The battle of the psychics in pre-revolutionary almaty
Exposing Odemar the Graphologist
Semirechesnskie Oblastnye Vedomosti (Semirechye Regional Newspaper)/from open access
As the nineteenth century gave way to the twentieth, a great wave of awakening surged through Kazakh intellectuals, sparking a passionate quest for knowledge. This outpouring of intellectual zeal led to an explosion of new magazines and newspapers being published in Kazakh, heralding the dawn of a new era in sharing culture.
However, what these intellectuals wrote went beyond only spreading knowledge. Soon, a variety of publications emerged, covering topics like business, society, politics, art, and humor. Qalam continues to explore newspapers from this period, offering glimpses into everyday life in Kazakhstan a century ago. Today, we will talk about how pseudo-prophecy flourished in Almaty.
Fortune tellers and soothsayers have always been popular in all cultures since the dawn of time. However, in the era of scientific and technological progress, many began to give their magical practices a scientific veneer. For example, in the second half of the nineteenth century, graphologists, who offered not only to determine the personal characteristics of clients by their handwriting but also to predict the future, gained popularity. Thus, in 1911, one such ‘expert’ arrived in Almaty and, without wasting time, placed the following advertisement in the local newspaper Semirechenskie Oblastnye Vedomosti:
On the way to India Renowned graphologist V.I. Odemar. From a scientific point of view, he determines the character, past, and future of each person by their handwriting and hand.
He is available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and in the evening from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Address: Verny city, Gryaznov’s Apartments, Apartment 2, Separate front entrance.
Semirechesnskie Oblastnye Vedomosti (Semirechye Regional Newspaper)/from open access
Whether Odemar’s services were alien to the local population or his growing popularity frightened his colleagues in the local market, in the next issue of the newspaper, a letter from a concerned reader signed with the eloquent pseudonym ‘Not a Chiromancer’ was published:
Whether due to the weather or digestion, which often affects the mood, Mr Odemar predicts different things even to the same person (of course, on different days).
Mr Odemar even predicts death to the same person at different times, sometimes extending life, apparently adjusting to the amount of money in the cash register, sometimes shortening our mortal existence.
The letter clearly affected Odemar, and in issue № 57 of the same newspaper, he responded with a separate letter to his detractor, mentioning the great ‘scientist’ and ‘graphologist’ Papus,1
1Gérard Anaclet Vincent Encausse was a French hypnotist and popularizer of occultism known by his esoteric pseudonym Papus who, according to the same ‘Not a Chiromancer’, was already known to the local lover of mysticism as someone who entertained the public with his ability to live in a sealed bottle for two whole weeks.
Odemar was never seen in Almaty again.
Semirechesnskie Oblastnye Vedomosti (Semirechye Regional Newspaper)/from open access
The Semirechenskie Oblastnye Vedomosti was launched in 1870 in Almaty. The publication frequently covered world and national news, local events, crime reports, and advertisements, being printed in both Russian and Kazakh.
