Editing Aleister Crowley (section)

==Later life==

===Tunisia, Paris, and London: 1923–1929===
Crowley and Hirsig went to [[Tunis]], where, dogged by continuing poor health, he unsuccessfully tried again to give up heroin,{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=399–401|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=310|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=397|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=270}} and began writing what he termed his "[[hagiography|autohagiography]]", ''[[The Confessions of Aleister Crowley]]''.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=403|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=310–11|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=398}} They were joined in Tunis by the Thelemite Norman Mudd, who became Crowley's public relations consultant.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=403–06|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=313–16|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=399–403|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=270–73}} Employing a local boy, Mohammad ben Brahim, as his servant, Crowley went with him on a retreat to [[Nefta, Tunisia|Nefta]], where they performed sex magic together.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=405–06|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=315–16|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=403–05|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=273–74}} In January 1924, Crowley travelled to [[Nice]], France, where he met with [[Frank Harris]], underwent a series of nasal operations,{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=407–09|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=316–18|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=405|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=274}} and visited the [[Fourth Way|Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man]] and had a positive opinion of its founder, [[George Gurdjieff]].{{sfnm|1a1=Sutin|1y=2000|1p=317|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=406–07|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=281–82}} Destitute, he took on a wealthy student, Alexander Zu Zolar,{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=410–12|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=319|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=287}} before taking on another American follower, Dorothy Olsen. Crowley took Olsen back to Tunisia for a magical retreat in Nefta, where he also wrote ''To Man'' (1924), a declaration of his own status as a prophet entrusted with bringing Thelema to humanity.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=412–17|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=319–20|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=413–15|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=287–88}} After spending the winter in Paris, in early 1925 Crowley and Olsen returned to Tunis, where he wrote ''[[The Heart of the Master]]'' (1938) as an account of a vision he experienced in a trance.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=418|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=323|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=417|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=323}} In March Olsen became pregnant, and Hirsig was called to take care of her; she miscarried, following which Crowley took Olsen back to France. Hirsig later distanced herself from Crowley, who then denounced her.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=419–20|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=322|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=417–18|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=289}}

According to Crowley, Reuss named him head of O.T.O. upon his death, but this was challenged by a leader of the German O.T.O., {{Interlanguage link|Heinrich Tränker|de}}. Tränker called the Hohenleuben Conference in [[Thuringia]], Germany, which Crowley attended. There, prominent members like [[Karl Germer]] and Martha Küntzel championed Crowley's leadership, but other key figures like [[Albin Grau]], Oskar Hopfer, and Henri Birven backed Tränker by opposing it, resulting in a split in O.T.O.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=423–44|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=324–28|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=418–19|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=291–92, 332}} Moving to Paris, where he broke with Olsen in 1926, Crowley went through a large number of lovers over the following years, with whom he experimented in sex magic.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=425–26|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=332–34|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=426–27, 430–33}} Throughout, he was dogged by poor health, largely caused by his heroin and cocaine addictions.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=429–30}} In 1928, Crowley was introduced to [[Israel Regardie]], a young Englishman, who embraced Thelema and became Crowley's secretary for the next three years.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=426|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=336–37|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=432–33|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=309}} That year, Crowley also met [[Gerald Yorke]], who began organising Crowley's finances but never became a Thelemite.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=427–28|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=335|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=427–29|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=299}} He also befriended the journalist [[Tom Driberg]]; Driberg did not accept Thelema either.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=428–29|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=331–32|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=423|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=296–98|5a1=Pasi|5y=2014|5pp=72–76}} It was here that Crowley also published one of his most significant works, ''[[Magick (Book 4)|Magick in Theory and Practice]]'', which received little attention at the time.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=431|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=339|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=426, 428–29|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=308–09}}

In December 1928 Crowley met the Nicaraguan Maria Teresa Sanchez (Maria Teresa Ferrari de Miramar).{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=430–31|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=340–41|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=433–34|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=310}} Crowley was deported from France by the authorities, who disliked his reputation and feared that he was a German agent.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=432–33|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=341|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=438|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=306, 312–14}} So that she could join him in Britain, Crowley married Sanchez in August 1929.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=434–35|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=342, 345|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=440|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=318}} Now based in London, Mandrake Press agreed to publish his autobiography in a limited edition six-volume set, also publishing his novel [[Moonchild (novel)|''Moonchild'']] and book of short stories [[The Stratagem and other Stories|''The Stratagem'']]. Mandrake went into liquidation in November 1930, before the entirety of Crowley's ''Confessions'' could be published.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=436–37|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=344|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=440–43|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=317}} Mandrake's owner [[P. R. Stephensen]] meanwhile wrote ''The Legend of Aleister Crowley'', an analysis of the media coverage surrounding him.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=438–39|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=345|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=442, 447|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=321}}

===Berlin and London: 1930–1938===
In April 1930, Crowley moved to [[Berlin]], where he took Hanni Jaegar as his magical partner; the relationship was troubled.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=439|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=351–54|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=448|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=333, 335}} In September he went to [[Lisbon]] in Portugal to meet the poet [[Fernando Pessoa]]. There, he decided to fake his own death, doing so with Pessoa's help at the [[Boca do Inferno]] rock formation.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=440|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=354–55|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=449–52|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=336–37|5a1=Pasi|5y=2014|5pp=95–116}} He then returned to Berlin, where he reappeared three weeks later at the opening of his art exhibition at the Gallery Neumann-Nierendorf. Crowley's paintings fitted with the fashion for [[German Expressionism]]; few of them sold, but the press reports were largely favourable.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=441–42|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=360–61|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=455–57|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=337, 346–49}} In August 1931, he took Bertha Busch as his new lover; they had a violent relationship, and often physically assaulted one another.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=445|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=360|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=450|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=345}} He continued to have affairs with both men and women while in the city,{{sfnm|1a1=Sutin|1y=2000|1pp=355–57}} and met with famous people like [[Aldous Huxley]] and [[Alfred Adler]].{{sfnm|1a1=Sutin|1y=2000|1pp=355|2a1=Kaczynski|2y=2010|2pp=448–49|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=335–36, 338–39}} After befriending him, in January 1932 he took the communist [[Gerald Hamilton]] as a lodger, through whom he was introduced to many figures within the Berlin far left; it is possible that he was operating as a spy for British intelligence at this time, monitoring the communist movement.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=445–46|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=361|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=457|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=349|5a1=Pasi|5y=2014|5pp=83–88}}

{{Quote box|width=25em|align=left|quote=I have been over forty years engaged in the administration of the law in one capacity or another. I thought that I knew of every conceivable form of wickedness. I thought that everything which was vicious and bad had been produced at one time or another before me. I have learnt in this case that we can always learn something more if we live long enough. I have never heard such dreadful, horrible, blasphemous and abominable stuff as that which has been produced by the man (Crowley) who describes himself to you as the greatest living poet.|source=Justice Swift, in Crowley's libel case.{{sfnm|1a1=The United Press|1y=1934|1p=39|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=372}}}}

Crowley left Busch and returned to London,{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=446|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=355–56}} where he took Pearl Brooksmith as his new Scarlet Woman.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=453|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=366–67|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=470–71|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=360–61}} Undergoing further [[nasal surgery]], it was here in 1932 that he was invited to be guest of honour at [[Foyles]]' Literary Luncheon, also being invited by [[Harry Price]] to speak at the [[National Laboratory of Psychical Research]].{{sfnm|1a1=Sutin|1y=2000|1pp=363–64|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=463–65|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=357}} In need of money, he launched a series of court cases against people whom he believed to have libelled him, some of which proved successful. He gained much publicity for his lawsuit against [[Constable & Robinson|Constable and Co]] for publishing [[Nina Hamnett]]'s ''Laughing Torso'' (1932)—a book he alleged libelled him by referring to his occult practice as black magic{{sfn|Hamnett|2007|pp=173–174}}—but lost the case.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=447–53|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=367–73|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=466, 468, 472–81|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=358–59, 361–62}} The court case added to Crowley's financial problems, and in February 1935 he was declared bankrupt. During the hearing, it was revealed that Crowley was spending three times his income for several years.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=454–56|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=374|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=483–84|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=363}}

Crowley developed a friendship with [[Phyllis Marion Gotch#Family|Deidre Patricia Doherty]]; she offered to bear his child, who was born in May 1937. Named [[Randall Gair Doherty|Randall Gair]], Crowley nicknamed him Aleister Atatürk. He died in a car accident in 2002 at the age of 65.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=458–60|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=373–74|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=481, 489, 496|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=362, 370}} Crowley continued to socialize with friends, holding curry parties in which he cooked particularly spicy food for them.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=461|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=489–90}} In 1936, he published his first book in six years, ''The Equinox of the Gods'', which contained a facsimile of ''The Book of the Law'' and was considered to be volume III, number 3, of ''The Equinox'' periodical. The work sold well, resulting in a second print run.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=467|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=380–81|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=490–91, 493, 497–99}} In 1937, he gave a series of public lectures on yoga in [[Soho]].{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=467|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=495–96|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=369}} Crowley was now living largely off contributions supplied by O.T.O.'s [[Agape Lodge]] in California, led by rocket scientist [[Jack Parsons]].{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=466|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2p=375}} Crowley was intrigued by the rise of [[Nazism]] in Germany, and influenced by his friend Martha Küntzel believed that [[Adolf Hitler]] might convert to Thelema; when the Nazis abolished the German O.T.O. and imprisoned Germer, who fled to the US, Crowley then lambasted Hitler as a [[black magic]]ian.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=468–69|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=375–80|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=384–85|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=365–66}}

===Second World War and death: 1939–1947===
[[File:Grady Louis McMurtry 1941.JPG|thumb|right|upright|alt= 1941 photograph of Grady Louis McMurtry|Crowley specified that Grady McMurtry succeed his chosen successor as Head of O.T.O., Karl Germer.]]
When the [[Second World War]] broke out, Crowley wrote to the [[Naval Intelligence Division (United Kingdom)|Naval Intelligence Division]] offering his services, but they declined. He associated with a variety of figures in Britain's intelligence community at the time, including [[Dennis Wheatley]], [[Roald Dahl]], [[Ian Fleming]], and [[Maxwell Knight]],{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=471–72|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=506–07|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=376–78}} and wrote that he originated the "[[V sign|V for Victory]]" sign first used by the [[BBC]]; this has never been proven.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=511–12|2a1=Churton|2y=2011|2pp=380–83, 392–96}}
In 1940, his asthma worsened, and with his German-produced medication unavailable, he returned to using heroin, once again becoming addicted.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=476|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=508}} As [[the Blitz]] hit London, Crowley relocated to [[Torquay]], where he was briefly admitted to hospital with asthma, and entertained himself with visits to the local chess club.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=509–10|2a1=Churton|2y=2011|2p=380}} Tiring of Torquay, he returned to London, where he was visited by American Thelemite [[Grady Louis McMurtry|Grady McMurtry]], to whom Crowley awarded the title of "Hymenaeus Alpha".{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1p=527|2a1=Churton|2y=2011|2p=403}} He stipulated that though Germer would be his immediate successor, McMurty should succeed Germer as head of O.T.O. after the latter's death.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=478–79|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=512, 531–32, 547|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=408–09}} With O.T.O. initiate [[Lady Frieda Harris]], Crowley developed plans to produce a [[Tarot|tarot card]] set, designed by him and painted by Harris. Accompanying this was a book, published in a limited edition as ''[[The Book of Thoth (Crowley)|The Book of Thoth]]'' by [[Chiswick Press]] in 1944.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=473–74|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=501, 503–04, 510, 522, 530–21|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=370, 406}} To aid the war effort, he wrote a proclamation on the rights of humanity, "[[Liber OZ]]", and a poem for the liberation of France, ''Le Gauloise''.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=517–18, 522|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=397}} Crowley's final publication during his lifetime was a book of poetry, ''Olla: An Anthology of Sixty Years of Song''.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=474–75|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=519–20, 542|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=410}} Another of his projects, ''Aleister Explains Everything'', was posthumously published as ''[[Magick Without Tears]]''.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=474|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=528|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=404}}

In April 1944 Crowley briefly moved to [[Aston Clinton]] in Buckinghamshire,{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=475|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=530|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=403–04}} where he was visited by the poet [[Nancy Cunard]],{{sfnm|1a1=Churton|1y=2011|1pp=407–08}} before relocating to [[Hastings]] in Sussex, where he took up residence at the Netherwood boarding house.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=475|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=532–33}} He took a young man named [[Kenneth Grant (occultist)|Kenneth Grant]] as his secretary, paying him in magical teaching rather than wages.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=533–35|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=409, 411}} He was also introduced to [[John Symonds]], whom he appointed to be his literary executor; Symonds thought little of Crowley, later publishing unfavorable biographies of him.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=481|2a1=Kaczynski|2y=2010|2pp=540–41|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=413–14}} Corresponding with the illusionist [[Arnold Crowther]], it was through him that Crowley was introduced to [[Gerald Gardner]], the future founder of [[Gardnerian Wicca]]. They became friends, with Crowley authorising Gardner to revive Britain's ailing O.T.O.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=542–44}} Another visitor was [[Eliza Marian Butler]], who interviewed Crowley for her book ''The Myth of the Magus''.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=536–37|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=412}} Other friends and family also spent time with him, among them Doherty and Crowley's son Aleister Atatürk.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaczynski|1y=2010|1pp=544–55|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=416}}

On 1 December 1947, Crowley died at Netherwood of [[Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease|chronic bronchitis]] aggravated by [[pleurisy]] and myocardial degeneration, aged 72.{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1p=483|2a1=Sutin|2y=2000|2pp=417–19|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3p=548|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4pp=417–18}} His funeral was held at a [[Brighton]] crematorium on 5 December; about a dozen people attended, and [[Louis Wilkinson]] read excerpts from the [[Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass|Gnostic Mass]], ''The Book of the Law'', and "Hymn to Pan". The funeral generated press controversy, and was labelled a [[Black Mass]] by the tabloids. Crowley's body was [[Cremation|cremated]]; his ashes were sent to [[Karl Germer]] in the US, who buried them in his garden in [[Hampton, New Jersey]].{{sfnm|1a1=Booth|1y=2000|1pp=484–85|3a1=Kaczynski|3y=2010|3pp=549–51|4a1=Churton|4y=2011|4p=418}}{{sfn|Lachman|2014|p=182}}