldorf 1986; - Richard Behar, Prophet and Profits
of Scientolology, Forbes 138, October 27., 1986, pp. 314-320; -
Giovanni Filoramo, I nuovi movimenti religiosi. Metamorfosi del
Sacro, Rom-Bari 1986; - Stewart Lamont, Religion Inc.: The Church
of Scientology, London 1986; - Helmut Obst, Neureligionen - Jugendreligionen
- destruktive Kulte, Berlin 1986. Augmented edition as: Neureligionen,
Jugendreligionen, New Age, Berlin 1991; - David G. Bromley and Philipp
E. Hammond, The Future of New Religious Movements, Macon 1987 (important
collection of essays, which contains, inter alia: William Sims Bainbridge,
Science and Religion: the Case of Scientology, pp. 59-79; - Roy
Wallis, Hostages of Fortune: Thoughts on the Future of Scientology
and the Children of God, pp. 80-90); - Asociación Pro Juventud
(ed.), Las sectas como problema social. Ponencias presentadas y
communicados. Actas del Premier Congreso Internacional sobre Sectas
y Societad, November 27-29, 1987, Barcelona 1988; - Julia Darcondo,
Voyage au centre de la secte, Paris 1988 (important book by an ex-scientologist
who is also a psychologist); - Ministerium für Kultus und Sport,
Baden-Württemberg, Bericht über Aufbau und Tätigkeit
der sogenannten Jugendreligionen, Stuttgart 1988; - Eileen Barker,
New Religious Movements. A Practical Introduction, London 1989.
2nd. ed. 1992; - Erich Geldbach, Neue religiöse Bewegungen
und neue Religiosität, in: Im Lichte der Reformation. Jahrbuch
des Evangelischen Bundes XXXII, Göttingen 1989, pp. 148-191;
- Pepe Rodríguez, El poder de las sectas, Barcelona 1989;
- César Vidal Manzanares, El infierno de las sectas, Bilbao
1989.

PAGE 10

(1990-1993)

Johannes Aargaard, Denmark vis-à-vis New Religious Movements.
Paper Presented to the "Conference on New Religious Movements:
The European Situation", Lugano, Switzerland 1990; - Harald
Achilles, Kann das Grundgesetz die Scientology-’Kirche’ vor Wucher-Prozessen
schützen? Anmerkungen zu einem bedenklichen Urteil, in: Forum
- Materialien und Beiträge zum religiösen Dialog (Frankfurt
a. M.) 6, April 1990, pp. 42-45; - id., Grundgesetz und ‘Jugendsekten’.
Juristische Aspekte der Auseinandersetzung am Beispiel der Scientology-Kirche,
Materialdienst der EZW 55, 5, 1992, pp. 144-149; - Juan Bosch, Bibliografía
espa ola sobre sectas y NMR, Cuadernos de Realidades Sociales 35/36,
Madrid 1990, pp. 7-15; - Hans Gasper, Joachim Müller und Friederike
Valentin, Lexikon der Sekten, Sondergruppen und Weltanschauungen,
Freiburg i. Br. u.a. 3rd. ed. 1990; - Massimo Introvigne, Jean-François
Mayer and Ernesto Zucchini, I nuovi movimenti religiosi. Sette cristiane
e nuovi culti, Turin 1990; - Massimo Introvigne, I nuovi culti.
Dagli Hare Krishna alla Scientologia, Milano 1990; - Burkhard Schröder,
Spuren der Macht, Reinbek b. Hamburg 1990; - Klaus Bannach, Scientology
Church, in: id. and K. Rommel (ed.), Religiöse Strömungen
unserer Zeit, Stuttgart 1991, pp. 85-90; - Detlef Bendrath, Information
und Material zu Scientology/Dianetik, 2nd rev. edition, Nordelbische
Reihe für Weltanschauungsfragen 4, Kiel 1991; - William Seward
Burroughs, Ali’s Smile. Naked Scientology, Bonn 3rd. ed. 1991. 4th.
ed. 1995 (collection of critical articles about Scientology by the
well-known writer, who was a member of the Church of Scientology
- even a "clear" - in the Sixties, with texts both in
English and German. English texts collected first in 1972); - Reinhart
Hummel, "Der Tod ist eine technische Angelegenheit". L.
Ron Hubbards scientologische Reinkarnationsvorstellung, Materialdienst
der EZW 54, 11/1991, pp. 322-330; - Joachim Keden, Information über
Inhalte, Praktiken und Anwerbemethoden von Scientology, Materialdienst
der EZW 54, 7, 1991, pp. 205-207; - Rolf Kühn, Gutachten zum
Scientology-Persönlichkeitstest, Journal Frankfurt, 23, 1991,
p. 35; - Karl H. Schneider, Der kosten- aber nicht folgenlose Scientology-Test,
München 1991; - Margery Wakefiel, The Road to Xenu. A Narrative
Account of Life in Scientology, together with Bob Penny, Social
Control in Scientology, Oklahoma City 1991 (these texts haven been
available as public domain documents on internet since 1993); -
Hinrich C. Westphal, Scientology - der progammierte Mensch, Materialdienst
der EZW 54, 6, 1991, pp. 167-171; - Harald Achilles, Grundgesetz
und "Jugendsekten". Juristische Aspekte der Auseinandersetzung
am Beispiel der Scientology-"Kirche", Materialdienst der
EZW 55, 5/1992, pp. 144-149; - Wolfgang Behnk, Thetan ist uns heilig.
Streitgespräch in der deutschen Scientology-Zentrale, Evangelische
Kommentare 25, 5/1992, pp. 287-289; - Hartmut Hauser, Sekte mit
Machthunger. Wuchernde Scientology Church, Evangelische Kommentare
25, 5/1992, pp. 289-293; - Hansjörg Hemminger, Das Buch Nr.
1: Dianetik, Materialdienst der EZW 55, 5, 1992, pp. 129-143; -
Jörg Herrmann (Hrg.), Mission mit allen Mitteln. Der Scientology-Konzern
auf Seelenfang, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1992. 3rd. ed. 1993 (important
collection of critical essays); - Junge Union Nordwürttemberg,
Scientology Church. Darstellung der Praktiken einer "Religionsgemeinschaft",
Stuttgart 2nd. ed. 1992; - Cornelia Luschnat and Norbert J. Potthoff,
Totalitäre Thetanen. Macht und Ohnmacht des Individuums, 1992;
- Helle Meldgaard, Scientology’s Religious Roots, in: Studia Missionalia
41, Rom 1992; - Ulrich Müller and Anna Maria Leimkühler,
Zwischen Allmacht und Ohnmacht. Untersuchungen zum Welt-, Gesellschafts-
und Menschenbild neureligiöser Bewegungen, Regensburg 1992;
- Norbert J. Potthoff, Was ist Scientology? Die Zeitbombe in unserer
Gesellschaft, Krefeld 1992; - id., Netzwerk Scientology. Organisationen,
Tarnfirmen und weltweites Netzwerk, Krefeld 1992; - id., Scientology
& Wirtschaft. Der WISE-Report. Das totalitäre Scientology-Konzept
in Wirtschaft und Politik, Krefeld 1994; - id., Im Labyrinth der
Scientology, Bergisch-Gladbach 1997; - id./Sabine Kemming, Scientologyschicksale.
Eine Organisation wird zum sozialen Störfall, Bergisch-Gladbach
1998; - Heinrich Steiden and Christine Hamernik, Einsteins falsche
Erben. Die unheimliche Macht und Magie von Dianetik und Scientology,
Wien 1992; - Friederike Valentin and Horand Knaup (ed.), Scientology
- Der Griff nach Macht und Geld. Selbstbefreiung als Geschäft,
Freiburg/Basel/Wien 1992. 4th. ed. 1997 (one of the very few better
collections of articles); - Christian von Somm, Operating Teutons:
The Church of Scientology in Germany, Religion Today 7, 2, 1992,
pp. 15-16; - Anonymus, Entkommen. Eine Ex-Scientologin erzählt,
Reinbek bei Hamburg 1993; - Hans Michael Baumgartner (ed.), Verführung
statt Erleuchtung. Sekten, Scientology, Esoterik, Düsseldorf
1993; - Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of
Active New Religions, Sects and Cults, New York 1993; - id, Annotated
Dictionary of Modern Religious Movements, Danbury, CT 1993 (available
also as a CD-ROM); - Liane v. Billerbeck u. Frank Nordhausen, Der
Sekten-Konzern. Scientology auf dem Vormarsch, Berlin 1993. Rev.
paperback edition München 1994 (good documentation on newspaper
articles; like almost all books written by journalists very poorly
researched on historical matters); - Serge Faubert, Une secte au
coeur de la République, Paris 1993; - Liselotte Frisk, Nya
religiösa rörelser i Sverige. Relation till samhället,
världen, anslutning och engagemang &91;New Religious Movements
in Sweden. Their relationship with society and world. Membership
and engagement&93;, Åbo 1993; - Handbuch religiöse Gemeinschaften,
ed. "für den VELKD-Arbeitskreis Religiöse Gemeinschaften
im Auftrag des Lutherischen Kirchenamtes" by Horst Reller,
Manfred Kießig and Helmut Tschoerner, Gütersloh 4th.
ed. 1993, pp. 861-886 (many mistakes); - Ian Harris, Stuart Mews,
Paul Morris, and John Shepherds (ed.), Contemporary Religions: A
World Guide, Harlow, Essex 1993; - Junge Union Deutschland. Landesverband
Rheinland-Pfalz (ed.), Das 1. Wormser Scientology-Tribunal 27.-28.
Nov. 1993, 1993; - Christoph Minhoff and Martina Müller, Scientology.
Irrgarten der Illusionen, München 1993; - Ulrich Müller
and Anna Maria Leimkühler, Zwischen Allmacht und Ohnmacht,
Regensburg 2nd. ed. 1993; - Hans Ingo v. Pollern, Gefährliche
Seelenverkäufer? Scientology und was dahintersteckt, Freiburg/Schw.
1993; - Paul Ranc, Une secte dangéreuse: La Scientologie,
St.-Légier, Schweiz 1993; - Silvia Redhead and Ralf-Dietmar
Mucha, Der teure Traum vom Übermenschen. Eine ehemalige Scientologin
berichtet, München 1993; - Markus Schmidt, Scientology: Entwicklung
- Praxis. Stellungnahme, Werkmappe Sekten, religiöse Sondergemeinschaften,
Weltanschauungsfragen 66, Wien 1993; - Schwerpunktheft "Scientology":
Spirita. Zeitschrift für Religionswissenschaft 7, Issue 1/93
(recommended for its approach, but not too well-researched).

PAGE 11

(1994-1995)

Matthias Branahl and Angelika Christ, Scientology. Anmerkungen
für die wirtschaftliche Praxis, Köln 1994; - Ursula Caberta,
Probleme von Scientology-Aussteigern: Nachsorge und Selbsthilfe,
in: Anstösse. Beiträge zur Landespolitik Heft 1, ed. by
the SPD-Landtagsfraktion Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart 1994,
pp. 22-24; - Michael Dönz, Im Netz von Scientology verstrickt…
und wie es mir gelang, mich zu befreien, Frankfurt a. M. 1994; -
Klaudia Hartmann, Scientology, in: H.-J. Beckers and H. Kohle (ed.),
Kulte, Sekten, Religionen. Von Astrologie bis Zeugen Jehovas, Augsburg
1994, pp. 293-300; - Hans Kind, Ausgewählte Zitate und Auszüge
aus dem Schrifttum von L. Ron Hubbard mit bibliographischen Belegen
nach Themen geordnet und kritisch kommentiert, ed. by the Verein
Informations- und Beratungsstelle für Sekten- und Kultfragen,
Zürich, Zürich 1994; - id., Auditing und andere Psychotechniken
aus wissenschaftlicher Sicht, in: Anstösse &91;as above&93; 1994,
pp. 6-9; - Wolf Lotter, Das Heilsimperium, profil 25, 49, 1994,
pp. 66-73 (Interview with David Miscavige); - Renate Hartwig, Scientology
- ich klage an!, Augsburg 1994; - id., Scientology. Die Zeitbombe
in der Wirtschaft, Pfaffenhofen 1994; - id., Scientology. Das Komplott
und die Kumpane, Regensburg 21996; - id., Abenteuer Zivilcourage.
Scientology contra Demokratie, Gerlingen 1997; - id., Im Visier
von Scientology. Haben Justiz, Sektenbeauftragte und Politik versagt?,
Landsberg 1997 (violent anti-cult approach. Much on human rights
problems of Scientology; not interested in the teachings or the
self-understanding of members of the Church of Scientology); - Christoph
Minhoff and Martina Müller, Scientology, München/Dillingen
1994; - Jon Atack, Scientology Goes East, Berliner Dialog 1, 1/1995,
pp. 5-7; - Centre des documentations / d’éducation et d’action
contre les manipilations mentales (CCMM) (ed.), Les sectes: état
d’urgence, Paris 1995; - Angelika Christ and Steven Goldner, Scientology
im Management, Düsseldorf 1995; - id., Sekten in der Wirtschaft.
Forum Spezial 10, ed. by SINUS-Sekten-Information und Selbsthilfe
e. V., Frankfurt a. M. 1996; - Peter Köpf, Stichwort Scientology,
München 1995; - K. van Gorden, Dianetics and Scientology, Grand
Rapids 1995; - Elke Nietsche, Alptraum Scientology. Ein Tagebuch
aus Leipzig, Berlin 1995; - Steffen Rink, Thetanen unter uns? Scientology,
die Bestgehaßte der "Sekten", Connection XI, 2,
1995, pp. 48-53; - Tom Voltz, Scientology und (k)ein Ende. Ein Insider
packt aus, Düsseldorf 1995 (Paperback edition Freiburg/Basel
1997 as Scientology. Ein Insider packt aus. This is one of the very
few books by an ex-scientologist that gives a complex, ambivalent,
and not too -and-whitish picture of the inner side of Scientology.
Recommended).

(1996-1999)

Alan W. , Ist Scientology eine Religion?, Los Angeles 1996; -
Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend
(ed.), Die Scientology-Organisation. Gefahren, Ziele und Praktiken,
Bonn 1996; - S. A. Kent, Scientology’s Relationship with Eastern
Religious Traditions, Journal of Contemporary Religion 11, 1, 1996,
pp. 21-37; - J. Gordon Melton, Encyclopedia of American Religions,
Detroit a. o. 5th. ed. 1996, pp. 695s. (Excellent. The EAR is the
leading reference work in the field of religious pluralism, far
surpassing everything available in the German language); - Claudia
Nolte, Gefahr Scientology. Ideologie mit totalitären Zügen,
in: MUT 348, August 1996; - Scientology - eine Gefahr für die
Demokratie. Eine Aufgabe für den Verfassungsschutz?, ed. by
Innenministerium Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf 1996 (containing
also the text of the expert evidence by Hans-Gerd Jaschke); - Peter
Voßmerbäumer, Inside Scientology. Meine Erfahrungen im
Machtapparat der "Church", München 1996 (important
insider informationen; but faulty and not dependable in some biographic
statements about Hubbard); - Elisabeth Arweck and Peter B. Clarke,
New Religious Movements in Western Europe. An Annotated Bibliography,
Bibliographies and Indexes in Religious Studies 41, Westport, CN/London
1997 (very important bibliography with good annotation); - Elisabeth
Arweck, A Comparative Study of Responses to New Religions in Britain
and Germany, Diss. King’s College, London 1997; - Alan , Is Scientology
a Religion?, in: Australian Religious Studies Review 1997; - Ursula
Caberta and Gunther Träger, Scientology greift an. Der Inside-Report
über die unheimliche Macht des L. Ron Hubbard, Düsseldorf/München
1997; - Dorte Refslund Christensen, Scientology. A New Religion,
Munksgaard 1997; - Peter B. Clarke, New Paths to Salvation: The
Rise of New Religious Movements in Western Europe (1960 to the Present),
Cambridge 1997; - Jutta Elsässer, Scientology. Ich suchte das
Licht und fand die Dunkelheit, München 1997 (paperback edition
München 1999); - Hansjörg Hemminger, Scientology. Der
Kult der Macht, Stuttgart 1997 (popular book from a Christian counter
cult approach. Some information on recent developments); - Frank
Nordhausen and Liane v. Billerbeck, Psycho-Sekten. Die Praktiken
der Seelenfänger, Berlin 1997. Rev. paperback edition Frankfurt
a. M. 1999, pp. 421-474. 486-522; - Peter Reichelt, Helnwein und
Scientology. Lüge und Verrat. Eine Organisation und ihr Geheimdienst,
Mannheim 1997; - Heike Schmoll, Scientology vor Gericht, FAZ Nr.
263, Montag, Nov. 12., 1997, p. 16; - Thomas Schweer, Scientology,
in: Handbuch der Religionen, Lieferung IX, ed. by Michael Klöcker
and Udo Tworuschka, Landsberg am Lech 1997; - Reinhart Hummel, Neue
religiöse Bewegungen und "Sekten", Theologische Literaturzeitung
123, Heft 4, April 1998, pp. 323-334; - James R. Lewis, The Encyclopedia
of Cults, Sects and New Religions, New York 1998; - Joseph Mallia,
Judge Ford: Hubbard Lied About Achievements, in: Boston Herald,
March 1st, 1998. Forthcoming: Thomas Kruchem, Staatsfeind Scientology?,
München 1999.

PAGE 12

A collection of influential magazine and newspaper articles would
be desirable. I mention the following articles: Newsweek, Sept.
23., 1974; Time, April 5., 1976; Time, Mai 6., 1991; Los Angeles
Times, Juni 24.-29., 1990 (very important and well-documented series
of articles making public some OT materials). See also Der Spiegel,
33, 1968, p. 77; 29, 1970, p. 93; 35, 1972, pp. 60-64; 1, 1973,
pp. 46-48; 10, 1993, pp. 84-92; 39, 1995, pp. 105-114. Elaborate,
well-reseached articles (some of which have won many journalistic
prizes) on recent developments in Scientology are regularly being
published by the St. Petersburg Times, Clearwater, Florida.

>From the many official documents I mention for the German situation
the following two, which are of primary importance:
- Endbericht der Enquete-Kommission des Deutschen Bundestages "Sogenannte
Sekten und Psychogruppen", Bundesdrucksache 13/10950, Bonn
1998. This is the official paper summarizing the results of an investigation
into the general situation of New Religious Movements in Germany
during the years 1997/1998.
- Abschlußbericht der Arbeitsgruppe SC der Verfassungsschutzbehörden.
Zur Frage der Beobachtung der Scientology-Organisation durch die
Verfassungsschutzbehörden, Innenministerium des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Abteilung Verfassugsschutz, Düsseldorf 1997 (this gives on
pp. 147-155 an overview about the forensic situation).
Much material is also available on Internet. But this only seldom
reaches the dignity of a real publication. I have decided not to
include websites in this bibliography.

7. Library holdings

Most German publications on Scientology are based on an almost
incredibly small collection of source material. There are not many
fields where it is deemed possible to form general statements about
an author after having read 1 or 2 % of his books. In the study
of New Religious Movements (not only Scientology) this is still
very common. Notable exceptions are the books by Haack and Thiede
which make use of a larger percentage of Hubbard’s own writings,
but still do not reach the coverage of sources that would be expected
in many other fields of research.

Hubbard’s output in the field of popular literature and the discussion
about it can only be studied in American libraries like the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology Science Fiction Society Library (Cambridge,
MA), the excellent Science Fiction Collection (the so-called J.
Lloyd Eaton Collection) of the Riverside Library of the University
of California, Riverside, CA, or the University of Kansas Kenneth
Spencer Research Libray (which is also the official repository of
the Science Fiction Research Association). Deservedly famous is
also the Bowling Green State University Popular Culture Libary in
Bowling Green, Ohio, which holds many rare magazines. The best German
library specializing in all kinds of fantastic literature and science
fiction is the Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar, Friedrich Ebert-Platz
3, 35573 Wetzlar, but this fine library does not collect the American
and English editions, only German ones. There exist also some private
collections that are open to qualified researchers.

Critical material about Scientology is to a small degree available
through German University libraries, if one is willing to depend
heavily on interlibrary loan. Some Church institutes have small
collections in the field, but these are usually restricted to material
easily available in Germany and just accumulated over some years.
The major books by Thiede, Atack and Haack are at the moment of
my writing still in print and so can be easily procured. No German
public library - that is, no library owned by the state or the great
churches - has a complete set of Hubbard’s writings. The best collection
is available at the University Library of the University of Tübingen
(about 80 titles). Church of Scientology offers to present free
sets of books have regularly been turned down by the said libraries.
On the other side the larger Churches of Scientology have libraries
of their own that are open to the public (by arrangement). I have
used the Library of the Church of Scientology Frankfurt where I
had free and uncontrolled access to all material. For more advanced
researches use should be made of the Library of the Scientology
center at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, U. K., which has the
best collection on Scientology history in Europe. Also some scientologists
have good private collections and are usually quite willing to help
when treated with some basic fairness. A very good collection of
material not owned by the Church of Scientology (on all New Religious
Movements) has been accumulated by the Institute for the Study of
American Religion (ISAR). This collection is now part of the Davidson
Library at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where it
exists as the American Religions Collection and is open to the public.
Other Institutes in America and Europe have similar, but usually
smaller collections.

Copyright © Marco Frenschkowski 1999

First published in Marburg Journal of Religion
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