AFU Newsletter - No 04 - 1975

Magazine Overview

This issue of NYHETSBLAD, Volume 1, Number 4, published by ARBETSGRUPPEN FÖR UFOLOGI (Working Group for Ufology) in Sweden, covers the period of October-December 1975. The magazine focuses on ufology, UFO literature, and related research, serving as a library service and information bulletin.

Editorial and Content Highlights

The editorial expresses optimism about the growing stability of Swedish ufology, attributing it to factors like the URD foundation and the AFU library. It notes the broad information campaign by UFO-Sverige and hopes for a prominent researcher like Hynek to emerge in Sweden. The AFU library has expanded to over 450 titles, necessitating an increase in the annual membership fee to 20 SEK due to rising postage costs and financial constraints.

Future issues of the Nyhetsblad will be edited by Anders Liljegren in Norrköping, who has better printing facilities and receives press clippings. Liljegren and the current editor, Håkan Blomqvist, plan to contribute articles.

AFU Projects

Two significant AFU projects are detailed:

1. Swedish UFO Bibliography: Kjell Jonsson, a student at the Library High School in Borås, is compiling a Swedish bibliography similar to the Danish 'Dansk UFO-litteratur 1946-1970'. This will include books, periodicals, newspaper articles, and reviews, with a special section for UFO-themed fiction. Jonsson is seeking press clippings (especially from 1946-1970) and books on flying saucers. He can be contacted via mail or phone.
2. Article and Report Index: This project aims to create a system for locating information, inspired by proposals in 'Ufologen' nr 12. An extensive information system using a 'coordinated index' has been developed, with over 2,000 articles from 'Flying Saucer Review' (1965-1973) indexed. Each article is assigned a number, and keywords are sorted alphabetically. The system categorizes reports by subject, including incidents like power outages and paralysis. Further details will be provided later, and information searches will be possible.

Book Reviews

Several books are reviewed:

• 'Bortom vår verklighet' by Bertil Falk: This book, by a journalist, explores phenomena beyond our reality, including the Swedish Storsjöodjur (lake monster) and flying saucers. It touches upon interpretations of biblical texts and ancient myths as potential UFO encounters, which the reviewer cautions against, suggesting symbolic interpretations are more appropriate. The book also covers the Jessup and the alleged Philadelphia Experiment, where a US Navy ship was supposedly teleported. The reviewer finds the book interesting but lacking in parapsychological and occult interpretation.
• 'Did Spacemen Colonise the Earth?' by Robin Collyns: Described as a Däniken-style book with speculations on ancient myths and structures.
• 'No Earthly Explanation' by John Wallace Spencer: The author of 'Limbo of the Lost' presents views on human origins, covering UFO flaps in the USA (1973), the Bermuda Triangle, and Stonehenge.
• 'Quarter Century of UFOs in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee' by George Fawcett.
• 'UFOs: Nazi Secret Weapon?' by Christof Friedrich.
• '165 little known UFO sightings from around the world' by Christof Friedrich.
• 'The CIA UFO Cover-up' by Christof Friedrich.
• 'The Edge of Reality' by J. Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallee: A progress report on unidentified flying objects.
• 'The Bermuda Triangle Mystery - solved' by Lawrence David Kusche.
• 'UFO i chi sono, da dove vengono perché ci spiano?' by Franco Ossola.
• 'Physical traces associated with UFO sightings' by Ted Philips.
• 'Space-time and Beyond' by E.P. Toben.
• '1973 - Year of the Humanoids' by David Webb: An analysis of the Fall 1973 UFO Humanoid Wave.

Upcoming books mentioned are 'The Unidentified' by Jerome Chark & Loren Coleman and 'The Eighth Tower' by John Keel.

Organizational News

• URD Forms Foundation: On October 11, 1975, several URD-affiliated groups formed the Stiftelsen International URD Foundation. Its goal is to support and promote scientific UFO research through systematic reporting and data handling. The board includes Sven-Olof Fredriksson, Karl-Erik Fälldin, Bjarne Håkansson, Bertil Kuhleman, Sten Lindgren, and Harald Thuresson. Various groups within URD are assigned specific functions like field observation, data compilation, and information management.
• US Collaboration: The three largest US UFO organizations (NICAP, APRO, MUFON) have agreed to collaborate by using Hynek's Center for UFO Studies as a common database. The article expresses a desire for similar cooperation in Sweden, noting that while URD's data project exists, UFO-Sverige is not cooperating, leading to unnecessary competition.
• AFU Joins INCAL: AFU has become a member of INCAL (Information Centre for Alternative Worldviews and New Research), an organization that informs about research outside the mainstream. Interested parties can contact Charlotte Helin or Pia Ringstrand.

Clippings and Commentary

• 'Bildbluff i Hemmets Journal' (Image Hoax in Hemmets Journal): This section debunks a full-page photo published in Hemmets Journal (nr 43/1975) allegedly showing two oval UFOs with glowing undersides observed during the Gemini 7 flight. The author, Anders Liljegren, identifies the photo as identical to one he purchased in 1970, which was captioned as showing objects from Gemini flight FF 7 with Bormann and Lowell. He argues that the photo actually depicts Earth's surface with natural features and city lights, and that the 'glowing undersides' are likely camera reflections. He references articles from 'Flying Saucer Review' ('UFOs? No! Lens Flare? Yes!' and 'Spindles in the Sky') from January-February 1965 that explain similar phenomena as lens flare. Liljegren questions why this photo wasn't analyzed in the Condon Report but was published with a misleading caption in Hemmets Journal.

• 'Överstelöjtnant i flyget erkänner att UFOs finns' (Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Admits UFOs Exist): This article reports on an observation of three cigar-shaped objects over Gislavid on August 5th by six witnesses. Lieutenant Colonel Sten Dalborg of the Halmstad Air Force Base stated that there have been many unexplained observations and strange radar signals. He acknowledged that while they don't know if these are extraterrestrial visitors, he has met enough people who have seen unidentified objects to not dismiss them. He noted that several pilots have seen cigar-shaped objects and that if they are from other planets, their technology is highly advanced.

• 'The Interrupted Journey' blir film ('The Interrupted Journey' Becomes a Film): Hollywood has produced a film adaptation of the famous Barney and Betty Hill contactee case. The film, a major production starring James Earl Jones, is based on the book 'The Interrupted Journey' by John Fuller. The Hills recounted under hypnosis being taken aboard a UFO and examined.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes the idea of ufology as a serious field of research, emphasizing the need for organized data collection, bibliographical work, and information sharing. There's a clear stance in favor of scientific investigation and a critical approach to sensationalism, as demonstrated by the debunking of the Hemmets Journal photo. The publication also highlights the importance of international cooperation and the development of structured information systems within the ufology community. The editorial stance is one of advocating for a more robust and scientifically grounded approach to UFO research in Sweden.