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Ernesto Bozzano

Biography

Ernesto Bozzano was born in Genova on January 9th 1862, fourth of five brothers, from a well-off family. As a Psychical Research scholar he played a considerable part in Parapsychology, both in Italy and in the world, from the first years of this century. Since he was a young boy, Ernesto Bozzano showed great interest in studying and the literature he read in adolescent years was humanistic and philosophical. His approach to spiritualistic philosophy was a negative one, and he therefore turned to scientific philosophy, he thoroughly studied Positivism, of which he became strenuous supporter. With such a background he could but negatively judge Paranormal Phenomenology that was becoming more and more widespread at the end of the last century. The attention given to certain articles, published on Revue Philosophique to which he had subscribed, obliged him to give the paranormal a second thought. Among these articles there was one that managed to overcome his prejudice as a positivist, and, after a long ideological crises, especially after having read two famous books: Phantasms of the Living by Gurney, Myers and Podmore, and Animisme et Spiritisme by Alexander Aksakof, his conversion to Psychical Research commenced.

Long and productive was his contribution to Psychical Research, about which he wrote articles and monographic works, translated in many languages. Both Italy and the international scene recognized the credibility and seriousness of Ernesto Bozzano's work. Among the many Italian and foreign magazines he worked for was also Luce e Ombra, founded in 1900, and the reports on the mediumistic seances he took part in are extremely interesting.

During his life, Ernesto Bozzano kept innumerable important acquaintances, especially through correspondance. He corresponded with the major researchers of the paranormal, without ever personally taking part in national and international congresses. In 1929 he met Gastone De Boni with whom he had a close relation thanks to the great affinity with one another. Ernesto Bozzano understood that his spiritual heir could have been none other than Gastone De Boni and appointed him successor of his library, with all its important and fundamental texts on Psychical Research. He died at the age of 81 the 24th June 1943 after having been absorbed in a meticulous work of research and compilation.

He never neglected experimentation, and took part in a number of mediumistic seances with Eusapia Palladino, in a cultural organization in Genova, the Circolo Minerva, very well-known at the time. The seances organized in Millesimo, near Savona in the house of marquis Centurione Scotto, were important because of the phenomenon of Direct Voices.

When Ernesto Bozzano died Gastone De Boni inherited a rich documentary collection he enlarged and updated. It is thanks to Gastone De Boni that the Library was preserved and that it was enlarged to today's size. It is always thanks to him that various monographic works by Ernesto Bozzano have been published some of which were unknown to the public.

Details

• Bibliography of Ernesto Bozzano.

  
  

• Summaries of some articles of Ernesto Bozzano recently published by the magazine Luce e Ombra.

  
  

• History of the Biblioteca Bozzano-De Boni (Bozzano-De Boni Library) and its activities.

  
  

• Biography of Gastone De Boni  and his bibliography.

  
  

• The magazine Luce e Ombra: its history, subscription formalities, indexes of the issues available from 1947, indexes of the last issues and summaries of the articles; initiatives for the centenary.

  
  

• Definition and brief history of Psychical Research (in Italian)

  
  

Italian Version

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Bologna, December 16th 1996

Last update June 28th 2008

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