No charge for ninth-graders All ninth-graders can read "Dangerous Curiosity" about the dangers of psycho-groups - for free. The books are paid for by businesses.

Scientology critic Renate Hartwig
publishes a teen novel
Ulm, Germany
July 19, 2000
Suedwest Presse Helmut Pusch Ulm Scientology critic Renate Hartwig wrote the novel "Gefaehrliche Neugier" / ["Dangerous Curiosity"]. As an author, her non-fiction books have sold more than a million copies. In the past ten years she has been involved to a great extent in covering the practices of the controversial Scientology organization and is widely sought after by private individuals and companies who have problems with the organization. After four non-fiction books and countless informational presentations, Renate Hartwig is also somewhat frustrated. "I am still getting 40 to 50 calls every day from people who have problems with Scientology. I ask myself, what did we do wrong in the past?"

The answer she has come up with, "Better to prevent people from starting a career in the sect than trying to get them to leave." That means that young people in particular should be warned about the dangers of psycho-groups, not with dry, technical information, but in an exciting and entertaining manner. The whole thing should be told from a perspective which enables the people she is addressing to identify with the material - in a teen novel. That is what Renate Hartwig has now done. On 167 suspenseful pages her readers can learn how an "Organization for Applied Philosophy" recruits members among 16-year-old Anna's fellow students - and how the young people defend themselves.

All German ninth-graders can read "Gefaehrliche Neugier" - at no charge. This nationwide operation is to be financed by corporations who are part of "Engagierte Unternehmer liefern Einblicke" (EULE). For three weeks, the author from Nersingen near Ulm has been advertising for herself, and already reports she has three sold-out editions, about 10,000 books Several cities in Baden-Wuerttemberg have already been completely covered. By the year's end, she says it will be about 100,000 books. The books will be distributed, beginning in September, by the school offices in charge of the districts.

Renate Hartwig: "Gefaehrliche Neugier"

Verlag Paul Hartwig, 167 pages, 19.80 DM ISBN 3-935246-00-5.

Renate Hartwig has written four non-fiction books with a distribution of one million. Now the author from Nersingen presents a teen novel, "Gefaehrliche Neugier" / ["Dangerous Curiosity"]..

Helmut Pusch Anna is 16 and goes to Schubert high school. There strange things are going on. Some of her fellow students are meeting in secret, reading brochures and books which they are not talking with anyone about and are writing reports on teachers and fellow students which they give to two men in a white BMW. One of those in this mysterious clique is Anna's classmate, Sybille. At Bagger Lake, Sybille was so involved in her booklet "How do I raise my parents?" that she didn't even notice that she was getting a sunburn. Anna was able to get a quick look at the booklet which was published by an "Organization for Applied Philosophy," OfAP for short. Anna and her classmates want to find out what is up with this OfAP. And they find themselves entangled in a tale of intrigue. The young detectives almost fall victim themselves to the organization.

Even though the name "Scientology" appears nowhere in "Dangerous Curiosity," even if the forward states that all persons and the plot are sheer fabrication: the way the OfAP is organized, how it recruits new members, its system of informants and the secret goings-on are strongly reminiscent of Scientology, an organization about which Renate Hartwig has been warning people for the past ten years. Why not call a spade a spade?

"Because it is not just about Scientology," said the author. "In the meantime there are a great deal of these psycho-groups which operate in a similar way and are exactly as dangerous," she said.

And why a teen novel? "Because young people are at risk. The psycho-groups have this age group right in their sights." And also up to now there is little material which is written at the level of a 16-year-old, said the author. A teacher can only go so far in his instruction in explaining the Scientologists' primary material. With the result that some students want to get a look for themselves at what the deal is with Scientology.

And that risk is exactly what the book warns about, packaged in a suspenseful detective story, and shows how subtly psycho-groups recruit, and how quickly young people can get entangled during an allegedly harmless adventure.

Tomorrow, Thursday, 8 p.m., Renate Hartwig will introduce her book "Gefaehrliche Neugier" at a reading in the Ulm Granary. Entrance is free. The book is distributed by the Paul Hartwig Verlag and costs DM 19.80 --- Unofficial translations of German media, For non-commercial use only Recent events - http://cisar.org/trnmenu.htm Informational publications http://members.tripod.com/German_Scn_News Over 1200 articles sorted by date http://cisar.org/sortdate.htm

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