Bilk - no 050 - 1992 11

Magazine Overview

This issue of BILK, number 50, dated November 1992, is a German publication focusing on unusual phenomena, particularly lake and sea monsters, UFOs, and ancient mysteries. The editor has moved and provides a new address in Denkendorf, Germany, with subscriptions costing DM 15 per year.

BEHEMOTH

Loch Ness The editor notes a growing skepticism regarding the Loch Ness Monster, referencing reports from 'Titanic' magazine and a conference in Munich. A member, Henry Bauer, has written a book on 'living fossils' in Scottish lakes. The most sensational revelation comes from the German tabloid 'Bild am Sonntag', which quotes Lambert Wilson admitting he faked the famous 58-year-old Nessie photograph by building a serpent's head and swimming in the lake. Despite this, the editor notes that exotic theories about Nessie's identity continue to emerge annually.

Murtensee Information from A. Trottmann on recent sightings in Murtensee is presented. The lake, 23 km² in surface area and 40m deep, is connected to Neuenburger See. While newspaper reports suggested witnesses saw giant catfish, the editor remains skeptical, believing they observed a boat wake. However, a note from 'Süddeutsche Zeitung' from 1971 mentions an angler catching a 2.10m/7ft catfish, confirming the existence of large catfish in the area.

Seljordsvannet, Norway This lake in southern Norway has a monster legend, with the oldest reports dating back 200 years. Locals are promoting 'Selma' as a rival to Nessie, with hoteliers aiming to develop the lake into a tourist resort. 'Selma' is described as a giant serpent, resembling a horse or elk in the head, with a length of 30m/100 ft. While no clear photograph exists, a 'blurred videotape' is mentioned. The water-horse motif is identified as a common folk motif.

Bibliography Chris Hernandez of Miami reported finding a 2m serpent coiled around his car's motor. A feature in 'Der Journalist' discusses the German version of 'Weekly World News', mentioning fake UFO stories and the Nessie-capture hoax. Dr. Klaus Ulrich, a professor of Zoology at Mainz University and an expert on dragons, is cited for his research into 'drokonology'. His work reportedly covers various dragon myths, suggesting dragons were more likely giant serpents than dinosaurs and could fly, though the article is presented with some humor. The editor plans to contact Dr. Ulrich. References are made to other articles on Loch Ness and Wisconsin lake monsters.

ISIS

Jack Arnold The death of B-movie director Jack Arnold is noted, with his passing on March 17, 1992, in Los Angeles at the age of 75, as reported by 'Rheinpfalz'.

Water Gods and Goddesses The idea of mermaids and mermen is linked to pagan water spirits and gods. Two recent discoveries provide evidence of ancient water cults. A SAD news item from London reports on the 'earliest place of worship', a lake near Tlokowo, Poland, where archaeologists found a 12,000-year-old wooden platform surrounded by wooden figures, likely sacrifices to a lake god. The article connects this to bronze-age, neolithic, and iron-age water cults and modern coin-throwing in fountains. Another report from 'Stuttgarter Zeitung' and 'Süddeutsche Zeitung' details the discovery of a Phoenician temple to Aphrodite at Idalon in Cyprus. Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, was found to have a companion god named Adoni in the temple, which in Greek means 'Lord'. The article speculates on whether this 'Lord' was also a sea god and suggests the legend of Aphrodite emerging from the sea might be due to the seafaring Phoenicians building her first temple near the sea shore.

Strange #10 References are made to F. de Sarre's reconstruction of aquatic evolution and the editor's own article on similarities between UFO occupants and water hominids. A new mermaid sighting from Maryland is also mentioned.

LEVIATHAN

Leatherback Turtle Reports from German newspapers detail the capture of a large leatherback turtle (333 cwt, over 2m long) by a Norwegian trawler near the polar circle. Biologist Per Pethon stated the turtle was 13,000 km from its natural habitat in the Gulf of Mexico and suggested it lost orientation in the Gulf Stream. The editor recalls a note from 'Science Frontiers' suggesting leatherback turtles migrate from Mexico to Norway, feeding on jellyfish, and regularly appear on the British coast in August and September.

Kraken Rüdiger Nehberg, a German environmentalist, recounted a late-night sighting during his Atlantic crossing in a nutshell in 1987. He saw two large, owl-like eyes in the water, which disappeared when illuminated. He expressed a desire to encounter a Kraken, noting the largest known squid had a length of 22m, implying llm arms, and that they surface at night with excellent eyesight.

Expedition An article in the tabloid 'Praline' is referenced regarding 'American scientists' attempting to catch a giant squid, referencing a 'Welt am Sonntag' article. Details include plate-like suckers, monsters of 60m/200ft, 40 cm eyes, and duels between squids and sperm whales. Giant squids are said to live in depths of 1000m, with proof of their existence coming from a fisherman hacking off a giant squid's arm in 1870 and remains found in sperm whales, showing sucker scars.

Whales Reports cover a white whale that made the Turkish sea port of Sinop its home before being caught and brought to Sevastopol Zoo. Other reports include six porpoises stranded near Sylt, Germany; 60 porpoises stranded at Seal Rocks, Australia; a dolphin named Freddie and alleged sexual contact with him; and 200 pilot whales stranded on the East Coast of Tasmania.

Sharks A 2.5m White Shark was caught by Italian fishermen in the Adriatic Sea, and a few days later, a second one was rammed and killed by the navigation instruments of the French navy ship Maestrale.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of BILK are the persistent fascination with and investigation of lake and sea monsters, ranging from the well-known Loch Ness Monster to lesser-known legends like 'Selma' in Norway. The magazine also explores ancient mysteries, including prehistoric water cults and religious sites, suggesting a link between ancient beliefs and modern phenomena. There's a clear editorial stance of presenting various accounts, from sensational tabloid reports to scientific speculation, often with a critical or skeptical eye, as seen in the editor's comments on the Nessie hoax and the Murtensee sightings. The inclusion of UFO-related content and unusual animal reports broadens the scope to encompass unexplained phenomena and anomalies in the natural world.