AFU Newsletter - No 09 - 1977

Magazine Overview

This issue of Nyhetsblad, published by AFU (Arbetsgruppen för ufologi), is dated January-March 1977. The cover headline, "skojeri och myt..." (hoax and myth...), immediately signals a critical and skeptical approach to UFO phenomena. The magazine features articles that aim to debunk sensational claims, analyze the psychological aspects of UFO belief, and provide news from the Swedish UFO community.

The Warminster Incident: A Hoax Exposed

The lead article delves into the "sensationella" photos taken in Spring 1970 near Warminster, England. This event transformed Warminster into a UFO hotspot, attracting enthusiasts with cameras and detectors. Arthur Shuttlewood's extensive writings on the subject contributed to this phenomenon. However, the article reveals that serious ufologists suspected misinterpretations of natural phenomena. The incident was later exposed as a hoax orchestrated by an English UFO group. Using a powerful spotlight and a prepared camera, they staged the event to test the gullibility of ufologists. The photographer, Mr. Foxwell, was part of this group. The article highlights how the "hoaxers" left clues that should have exposed the trick, yet the case was widely accepted as a genuine UFO event until its debunking by D.I. Simpson, who revealed his group's experiment.

Debunking Space Observations and Other Cases

The issue critically examines other alleged UFO-related events. It discusses how a photo published in Hemmets Journal, claimed to be Aldrin's moon journey, was actually a falsified image of Earth from the Gemini 7 flight. James Oberg is cited for his extensive research confirming this. The article questions the reliability of UFO reports, especially those based on anecdotal evidence and repeated from one source to another without critical examination. It mentions Oliver Lerch's and David Lang's disappearances and the alleged calf abduction from Alexander Hamilton's farm in 1897 as examples of historical cases that are difficult to verify.

The Subjective Hypothesis in Ufology

Allen H. Greenfield's book "Saucers and Saucerers" is reviewed, introducing his "subjective hypothesis." This theory suggests that UFO phenomena are not necessarily extraterrestrial but are influenced by the collective unconscious and psychological projections. Greenfield posits that UFO beliefs can create their own phenomena, making the UFO movement a self-stimulating entity. He argues that the idea of UFOs is an archetype, akin to myths. While acknowledging the connection between psyche and matter, the article warns against the dangers of pure subjectivism, which could lead to the dismissal of factual evidence and scientific inquiry.

Book Reviews and Bibliographic Information

The magazine includes a comprehensive "Book News" section, listing recent publications on UFOs and related topics. Titles cover ancient visitors, the Bermuda Triangle, extraterrestrial landings, and specific UFO cases. A notable review is of Lawrence David Kusche's "The Bermuda Triangle Mystery: Solved," which critically examines the popular myth, arguing that the incidents attributed to the triangle are not unique and often have mundane explanations or are exaggerated due to poor information and weather conditions.

Swedish UFO Scene News

Several sections are dedicated to news from Swedish UFO organizations. "Svensk ufologi" reports on activities of various local UFO groups, including UFO-Åmål, UFO-Sverige representatives, and Nyköpings Tvärvetenskapliga UFO-Förening. It highlights their efforts in documenting UFO phenomena, organizing lectures, and collecting materials. The AFU's library and archive are also detailed, emphasizing their collection of Swedish UFO literature and their ongoing efforts to create a comprehensive bibliography. The issue also announces a publication on "Spökraketerna 1946" (Ghost Rockets 1946), a compilation of news clippings from that year.

Financial Report and Press Clipping Service

An economic report for AFU in 1976 is presented, detailing income from membership fees and donations, and expenditures on printing, postage, book purchases, and office supplies. The report notes that not all costs are included, such as those for press monitoring. AFU's press clipping service is also discussed, highlighting the increasing volume of clippings received from Swedish media and the associated costs. The organization aims to create a complete collection of Swedish UFO-related press clippings.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue strongly emphasizes a critical and skeptical approach to UFO phenomena. The editorial stance is to question sensational claims, investigate the psychological and sociological factors behind UFO beliefs, and promote rigorous source criticism. The debunking of the Warminster incident and the analysis of astronaut photos exemplify this stance. The magazine encourages a scientific and evidence-based approach to UFO research, warning against falling prey to hoaxes and unsubstantiated theories. The recurring theme is the need for "renhållningsarbete" (cleaning up) in UFO literature, similar to the work done by researchers like Kusche and Oberg, to separate fact from myth.

This issue of UFO-Sverige, dated March 1977, focuses on the organization's general meeting held in Malmö and reviews various UFO-related articles published in the Swedish press. The cover headline announces the "UFO-SVERIGE STÄMMA I MALMÖ" (UFO-Sweden Meeting in Malmö).

UFO-Sverige General Meeting in Malmö

The meeting, held on March 19th, attracted approximately 500 attendees to the Rådhus Hall in Malmö. The venue was provided free of charge, and speakers offered their services without compensation. The organization reportedly invested around 5,000 SEK in public relations for the event. In the foyer, various materials were available for purchase, including badges, posters, association magazines, speculative American magazines, and "Oges funderingar" (Oge's musings).

Presentations at the Meeting

Key figures from UFO-Sverige presented:

• Thorvald Berthelsen outlined the organization's general direction.
• Carl-Axel Jonzon focused on the development and challenges of the magazine UFO-Information. Despite a growing readership of 1,600 members, the magazine faces cost issues in maintaining its printing equipment.
• A UFO-Sverige slide show with stereophonic sound was presented, described as a modest "amateur job" but a professionally executed work with a pleasant radio voice that makes the text engaging. The accompanying melodies appeal to emotions, effectively "selling" the UFO idea, though some visual choices are debatable.

Journalist Bertil Falk's Presentation

Journalist Bertil Falk discussed a rumored report about a Swedish fighter jet being teleported from one harbor to another during World War II. Falk had conducted his own investigations in the USA but found the material to be thin and unsystematic, leading to a question about whether more interesting and "real" cases exist for Forteans.

Professor Martin Johnson's Keynote

The main speaker, parapsychology professor Martin Johnson, drew parallels between parapsychological research and ufology. He noted that UFO phenomena cannot be studied experimentally, but this doesn't mean ufology is doomed to be a pseudoscience. Johnson argued that through rigorous critical examination of cases, instrumental UFO research, and correlation studies, important discoveries can be made. He was convinced that people who experience parapsychological phenomena and those who experience UFO phenomena share something in common, suggesting this could be an interesting field of research.

Panel Discussion and Conclusion

A panel, including the four speakers and Willy Wegner from Denmark, offered little new information, apart from a heated debate between UFO proponents and Martin Johnson. Johnson attempted to explain scientific principles to the audience, with mixed success.

Overall, UFO-Sverige's presentation of the UFO question was seen as strangely divided. While sometimes promoting an "open attitude" to different directions, at other times the organization spoke directly or indirectly about UFOs as extraterrestrial. Carl-Axel Jonzon initiated his address by stating that the term "UFO" was poorly chosen, suggesting "spaceships" as a more fitting term for the phenomena.

UFO Articles in the Swedish Press

This section reviews various UFO-related articles published in Swedish newspapers and magazines:

• Soviet Dispute on the 'Bermuda Triangle': An article from AP in Sydsvenska Dagbladet (Dec 8) referencing articles from Pravda and Izvestija.
• Do Flying Saucers Exist?: A series by "Karl" in Skövde Nyheter, with issue #16 on Dec 30 featuring an interview with Olle Rostmark about a light phenomenon.
• Sky Phenomena: A series by R. Bertil Nilsson in various newspapers (Jan -77), covering zodiacal lights, ball lightning, and meteorites. Examples include Ludvika Tidning (Jan 15, 17, 18).
• Silver-Clad Beings Landed in Skaraborg: An article by "Ink" in Göteborgs-Posten (Dec 24) detailing illusionist Bele Jonsson's claim of seeing a landed UFO with two silver-clad beings, approximately 140-150 cm tall.
• Was Earth Visited by 'Sirians' 6,000 Years Ago?: An article by Harry Bökstedt in Svenska Dagbladet (Dec 24), referencing Robert Temple's book 'The Sirius Mystery'.
• Soviet 'Murder Satellites' Silence USA's Spy Satellites: An article by Björn Nihlén in Norrköpings Tidningar (Jan 8, -77), referencing an article by Eric Dyring in Forskning och Framsteg.
• Uri Geller Predicts the Future: An unsigned article in Allers #5/77 where Geller foresees a major UFO wave over California within six months, Russian researchers detecting signals from extraterrestrial beings within two years, the discovery of Atlantis within a year, and proof of the Loch Ness Monster.
• UFO and Superstition: An article in Jönköpings-Posten (Jan 11) by Gunnar Hillerdal, a clergyman, discussing "abnormal and psychic" aspects of the UFO field as part of a series on new religions and occultism. The article was also published in Tranås Tidning and Smålands-Tidningen. Hillerdal concludes, "Truly, UFO belief is the strangest of all variants of new occultism!" This sparked a debate with contributions from Åke Gustafsson and Ingvar Blomster.
• UFO Series in Ystads Allehanda: Articles often using material from UFO-Information, published on Jan 25, Feb 1, 8, 15, and Mar 1.
• Dare You Fly or Sail Through the Death Triangle?: An article on the Bermuda Triangle by Anders Palm in Saxons Veckotidning #8/77.
• Man is Not Alone in Space!: An interview by Bo Hansson with Professor Martin Johnson in Allers #8/77, where Johnson states he places little importance on most UFO observations, finding them as flawed as spontaneous parapsychological observations.
• Met Space Beings in the Reindeer Forest?: An article by Ralf Törnlind in Norrländska Socialdemokraten (Mar 8) about a humanoid observation reportedly made by Nils Tomas Labba on Feb 27.
• Flying Saucers are Just Stupid Fantasies: A commentary by Gits Olsson in Se #10/77, humorously speculating on how Martians might perceive reports of life on Earth and theories about flying saucers originating from Earth.
• The Flying Saucers: An article by Carl Olof Rydén in connection with the UFO-Sverige national meeting, published in Aftonbladet (Mar 18).
• The Question 1,350 Researchers Demand an Answer To: Do Flying Saucers Exist?: An article in GT (Mar 28) by Håkan Boström, prompted by an AP telegram about Professor Peter Sturrock's survey of astronomers. 1,356 astronomers desired further study of the phenomenon, and 62 claimed to have seen unexplained phenomena.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue reflects a duality in the UFO phenomenon's portrayal: on one hand, an "open attitude" is mentioned, while on the other, a leaning towards the extraterrestrial hypothesis is evident. The articles in the Swedish press cover a wide range of UFO-related topics, from alleged sightings and government secrets to comparisons with folklore and occultism. The editorial stance, as suggested by the review of press articles and the comments on UFO-Sverige's own presentation, appears to be one of exploring the phenomenon from multiple angles, including scientific, folkloric, and speculative perspectives, while acknowledging the controversy and skepticism surrounding it. The inclusion of Gunnar Hillerdal's strong critique of "UFO belief" as "new occultism" highlights the ongoing debate and differing viewpoints within society regarding the topic.