Ordo Templi Orientis Phenomenon
The "Caliphate" Tape

This foreword does NOT express the opinions of Peter-Robert Koenig but that of its anonymous writer.

This is a transcript of a 45 minute audio tape made of a meeting held between Grady Louis McMurtry, William Breeze, Jim Wasserman, Richard Gernon, Michael Kramer and Alan Cabal, for the purpose of discussing Liber CXCIV (Book 194) "An Intimation with Reference to the Constitution of the Order". The exact date of the meeting is unknown, however, according to witnesses, it occurred during the Spring of 1984, when the "Caliphate" was still in its infancy in regards to implementing the organizational structure of the Constitution of this O.T.O. In 1983, McMurtry made a trip to Europe for initiations. He was failing in health then and had to be cared for by David Rietti, a brother with nursing experience, during those travels. McMurtry returned from that trip in October of 1983; and travel was mostly curtailed for him after that on account of ill health. (D.R.'s differences with O.T.O. were very much later [dealt with in Peter-R. Koenig's "Noch Mehr Materialien zum O.T.O."). This trip to the East Coast of the US was probably during the Motta v. Weiser suit in Maine, where McMurtry testified as a witness (not a litigant) in March of 1984 — that one almost did him in, health wise. Following that, McMurtry had to be hospitalized on and off until his death, owing to congestive heart failure. He had been hospitalized for the same reason earlier, and during the 1985 9th District case in San Francisco, he was only able to attend some of the time in a wheelchair. He died shortly after Ad Veritatem's (Wasserman's) Tahuti Lodge "healing ritual" on July 15th 1985.

The audio recording is of high quality and has been carefully preserved.

Everyone's voice instantly can be recognized, and over the years anyone familiar with the situation easily picks out: 1) Michael Kramer, who operated the turbulant and infamous Kephra Chapter O.T.O. from the Newkirk Plaza apartment in Brooklyn in the 80's, 2) Richard Gernon (who succeeded Wasserman as Tahuti Lodge Master (also see Motta's OTO News on page 513 of Motta's Magick Without Tears Part 2)). He was an officer in Motta's Nashville organization as well as a "Caliphate" officer. Gernon, aka Gurney, committed suicide via a drug overdose in March of 1988. 3) James Wasserman, the former GSG, who recently (December 98) quit the post of "Revolutionary" (a title which is discussed in this meeting) after displaying an obsession with government conspiracies, and an inappropriate affinity with David Koresh's Branch Davidian of Waco Texas fame. 4) Bill Breeze, who assumed the position of O.H.O. of the current "Caliphate", 5) Alan Cabal, who was recently (January of 1999) "kicked out of the Caliphate" for "unauthorized XI degree inititaions" and finally 6) the late Grady Louis McMurtry himself, who died in July of 1985. The actual meeting took place in an apartment on Marlboro Road near Newkirk Plaza in Brooklyn, N.Y. According to Bill Heidrick, Breeze himself less than two years ago, admitted to the meeting, however quickly added the disclaimer that McMurtry was busy throwing a tantrum that day having lost a game of Risk (a popular board game in the US which simulates a battle for global domination). Apparently this disclaimer was made as an attempt to diminish the significance of McMurtry's disagreements with the others during this meeting.

The general topic of the meeting is the plan to implement the constitution of the order.

The subject may have been influenced by Grady McMurtry's interpretation of the "election notice" that Karl Germer sent out. Germer did quote or paraphrase Crowley's election procedure from the Constitution of the Order of Thelemites (1920's). McMurtry seems to have taken it as both A.·. A.·. and O.T.O., but the election was never held anyway. This "election notice" was the a part of the basis of distinction between Germer as de facto or de juro OHO in McMurtry's policy until 1985 — when the US 9th Federal Court determined that there was no meaningful distinction between these two standings.

EVERYONE knew that this Tape was being made. Upon Grady's death, multiple copies of the Tape became available. The late Richard Gernon is even rumored to have sold a copy to support his publicly known drug habit, shortly before his suicide. The point here is that this thing has passed through the hands of people who are now dead: McMurtry and Gurney, people who are unavailable and untraceable, non-initiates, and initiates of other disciplines and initiates who are currently banned from the Order (Cabal) or seeking a new burst of fame (Kramer).

Before the Tape ends, you'll find a spot where Wasserman asks to go off the record and they actually pause the recording to discuss Bill Heidrick. When the Tape is started again McMurtry is describing the situation and disposition of Heidrick. The East Coast "Caliphate" O.T.O. obviously traditionally hated Bill Heidrick. He was always depicted as being a loathsome character. It is assumed that in the back of his mind, Bill Heidrick always expected that he would be named "Caliph" by McMurtry, upon McMurtry's death (see also Heidrick's letter to Kenneth Grant, dated 9 September 1985, facsimile in P.R. Koenig "Materialien zum O.T.O."). Seemingly, there was the impression that Heidrick was a wealthy man who lacked imagination and ability, but made up for it with money and time. McMurtry is saying at the end of the Tape that if Breeze and company want Heidrick out, he's out, but that they should not overlook the value of his material worth, enthusiasm, whatever. Since Heidrick published The Magickal Link newsletter for years McMurtry felt he had "enormous talent". But there was talk of taking control of publication of "The Magickal Link" away from Heidrick after McMurtry died.

Elsewhere in the transcript McMurtry acknowledges that Breeze and Wasserman look at Heidrick as a bureaucrat, a frustrating and ugly politician. This label was not without merit, however, Grady is quick to point out that while Heidrick might be a bureaucrat, Breeze was perceived as a "corporate" and that both management styles (Corporate O.T.O. and Bureaucratic O.T.O.) would lead to being out of touch with the people of the order. Many former members of the "Caliphate" agree with this. The O.T.O. was never meant to be a business OR a form of government.

The tape ends abruptly, it is currently unknown how much more of this conversation is available.

January 1999

Translation notes:

"Um" and "Uh" are not words but noises that hesitant people often make when "stuck" between words.
Several times a person begins to say a word and stops. You'll find "someth...", "su..." and maybe others. These are not typographical errors, but unfinished words.
Naturally, this conversation is full of emotional voices. Still, interpreting or mentioning emotional state except when absolutely necessary is avoided.

Part one of the transcript
Part two of the transcript

This is the MP3 version of the tape itself.

Disclaimer: This tape has been widely circulated before.
The MP3 version is on a complete non-profit base.

Kenneth Grant

John Symonds

Francis King

Karl Germer

Items of Historical Interest

In 1930, Karl Germer sent a description of the Aleister Crowley LTD. to Fernando Pessoa.
Aleister Crowley: This is the Last Will.
Karl Germer, Louis Wilkinson and Lady Frieda Harris.
National Grandmasters and OHOs of the O.T.O.

Some background information

Lawyers and Historians: The 'Caliphate' versus the Truth? — Introduction.

The Maine Decision 1984 [to the disfavour of the 'Caliphate'] | The California Decision 1985 [to the favour of the 'Caliphate'].
Purchase of the copyrights on Aleister Crowley from the Official Receiver (OR).
The 1999 Particulars of Claim ['Caliphate'].
Financial Reports 1996-1999 of the 'Caliphate'.
Erraneous opinion on theInternational Copyright Situation. Text by Anthony Naylor before he lost his case against the 'Caliphate' in 2000.
What the 'Caliphate' does not want you to know. Text by Anthony Naylor before he lost his case against the 'Caliphate' in 2000.
Crowley's Probate. Text by Anthony Naylor before he lost his case against the 'Caliphate' in 2000.
'Caliphate' Capers. Text by Anthony Naylor before he lost his case against the 'Caliphate' in 2000. Based upon a draft by James Graeb.
Structure, Constitutions and Money. Partly written by Anthony Naylor before he lost his case against the 'Caliphate' in 2000.
Anonymous: Burning Down The House. 'Caliphate', Argenteum Astrum, James Wasserman, Donald Trump — Written in 2021.
Library of Congress, letter dated September 6, 2000.
2000, July: An analysis of the Bylaws of the 'Caliphate' and its Board of Directors. By James Graeb.
2000, July: Incorporation of O.T.O., Argentum Astrum and E.G.C..
2000: "Caliphate-O.T.O. Win" and the The Writing on the Wall. Text by Anthony Naylor before he lost his case against the 'Caliphate' in 2000.
Court Order of October 2000.
James T. Graeb, co-founder and IX° of the 'Caliphate', a lawyer, calls the 'Caliphate' a "Puppet Show Piece" and files suit vs William Breeze, William Heidrick, Marcus Jungkurth et alii in 2001.
The 2002 Ruling.
The Summary so far.

Ordo Templi Orientis - Trade Mark - Starfire Publishing Limited.

Some Things

Court Case Hermann Joseph Metzger vs Walter Englert in the 1970s.
1991 Opinion of a German prosecuting attorney's office on the body of the 'Caliphate'. Erfahrungsbericht eines O.T.O.-Mitglieds im Zusammenhang mit dem Gerichtsprozess 'Caliphat' gegen Hänssler-Verlag, 1990. Unsuccessfull attempt in Yugoslavia.
Censorship in the UK.
The 'Caliphate' Book Patrol: Fahrenheit 418.
Paul Joseph Rovelli versus the 'Caliphate', New York January 2000.
1998, July 17 - 2000 October Austrian situation on Copyrights [German and English].
Trademark O.T.O.. By Leslie Anne Childress.
2007 'Caliphat' Kasino in Deutschland. English translation: 2007 'Caliphate' Casino. 2008: Honesty is the best Policy: 'Caliphate' O.T.O. / William Breeze lost in a legal case. Deutsche Version: Ehrlich währt am Längsten: Warum der O.T.O. gegen P.R. Koenig verlor.

Other Background

The 'Caliphate'.
Discussion about the instrument of succession. An introduction to the background, followed by a transcript of this discussion.
Minutes of the 11 IX°s 'Caliphate' election in 1985 where it was clearly said that the 'Caliph' is not the juro OHO.
Playgame of an O.T.O.-Fatamorgana — Statistics, Censorship, Name Dropping. 2011.

Jeu de rôle d'une O.T.O.-Fatamorgana

La versione play-game di un O.T.O.-Fatamorgana

Gaps in the Script of Esotericism: Hypocrisy and Hypercrisis – Oscar Wilde: Ambition is the last resort of failure.
Fetish, Self-Induction, Stigma and Rôleplay. 2011.

Fétiche, auto-induction, stigmatisation et jeu de rôle

Il feticcio, l’auto-induzione, lo stigma, il gioco di ruolo

Fetysz. Rytualy. Resocjalizacja: Tozsamosc przez stygmat. Autoindukowana schizofrenia. Odgrywanie ról.

Фетиш, самоиндукция, стигма и ролевая игра

More about all this in: Andreas Huettl and Peter-R. Koenig: Satan - Jünger, Jäger und Justiz

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