THE EARLY YEARS OF DOCTOR BARCHENKO

Izbachkov I. S.

The figure of Alexander Vasilyevich Barchenko is surrounded by legend. As the leader of the occult society The United Labor Brotherhood, he, through his followers, attempted to influence the formation of Soviet state policy in the 1920s and 1930s. Believing that the events of his youth largely played a decisive role in future decision-making, this article attempts to understand, through an analysis of Barchenko's biography and literary work, how his way of thinking ultimately influenced the activities of one of the most famous occult societies in Soviet Russia.

Keywords:Alexander Barchenko, secret societies, The United Labor Brotherhood, Rosicrucians, Blavatsky, Doctor Cherny, N-rays