Alexander Adrion

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Alexander Adrion , real name Gerhard Engelsleben, (born November 17, 1923 in Berlin ; † February 27, 2013 in Hoffnungsthal (Rösrath) ) was a German magician and author .

Life

Adrion gained his first magical impressions in the fair booths of the Stralauer Fischzuges and the Lunapark , in the winter garden and in the plaza . At the age of fourteen he met Conradi-Horster , from whom he received his first instructions. After finishing school he was called up for the Reich Labor Service (1941) and military service (1942). He always had some magic experiments in his pack. In February 1944 he had his first public appearance in Willi Schaeffer's Berliner Kabarett der Komiker during his convalescence leave after the second wound .

After the end of the war and his release from American captivity, he began studying at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen. He “enchanted” his first money in cider bars and at festivities in front of students and professors . Here he met Werner Finck , who advised him to develop his own style away from the traditional entertainment venues. On November 7, 1949, Alexander Adrion had his first public guest performance with a full-length program in Herten . Until 1954 he was accompanied by the musicians Dieter Nagel, Wolfram Gehring , Reinhold Ummenhofer and Karlheinz Stockhausen . With his program Only appearances are not deceptive , he gave magic evenings at home and abroad and developed a “Juggler College” for selected groups. Adrion saw himself in the tradition of Fredo Marvelli and understood magic as a separate, serious art form. He largely renounced technical devices and relied on the art of his hands and the witty improvisation of the word. The press called him the "philosophizing magician".

Since 1955 Adrion used his free time in addition to the guest performances to collect documents on the history of magic, oriental magic and the psychology of deception. Adrion also had a lifelong fascination with pickpockets. This resulted in an archive from which he drew inspiration for his books and publications. He was the author and technical adviser for the film Robert-Houdin, the Magician . In 1985 Adrion said goodbye to the stage and since then has devoted himself to his historical interests in the history of magic and his publications. Many of his publications have been translated into foreign languages. He died on February 27, 2013 near Cologne.

Publications (selection)

  • Sorcery sorcery . The experience of magic in words and pictures. With an interview conducted by Heinrich Böll . Walter-Verlag, Olten and Freiburg, 1968.
  • as editor: The Memoirs of Robert-Houdin. King of wizards . Carl Rauch Verlag, Düsseldorf 1969.
  • as editor: Taschenspieler-Kunst. Insel Library No. 947. Insel Verlag , Frankfurt / M. 1970.
  • The art of magic . DuMont Buchverlag , Cologne 1978, ISBN 3-7701-1064-1 .
  • Adrion's magic cabinet. For demonstration and amazement for everyone . DuMont Buchverlag, (studio dumont), Cologne 1980. ISBN 3-7701-1236-9 .
  • Pickpockets. Watched the secret guild on the fingers . Verlag CH Beck , Munich 1992, ISBN 3-406-36694-5 .
    • Revised new edition: Fischer Taschenbuchverlag, Frankfurt am Main 1996, ISBN 3-596-13460-9 .
  • Magic or playing with appearances. Autobiographical texts . Kösel-Verlag , Munich 1994, ISBN 3-466-30367-2 .

literature

  • Jürgen Becker: Kammerspiele des Schein. In: German newspaper. Vol. 15, No. 49, 1960.
  • Vilma Sturm: The Game of Transformation. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. April 8, 1961.
  • Udo Pini : Adrion. With photos by André Reiser. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Magazin. Issue 24, August 15, 1980.
  • Alexander Adrion. Thoughts on his art of enchantment. Booklet accompanying the exhibition in the Cologne City Library, Cologne 1983.
  • Karlheinz Stockhausen: Texts on electronic and instrumental music. DuMont Documents, Vol. 1. DuMont Buchverlag, Cologne 1988, ISBN 3-7701-0269-X , p. 15.
  • Michael Kurtz: Stockhausen. A biography. Bärenreiter Verlag, Kassel 1988, ISBN 3-7618-0895-X , pp. 13, 42, 69/70.
  • Magic. Journal of the magical circle of Germany. Issue 11/1993. Contributions by various authors on the occasion of Alexander Adrion's 70th birthday.
  • Richard Hatch: Alexander Adrion - The Conjuring Philosopher. In: MAGIC. The Magazine for Magicians. Las Vegas, Nev., USA. June 2003, pp. 66-69.
  • Peter Rawert: Only appearances are not deceptive. To the magician Alexander Adrion for the eightieth. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. November 17, 2003.
  • Peter Rawert: Chamber Actor of Appearance. On the death of the magician Alexander Adrion. In: "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" March 21, 2013
  • Stefan Alexander Rautenberg: "Kalo Taxidi". To the onward journey of Alexander Adrion . In: magic. Journal of the Magical Circle of Germany. Issue 6, June 2013, p. 276.
  • Witt, Wittus : The art of magic , in: Magische Welt , 62nd volume, issue 2, 2013, page 66

Exhibitions

  • Abracadabra - old pictures and books about magicians and juggling art, Adrion Collection, Municipal Art Collection Bonn, November 24th to January 10th, 1971
  • Magic and juggling art - an exhibition of old pictures, books and devices from the Alexander Adrion collection, Forum Bergisch Gladbach, October 22 to November 21, 1971
  • Alexander Adrion. His life and his art of enchantment. Exhibition on the occasion of the 60th birthday of Alexander Adrion in the Central Library in Cologne , November 2 to December 3, 1983
  • Sorcery sorcery. Posters from the Alexander Adrion Collection. Kreissparkasse Köln in cooperation with the Cologne City Museum . August 31, 1992 to the end of September 1992

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Adrion, Alexander
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Adrion, Aleksander; Adorion, Arekusandā; Engelsleben, Gerhard (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German magician
DATE OF BIRTH November 17, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH February 27, 2013
Place of death Hope Valley (Rösrath)