Pages 26-30 of Timothy Green Beckley’s book, “THE SUBTERRANEAN WORLD” — which he had written a few years after “The Shaver Mystery and the Inner Earth” — contains some additional information about Dr. Raymond Bernard:
“…One of the most controversial figures in the UFO and occult fields is Dr. Raymond Bernard. He is controversial not only for his research on the inner earth but for his mysterious disappearance as well.
“Since most of the readers of this work will have already read Bernard’s landmark book, ‘THE HOLLOW EARTH’, we will keep these introductory words brief. As he states below, Bernard spent many years searching South America for entrances to underground civilizations he believed existed beneath the surface.
“After the United States exploded the atomic bomb, he became concerned about the world radiation levels, but believed South America would be a relatively safe haven should an atomic war develop.
“He became known to flying saucer researchers because of his belief that the UFOs came from beneath the earth. He corresponded widely with many of them, including this editor, after he had settled in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, where he hoped to set up a colony for people throughout the world who wanted to come there and develop that rich agricultural area – and escape what he believed to be a coming atomic holocaust.
“In 1964, Dr. Bernard felt that he was ready to invite the first settlers, and sent out considerable correspondence on this subject. During 1965, however, his letters ceased abruptly, and letters were returned from Joinville marked ‘deceased.’
“Researchers looking into this matter, however, were unable to find any records, such as medical records or a death certificated of Dr. Bernard’s demise.
“During the later part of 1964, he claims that he had found the entrances to several underground cities, and had actually entered some of these portals to the inner earth. He believed that these entrances existed throughout South America.
“Many writers in the United States have accused Dr. Bernard of fabricating his information as a money-making scheme. Based on our own correspondence with him and our personal estimates, nothing could be farther from the truth.
“His books were published by U.S. firms WITHOUT royalty fees. He offered the tracts of land, to be settled by colonists, at very modest costs, and offered to give land free to those without financial resources.
“It is evident that Dr. Bernard’s source of subsistence came from a relatively modest estate, inherited from his mother, and amounting to about $100,000, upon which he lived and conducted his work during his years of searching for the inner earth.
“Since no records of his death could be found, and since he had often referred to possible trips to the inner earth, it is most natural to reach the rather fantastic conclusion that he either met with some accident in his explorations or actually penetrated the inner earth, where he either met with an unfortunate fate – or is still living!
“Gray Barker, who published a recent edition of Bernard’s, THE HOLLOW EARTH, expressed those same ideas in material appended to that edition. The following account by Dr. Bernard was given to the editor when we were contemplating the publication of a book such as this one back in 1964.
“Though we were unable to go through with our publication plans at that time, we are most happy, at last, to put this interesting material into print.
“After a 32-year search through 20 countries of Central and South America, I, at last, found what I sought – THE SUBTERRANEAN CITIES OF THE ATLANTEANS, which exist mostly in Santa Catarina, Brazil and especially in the Joinville area. Luminous flying saucers were seen to rise from a subterranean city of small men, and from other subterranean cities of tall Atlanteans. The world will learn that FLYING SAUCERS ARE OF SUBTERRANEAN ORIGIN.
“Other planets could not possibly be so much interested in us as to send space ships here (…why not from both sources? – Branton), while those who live inside the earth and receive air from the outside are very interested to prevent contamination of the air they breathe by radio-activity. It is interesting to note that flying saucers started coming in quantity after 1945 when the first atomic bomb was exploded in Hiroshima. They came as an act of self-defense to prevent radioactive contamination of the atmosphere.
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