Short Biography

In 1949 Bruno Gröning came to the fore of the public for the first time. The newspapers were full of news about him. In a provincial town in Westphalia, Germany, he was believed of having healed a fatally ill boy. Thousands of people, from that country and abroad, flowed out to the Wilhelm's place in Herford. More and more people reported unusual healings which have been associated with Bruno Gröning. Even incurable diagnosed people became healthy to all appearances.

However, early opposing forces became also apparent. Mainly the medical profession viewed the phenomenon GRÖNING more than doubtfully. On account of the pressure from the medical profession the Chief Burgomaster of Herford imposed a temporary healing ban on 3rd of May, 1949 on Bruno Gröning, leading to a complete healing ban on June 7th 1949 in all of North Rhine-Westphalia. Bruno Gröning drew his own conclusions and left Herford.

At that time the magazine "Revue" determined to contribute to a scientific clarification of the "Phenomenon Gröning". In the Ludolf Krehl Clinic in Heidelberg, Germany, under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Weizsäcker, the "remedial method" of the so-called "miracle doctor" was investigated. A certificate was promised to Bruno Gröning, should there be a positive result on this investigation which would allow him to work unimpeded by anyone. With it the way should be allowed to him to free work. The doctors were impressed. In the "Revue" Prof. Dr. Fischer expressed himself very positively towards a precertification following the Heidelberg investigations. He backed the evident remedial results achieved by Gröning as being a natural ability on his part.

As a result Prof. Dr. Fischer made him an offer which Bruno Gröning didn’t accept. However, Prof. Fischer presented it from his point of view, with unacceptable conditions. He thought that he wanted to make a business deal only from the whole plan. The refusal part of Gröning with regard to this offer turned out to be very negative for him. The promised certificate was never issued.

In August, 1949 Bruno Gröning was invited to a stud farm, the “Trotter's Court” (Traberhof) near Rosenheim in Bavaria, Germany. This was very convenient for him, because he hoped to escape the hustle and bustle around his person in the way. But, after the first newspapers reported his arrival in Bavaria, the news spread like a bush fire. A gigantic press buzz began. Within the shortest time the mass gatherings started again. Up to 30,000 people were counted on some days. What he himself had never aimed for, but the sensational reports that the media released, reached a climax. Even a weekly show had reported about him and another even shot a full-length documentary film about the unusual events at Trotter's Court.

Prime Minister Dr. Erhard explained that one should not put a stop to the „exceptional appearance“of Gröning on paragraphs. The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior called Gröning`s activity a „free loving activity“.

But soon the tide would also turn against Bruno Gröning at Trotter's Court. An absolutely smear campaign followed the initial sensational newspaper reports. The Medical Profession stirred again. The healings of countless people were either denied by many doctors or were labeled as the result of mass psychosis. Meanwhile with the documentary film about Gröning finished it; was attacked most sharply by the Medical Profession, which created a real public outcry.

Bruno Gröning also came into conflict with the law. He was accused of practicing Medical Science continuously without permission and therefore he offended against the healing practitioner law. Gröning had to answer before court in Munich for the first time for unauthorized practicing of Medicine Science. He was acquitted in the first charge as well as in the second on the 19th of March, 1952. Though this acquittal was confirmed in the appeal hearing, it was only  by reason of an innocent mistake, i.e. it was granted to him that he did not know that he had offended against the healing practitioner`s charter. However, basically they judged his remedial activity as being for the same purposes as the healing-practioner`s charter. This acquittal amounted therefore to a judicial remedial ban.

On account of this situation Bruno Gröning founded on the 22nd of November, 1953 the so-called “Gröning Alliance”. In future he wanted to be active only as a travelling speaker of religious topics. Above all he aimed at a regular framework and hoped by this alliance for a certain protection. He was persuaded of the fact that nobody could forbid him to deliver religious lectures. He took up the right of freedom of speech also for himself and believed to have found, finally, a way which was legally indisputable. At this time originated the so-called communities. These were visited by Bruno Gröning and now he spoke mostly in smaller groups to people. It was for him a concern to offer a possibility to help-seekers and healing-seekers, to be able to convince them of his teaching. The responsible people of the Gröning Alliance recorded many healings in writing, with explanations in lieu of an oath.

On the 4th of March, 1955 the public prosecutor's office in Munich brought an accusation against Bruno Gröning once more. He was charged again to have offended against the healing practitioner`s law. Moreover, he was accused in a case of a careless homicide. Bruno Gröning was finally summoned by the law assessor's court in Munich, to appear on the 30th and 31st of July, 1957 to the main trial. For Gröning the accusations were not understandable. Over and over again he had stressed that is not he who heals, but the divine strength flows out of his body to people. He is only a tool. He called the charge of the careless homicide a nasty lie which to his knowledge was only spread to further curtail the trust of people in him. In addition, his employees made dubious business deals behind his back, trying to earn a profit from the whole thing, and had damaged his calling during all these years.

It became disastrous for Bruno Gröning, that during the process many witnesses described him and his activities in medical concepts, so that the suspicion of the offence against the healing practitioner`s law deepened. One spoke of the "Miracle Doctor Gröning", his talks were called “treatments”, etc., as well as one described him “doing the doctor's visit”. For this Bruno Gröning was imposed a fine of 2000 DM because of repeated offences against the healing practitioner's law. However, one acquitted him of guilt on the matter of careless homicide. Although the judgment looked at first sight positive, it was unacceptable for Gröning. Even religious talks did not seem to be possible any more. Moreover, he got into big financial difficulties due to high legal costs.

From the 14th to the 16th of January, 1958 once more a process was instigated against Gröning, because the public prosecution department had inserted an appeal against the judgment of July, 1957. Bruno Gröning was persuaded of the fact that it was not anymore a matter about right or wrongs but only of putting him finally „behind bars“. This time he was really condemned to a fine of 5000 DM because of offences against the healing practioner's law and they found him guilty also of the careless homicide in the case of Ruth Kuhfuss, and condemned in addition to eight months of prison on probation.

Bruno Gröning was also bitterly disappointed by the Gröning Alliance. He did not receive the support which the Alliance had promised him. By purblind bureaucracy and missing applications, as he himself said, they had damaged him very much. He felt let down above all with the processes, i.e. those concerning the financing and actions against the hustle and defamation of the press which should have also ceased. In place of the Gröning Alliance the “Association of Support of Mental-Spiritually and Natural Resources” was founded on the 4th of May, 1958. However, Gröning’s name did not appear any more, there, as he said his name would work like a „red cape in front of the bull“.

In late autumn, 1958 Bruno Gröning with his wife Josette went to Paris. She pushed him to this trip, because his state of health got worse visibly. That led them on the way to the well known friendly doctor and cancer researcher Dr. Grabon. On the basis of the X-rays they diagnosed Gröning`s stomach with cancer in an advanced stage. On advice of Dr. Grabon he proceeded to the private clinic of Dr. Bellanger, a respectable specialist for cancer surgery, in "Rue Henner". On the 8th of December, 1958 Bruno Gröning was operated there, however, his state of health was worse than expected.

On account of the fact that Bruno Gröning had appealed for an amendment against the judgment of January, 1958, it came on the 22nd of January, 1959, finally, before the higher regional court in Munich to the amendment trial. Gröning wanted to contest the judgment of January, 1958 which amounted to a remedial ban. Nevertheless, he himself could not be present at the negotiations any more. At the precise same time he had to undergo in Paris an emergency operation on account of the fastener of the large intestine curve. Dr. Bellanger told, a very much affected Josette Gröning: “The destruction in Bruno’s body is dreadful. It is an internal complete combustion. How he could have lived so long (...) is to me a mystery. However, the end is close.”

Gröning died on the 26th of January, 1959 at 13.46 o'clock in Paris. He often expressed that this would be his happiest hour when, finally, he would leave the body and could go home, home to his Father. In the death certificate it was noted that Bruno Gröning had died of cancer. Dr. Bellanger called Gröning’s state originally an “internal, complete incineration”, a cause of death, which Gröning had foreseen if they forbade him to heal over and over again. However, he also said: „It isn’t to stop! All over the world the healings would continue to take place!”