Arnold Gerrit Henskes (6 August 1912 – 26 May 1948), known by the pseudonym Mirin Dajo, was a Dutch performer.[1] He became famous for radically piercing his body with all kinds of objects apparently without injury, even surprising the medical community at the time.[2][better source needed]
Mirin Dajo
Promotional photograph of Mirin Dajo showing a foil piercing his thorax from back to front
Born in Rotterdam, Hearkens claimed to have had strange dreams and "paranormal" experiences during his youth. He would go on to start a career in the Beaux Arts, heading a design firm in his twenties. When he turned 33, he claimed to realise that his body was "invulnerable." As a result he left his job and went to Amsterdam. Later he would claim to have made money by letting people pierce his body with "dagger-like objects," as well as swallowing glass and razor blades.[2]
CareerEdit
Promotional photo showing Mirin Dajo jogging with a foil through his abdomen.
Notorious for his radical "body piercings", Dajo also considered an esoteric lecture a vital part of his performance.[3][better source needed] As he saw it people should abandon the materialistic world view and accept there was a higher force, "the Source". Dajo claimed that a God was using him, through his invulnerability, to show us there was something better out there. His conviction was that materialism only resulted in misery and war.[2][better source needed]
At that time he adopted his stage name Mirin Dajo, which is based on the Esperanto noun mirindaĵo meaning "wonder." He saw the use of Esperanto – one language to be used around the world – as a way of uniting mankind. Because he needed a license to perform in public he was taken to Professor Carp, Dr. Bertholt and Dr. Stokvis of the University of Leiden. His act was allowed but not his lecture.[2][better source needed]
Although not as widely documented as his sword piercing feats, Dajo claimed that his invulnerability had been proven by numerous means. In an interview in Time magazine, he also declared his invulnerability having been tested with burning irons, boiling water, and having been shot through the head from half a yard distance on two occasions. He supported this by exhibiting two scars allegedly from the shots, one in the centre of the forehead and the other above his right eye,[4] however, his autopsy showed no traces of any injuries to the head.[3]
DeathEdit
X-ray of his abdomen on May 12, 1948, showing the needle he swallowed
In 1947, Dajo moved to Switzerland and initially was only granted a license to perform without the ability to speak to the public. In his performances Dajo used several assistants but, after many disappointments, he paired up with Jan Dirk de Groot who was his Dutch neighbour. According to De Groot, Dajo had several guardian angels, was telepathic, and could heal people.[2][better source needed]Time magazine reported on an appearance at the Coors Theatre in Zürich. The article alleged "that Dajo had 'proved' to Zurich doctors that his act was not based on faker."[4]
On May 11, 1948, Dajo alleged that he was instructed by voices to eat a steel needle. It was surgically removed on May 13, 1948. He would need to spend much time recovering in the hospital, and to demonstrate his health he walked through Zurich directly after being released. Ten days later, when De Groot picked up his wife from the airport, Dajo lay down on a bed and went into a trance-like state. On arrival De Groot's wife was not comfortable with someone lying down as if dead, and asked De Groot to check his health. On the third day De Groot's wife asked him to check again, this time his neck felt cold.[5][better source needed] The medical examiner announced he had been dead for a day. The autopsy revealed Dajo had died of an aortic rupture.[2][better source needed]
• «Das letzte geheimnis von Mirin Dajo» , Luc Bürgin, 2022, ISBN 978-3-86445-883-5
ReferencesEdit
^"Le fakir à la pointe de la physique". L'Humanité (in French). 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-09-06.
^ abcdef. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved 2007-06-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) by Philip Coppens
^ abMulacz, W. Peter (1998). "Deliberately Caused Bodily Damage Phenomena: A Different Perspective" (PDF). Journal of the Society for Psychical Research. 62 (852): 434–444. (PDF) from the original on 2013-12-16. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
^de Groot, Jan Dirk (2003). De onkwetsbare profeet : het Nederlandse fenomeen Mirin Dajo [The Invulnerable Prophet: the Dutch Phenomenon Mirin Dajo] (in Dutch). Frontier Publishing. ISBN90-806700-6-5. OCLC 66411291.
Bürgin, Luc (2015-12-22). "Unverletzbar! Mirin Dajo und seine Wunder" [Invulnerable! Mirin Dajo and His Miracles]. Basler Psi Association (in German). from the original on 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2022-01-16. Google translation
October 15, 2023
mirin, dajo, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, some, this, article, listed, sources, reliable, please, help, this, article, looking, better, more, reliabl. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages Some of this article s listed sources may not be reliable Please help this article by looking for better more reliable sources Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted October 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article s tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia See Wikipedia s guide to writing better articles for suggestions October 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Arnold Gerrit Henskes 6 August 1912 26 May 1948 known by the pseudonym Mirin Dajo was a Dutch performer 1 He became famous for radically piercing his body with all kinds of objects apparently without injury even surprising the medical community at the time 2 better source needed Mirin DajoPromotional photograph of Mirin Dajo showing a foil piercing his thorax from back to frontBornArnold Gerrit Henskes6 August 1912RotterdamDied26 May 1948 1948 05 26 aged 35 Winterthur SwitzerlandOccupationEntertainerKnown forBody piercing Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 Books 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditBorn in Rotterdam Hearkens claimed to have had strange dreams and paranormal experiences during his youth He would go on to start a career in the Beaux Arts heading a design firm in his twenties When he turned 33 he claimed to realise that his body was invulnerable As a result he left his job and went to Amsterdam Later he would claim to have made money by letting people pierce his body with dagger like objects as well as swallowing glass and razor blades 2 Career Edit nbsp Promotional photo showing Mirin Dajo jogging with a foil through his abdomen Notorious for his radical body piercings Dajo also considered an esoteric lecture a vital part of his performance 3 better source needed As he saw it people should abandon the materialistic world view and accept there was a higher force the Source Dajo claimed that a God was using him through his invulnerability to show us there was something better out there His conviction was that materialism only resulted in misery and war 2 better source needed At that time he adopted his stage name Mirin Dajo which is based on the Esperanto noun mirindaĵo meaning wonder He saw the use of Esperanto one language to be used around the world as a way of uniting mankind Because he needed a license to perform in public he was taken to Professor Carp Dr Bertholt and Dr Stokvis of the University of Leiden His act was allowed but not his lecture 2 better source needed Although not as widely documented as his sword piercing feats Dajo claimed that his invulnerability had been proven by numerous means In an interview in Time magazine he also declared his invulnerability having been tested with burning irons boiling water and having been shot through the head from half a yard distance on two occasions He supported this by exhibiting two scars allegedly from the shots one in the centre of the forehead and the other above his right eye 4 however his autopsy showed no traces of any injuries to the head 3 Death Edit nbsp X ray of his abdomen on May 12 1948 showing the needle he swallowedIn 1947 Dajo moved to Switzerland and initially was only granted a license to perform without the ability to speak to the public In his performances Dajo used several assistants but after many disappointments he paired up with Jan Dirk de Groot who was his Dutch neighbour According to De Groot Dajo had several guardian angels was telepathic and could heal people 2 better source needed Time magazine reported on an appearance at the Coors Theatre in Zurich The article alleged that Dajo had proved to Zurich doctors that his act was not based on faker 4 On May 11 1948 Dajo alleged that he was instructed by voices to eat a steel needle It was surgically removed on May 13 1948 He would need to spend much time recovering in the hospital and to demonstrate his health he walked through Zurich directly after being released Ten days later when De Groot picked up his wife from the airport Dajo lay down on a bed and went into a trance like state On arrival De Groot s wife was not comfortable with someone lying down as if dead and asked De Groot to check his health On the third day De Groot s wife asked him to check again this time his neck felt cold 5 better source needed The medical examiner announced he had been dead for a day The autopsy revealed Dajo had died of an aortic rupture 2 better source needed Books Edit Mirin Dajo Leben Glaube Tod Klarungsversuch Traugott Egloff Willy Wagner 1949 OCLC 18607977 De onkwetsbare profeet Het Nederlandse fenomeen Mirin Dajo Jan de Groot 2003 ISBN 90 806700 6 5 Das Wunder Mirin Dajo Luc Burgin 2004 ISBN 3 930219 74 3 Das letzte geheimnis von Mirin Dajo Luc Burgin 2022 ISBN 978 3 86445 883 5References Edit Le fakir a la pointe de la physique L Humanite in French 2022 08 10 Retrieved 2022 09 06 a b c d e f Mirin Dajo Wonderman Archived from the original on December 14 2013 Retrieved 2007 06 27 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link by Philip Coppens a b Mulacz W Peter 1998 Deliberately Caused Bodily Damage Phenomena A Different Perspective PDF Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 62 852 434 444 Archived PDF from the original on 2013 12 16 Retrieved 2022 01 15 a b SWITZERLAND Miracle Man Time 1947 06 23 ISSN 0040 781X Retrieved 2022 01 15 de Groot Jan Dirk 2003 De onkwetsbare profeet het Nederlandse fenomeen Mirin Dajo The Invulnerable Prophet the Dutch Phenomenon Mirin Dajo in Dutch Frontier Publishing ISBN 90 806700 6 5 OCLC 66411291 External links EditMan Who Defies Death 1947 newsreel on YouTubeBurgin Luc 2015 12 22 Unverletzbar Mirin Dajo und seine Wunder Invulnerable Mirin Dajo and His Miracles Basler Psi Association in German Archived from the original on 2021 06 10 Retrieved 2022 01 16 Google translation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mirin Dajo amp oldid 1169402426, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
