... and you live within 300 miles of Philly, kick yourself now as you are really missing out.


It is rare to find a bookstore that is as diverse as Germ Books in the "all manners of what is considered extreme by mainstream society". Even more rare is one that has in-store readings, have monthly group meetings, that show movies, have bands play, an art gallery, a spectacular 1st Friday event. The art gallery is always interesting as nothing ever presented there is "art for mere art" sake.


Amongst the types of books they carry are art, the occult, conspiracy, magic, history, sci-fi, horror, conspiracy, etc as well as carrying videos, music, magaizes, and art. Amongst new books, they always carry a healthy stock of good used books for excellent prices, and some rare ones often pop up.


PLEASE GO THERE IN THE NEXT MONTH and check out this amazing resource that we are proud to have.


I would like to thank David E. Williams for doing such an excellent job and making the bookstore much, much more than just that.


GERM BOOKS

-S. W.
Dean Troxell / Philaoccult

A VERY ROUGH draft of Philly Occult / Conspiracy/ Bizarre Events Historical Time Line

**Contributions thus far include Bood Samel, Dean Troxell, David E. Williams, and Brian Sherman***

+ FEEL FREE TO CONTRIBUTE ANY KNOWLEDGE YOU MAY HAVE +
We are hoping to see what insights will emerge after cross referencing all this!

There are some known gaps in this list. We need solid info on:

-SPECIFIC DATES of the events already listed if applicable

-The SWEDENBORGIAN presence in Philadelphia. GRETCHEN WORDEN, late director of MUTTER MUSEUM, was a member of this church.

-VIPER KHAN

-Anything on NEO_PAGENS/ WICCANS

-Specifics about NINJITSU related factoids (We know there are NINJAS in philly- http://www.phillybujin.com/ amongst others)

-OTO lodges prior to thelesis

-Chapters of other large groups, localized OCCULT GROUPS

-Local VOODOU/ HOODOU

-Fringe elements within the QUAKERS

PHILADELPHIA OCCULT/ CONSPIRACY/ BIZARRE EVENTS HISTORICAL TIMELINE

1708
-The death of JOHANNES KELPIUS and the throwing of the philosphers stone into where the Wissahickon merges with the Schuylkill River.


1750
-BENJAMIN FRANKLIN assumes the role of Prometheus by flying his kite.


1796
-The UNITARIAN CHURCH was established.


1827
-The birth of JOHN ERNST WORRELL KEELY.

1857
-(August 1st) The birth of IDA CRADDOCK.


1873
-The PHILADELPHIA MASONIC TEMPLE was built.


1875
-MADAME BLAVASTKY moves to Philadelphia.


1887
-"In her thirties, CRADDOCK left her Quaker upbringing behind. She developed an academic interest in the occult through her association with the Theosophical Society beginning around 1887. She tried in her writings to synthesize translated mystic literature and traditions from many cultures into a scholarly, distilled whole. As a freethinker, she was elected Secretary of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Secular Union in 1889. Although a member of the Unitarian faith, Craddock became a student of religious eroticism and declared herself a Priestess and Pastor of the Church of Yoga. Never married, Craddock eventually claimed to have a blissful ongoing marital relationship with an angel named Soph. Her mother responded by threatening to burn Craddock's papers and unsuccessfully tried to have her institutionalized."


1898
-The death of JOHN ERNST WORREL KEELY.


1909
-The formation of the UNITED LODGE OF THEOSOPHISTS.


1915
-F. S. CHERRY founded a BLACK JEWISH movement called the CHURCH OF GOD in Philadelphia (BLACK ISRAELITES).


1917
-HARRY'S OCCULT SHOP opens up on south street.


Late 1920s
-At some point in the late 1920's H.P. LOVECRAFT visited Philadelphia.


1942
-FATHER DIVINE moves to Philadelphia.


1943
-THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIEMNT


1952
-L. RON HUBBARD gives the Philadelphia Doctorate Course lectures, complete with references to Crowley and magick which later are censored.


1963
-LEE HARVEY OSWALD was in Philadelphia for unknown reasons, with reputed occultist RUTH AVERY HYDE PAINE (and known lover of CIA director Allen Dulles) a week prior to the assassination of JFK.


1965
-The death of FATHER DIVINE.


1968
-SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA moves to Philly


1975
-THE FIRST ODUNDE FESTIVAL
The Ounde Festival is an occasion highlighted by a colorful procession from 23rd and South Streets to the Schuylkill River where an offering of fruit and flowers is made to Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of the river


1977
-IRA EINHORN's murder of HOLLY MADDUX around September the 9th. She was found 18 months later, in the spring of 1979. Later Einhorn claimed to have been framed for his investigations into MK ULTRA. Einhorn was known to associate with occultists with military intelligence ties, and was said to be involved with a group using magick to communicate with alien intelligences.


1978
-The forming of the first HAITIAN CHURCH OF GOD in West Philly.


1980
-The building of the SPIRITCOM EVP device.

-Roughly the beginning of the TOYNBEE TILE mystery.

-Occult and Buddhist tinged hardcore punk group RUIN starts.


1981
-The shooting of DANIEL FAULKNER.


1985
-The MOVE bombing

-This date is a rough guess, but SEVEN MOUNTAINS SPIRIT FIST martial arts was brought to Philadelphia, which is an occult martial art-

"Master PHOUC PHAN has studied Than Vo Dao, "The Seven Mountains way of Spiritual Martial Art", since he was age 11. At age 18 he graduated from the Nguyen Lanh Martial Art School in Saigon as a certified Than Vo Dao instructor. He has been teaching in downtown Philadelphia for more than 25 years. His studio is the only known Than Vo Dao training center in North America."

Note there is a bit of over lap between SEVEN MOUNTAINS SPIRIT FIST, THE PHILLY OTO, and even the PHILLY PUNK scene.


1986-1987
-The bizarre case of GARY HEIDNIK who claimed to be an MK ULTRA victim.
"Devil Worship" at its most basic: When a judge asked Gary Heidnik why he was so quiet during trial, Heidnik replied: "Because the devil put a cookie in my throat..."


1995
-The forming of THELESIS OTO.


1996
-The forming of JEDI MIND TRICKS and also THE LOST CHILDREN OF BABYLON.


1996
-GOETIC workings known to have taken place in the abandoned oil refinery in West Philly by a friend of JUSTIN DUERR.


1998
-The RESURRECT DEAD album recorded by EULOGY in the abandoned oil refinery.


2001
-The formation of Gnostic Ghost punk band NORTHERN LIBERTIES.


2003
-The beginning of LHP Chaos Magick Sigil/ Cut-Up/ Martial Noise outfit Oneiric Imperium.


2007
-GERM BOOKS Co-Founder and LHP'er JENNIFER BATES leaves this reality

-BROOM CLOSET Founder Ellen Weitz (aka Wings) passes on

-Occult band VIRGIN VOGUE is formed w/ Qlippothic LHP/ Chaos Magick/ Houdoo practioners

-PHILAOCCULT MYSPACE page is created

PHILAOCCULT MYSPACE PAGE FAQ

1. Q: "What is the criteria to be listed on the Philly Occult page and to become a friend?"
At the very least bands, and artists either have to have people that are involved in the occult, and/ or have lyrics that are occult related topics.

"Friends" should at the very least should have interest in the occult, and preferably involved in the occult.

2. Q: "What exact information will you divulge?"

A: We are not so much interested in talking about specific techniques in this forum. There is a reason for "silence" and secrecy. Sometimes these reasons are not very justifiable or of a superficial reason. Like trying to be elite or retain power over another through witholding. However, there are very good reasons to maintain secrecy. One reason is that people or organziations might not want their nieghbors or employers to know about their involvement in the occult and the possible reprecussions. Another reason is that sometimes knowlege and ideas can be dismissed and the power of negative/ deadened thoughts can affect a magickal working.

3. Q: "Can you put me in touch with so-and so/ such and such?"

A: It depends. The listings of the occult groups and the calender are based on public information. We might know more specifics about certain groups and private meetings/ rituals, events, but we understand and respect ones right to privacy. We can pass along someones name and/ or contact information or in some cases give you more specific information upon inquiries. We will never give out information that is meant to be discreet or requested to be. An example of this would be the information on OTO events. One would need to email the contact number to get location information about an event.

4. Q: "Who maintains this myspace page?"

A: "Sickness and the Rose" set this page up but is not attached to the point of having to retain sole control over it by any means. The important part is that it began and that it continues and is of help to those involved in, or interested in, Philadelphia Occulture. The folowing people have contributed to contents of this page: Dean Troxell, Bood Samel, David E. Williams, and Brian Sherman.

5. Q: "I have information about an upcoming event, an interesting fact or place, an occult group, a musical artist, a graphic artist, etc. that fit the criteria of Philly Occult listings. Would you like to have the information?"

A: Yes, indeed we would- as long as the information is meant to be public knowledge. We hope that people will contribute as much as their knowledge allows.