History Extra podcast Spiritual showmen: the 1920s occult
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May 25, 2025 Raphael Cormack, an assistant professor at Durham University and author of 'Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age', delves into the captivating world of 1920s spiritualism. He discusses Tahra Bey, a performer known for his astonishing abilities like painless self-stabbing and Dr. Dahesh, who inspired a spiritual movement in Lebanon. The conversation reveals how these figures mirrored the post-World War I anxieties and explored the allure of the mystical, linking historical phenomena to contemporary societal issues regarding belief and celebrity.
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Tahra Bey's Occult Persona
- Tahra Bey crafted a persona as an Egyptian fakir combining stage performance and occult philosophy.
- His acts included controlling his pulse, pain-free self-stabbing, and being buried alive.
Occult Reflects Postwar Anxieties
- Spiritualism post-WWI reflected society's grief and search for meaning amid massive loss.
- Beyond death, the occult answers societal collapse and existential crises of modernity.
Mysterious Events Around Tahra Bey
- Around Tahra Bey, mysterious phenomena occurred like emptied sesame seed bags.
- People described him looking like a Bible prophet and playing into spiritual fantasies.
