Gerard Croiset
Encyclopedia
Gerard Croiset a.k.a. Gerard Boekbinder (March 10, 1909July 20, 1980) was a Dutch
parapsychologist
, psychometrist and psychic
.
, North Holland
, in 1909. He said he began to become aware of his gifts while a youth working for a watch repairer. On one occasion he held a ruler belonging to his employer and saw events which he related to his employer and which his employer confirmed were accurate.
, Croiset was sometimes consulted by Dutch police authorities in cases involving missing person
s, or murder
. On one occasion he was said to have examined the property of a murdered woman, and provided accurate information relating to her murder, and also gave the name of her murderer. The name matched a man who was being held in connection with the crime
. He gained a reputation as a reliable consultant in the area of missing persons, and his fame extended beyond the Netherlands, as anecdotes about his abilities came to be discussed in other countries. He also gained a reputation as a psychic healer, and would allow people to visit him in his clinic for healing sessions.
to aid in an investigation relating to the disappearance of the three Beaumont children
, who had disappeared without trace from a beach in Adelaide
, South Australia
. Although police were skeptical, his expenses were paid by a wealthy businessman interested in the case, and public pressure was such that Croiset's views were thought to be worthy of consideration. During his short stay in Australia he attracted widespread publicity but failed to find any trace of the missing children.
In the mid 1970s, he was invited to Puerto Rico
to find the two missing children of a local businessman. He concluded that the children were no longer on an "earthly plane" and could offer no clues. Also, he was called upon to locate a missing woman in Scotland
, and once again failed to provide any clues.
Croiset's reputation became tarnished in his later years by his well publicised failures. However, he claimed to have achieved one more notable success when he was invited to Tokyo
, Japan
in the 1970s to locate a missing child. As he claimed, he had provided a description of the location in which her body could be found within 24 hours. When her body was found after following his instructions, all details seemed to match exactly with his prediction. There are no known independent sources for this claim.
In one unspecified Dutch case, Croiset is said to have studied the personal possessions of a murdered woman, and provided the police with accurate information regarding her murder, including the name of her murderer, a man already being held in connection with the crime.
On one occasion Croiset’s help was enlisted in the search for a missing four-year-old girl from Brooklyn, New York. Croiset was sent a photo of the girl, an item of her clothing, and a map of New York City. Using psychometry he concluded that she was dead, identified the location of her body and the name of the man who murdered her. Croiset’s information apparently led to the recovery of the girl’s body and to the conviction of the murderer for the crime.
In another apparently successful case in May 1976, Croiset was flown from Holland to Japan by a Japanese television station to see if he could help locate a missing seven-year-old girl. After being shown a picture of the missing girl, Miwa Kikuchi, Croiset stated that she was dead “on the surface of a lake near her home and near a quay for boats near a yellow protruding structure”.
The girl’s body was later recovered floating in the reservoir near a quay for rowing boats and a water supply tower, which was painted yellow. Although the press were astounded at Croiset’s paranormal abilities, some police officers stated that they would have found the girl’s body without the help of Croiset’s clairvoyance.
He died in Utrecht
in 1980, aged 71.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
parapsychologist
Parapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
, psychometrist and psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
.
Biography
Croiset was born in LarenLaren
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called 't Gooi, it is the oldest town in that area. It is one of the richest towns in the Netherlands, along with its neighbour Blaricum...
, North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
, in 1909. He said he began to become aware of his gifts while a youth working for a watch repairer. On one occasion he held a ruler belonging to his employer and saw events which he related to his employer and which his employer confirmed were accurate.
Early work
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Croiset was sometimes consulted by Dutch police authorities in cases involving missing person
Missing person
A missing person is a person who has disappeared for usually unknown reasons.Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made....
s, or murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. On one occasion he was said to have examined the property of a murdered woman, and provided accurate information relating to her murder, and also gave the name of her murderer. The name matched a man who was being held in connection with the crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
. He gained a reputation as a reliable consultant in the area of missing persons, and his fame extended beyond the Netherlands, as anecdotes about his abilities came to be discussed in other countries. He also gained a reputation as a psychic healer, and would allow people to visit him in his clinic for healing sessions.
Missing children cases
In 1966, he was invited to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to aid in an investigation relating to the disappearance of the three Beaumont children
Beaumont children disappearance
Jane Nartare Beaumont , Arnna Kathleen Beaumont , and Grant Ellis Beaumont were three siblings collectively known as The Beaumont Children who disappeared from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, South Australia on Australia Day 1966.Their case resulted in one of the largest police investigations in...
, who had disappeared without trace from a beach in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Although police were skeptical, his expenses were paid by a wealthy businessman interested in the case, and public pressure was such that Croiset's views were thought to be worthy of consideration. During his short stay in Australia he attracted widespread publicity but failed to find any trace of the missing children.
In the mid 1970s, he was invited to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to find the two missing children of a local businessman. He concluded that the children were no longer on an "earthly plane" and could offer no clues. Also, he was called upon to locate a missing woman in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and once again failed to provide any clues.
Croiset's reputation became tarnished in his later years by his well publicised failures. However, he claimed to have achieved one more notable success when he was invited to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the 1970s to locate a missing child. As he claimed, he had provided a description of the location in which her body could be found within 24 hours. When her body was found after following his instructions, all details seemed to match exactly with his prediction. There are no known independent sources for this claim.
In one unspecified Dutch case, Croiset is said to have studied the personal possessions of a murdered woman, and provided the police with accurate information regarding her murder, including the name of her murderer, a man already being held in connection with the crime.
On one occasion Croiset’s help was enlisted in the search for a missing four-year-old girl from Brooklyn, New York. Croiset was sent a photo of the girl, an item of her clothing, and a map of New York City. Using psychometry he concluded that she was dead, identified the location of her body and the name of the man who murdered her. Croiset’s information apparently led to the recovery of the girl’s body and to the conviction of the murderer for the crime.
In another apparently successful case in May 1976, Croiset was flown from Holland to Japan by a Japanese television station to see if he could help locate a missing seven-year-old girl. After being shown a picture of the missing girl, Miwa Kikuchi, Croiset stated that she was dead “on the surface of a lake near her home and near a quay for boats near a yellow protruding structure”.
The girl’s body was later recovered floating in the reservoir near a quay for rowing boats and a water supply tower, which was painted yellow. Although the press were astounded at Croiset’s paranormal abilities, some police officers stated that they would have found the girl’s body without the help of Croiset’s clairvoyance.
He died in Utrecht
Utrecht
Utrecht is a city in the Netherlands.The name may also refer to:* Utrecht , of which Utrecht is the capital* Utrecht , including the city of Utrecht* Bishopric of Utrecht* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht...
in 1980, aged 71.
External links
- BOEKBINDER, Gerard (1909-1980) Dutch language entry in scholarly biographical dictionary