Ovni Marne - No 01 - 1997

Magazine Overview

Title: OVNI MARNE
Issue: N°1
Date: 10 F (likely referring to price, with content dated up to February 1984 for cover photo credit and other articles from various years).
Publisher: OVNI MARNE Association
Country: France
Language: French

Content Summary

This inaugural issue of 'OVNI MARNE', subtitled 'La Revue de l'Étrange' (The Review of the Strange), delves into a variety of unexplained phenomena, with a strong emphasis on UFO sightings and alleged extraterrestrial encounters, particularly from the 1950s.

Key Articles and Cases:

• Les ovnis en 1950 (UFOs in 1950): This section, spanning pages 1 and 2, likely sets the tone for the issue by highlighting significant UFO events from that year. The cover image itself features a 1950s-era airplane and a textual reference to a 1950 event involving a luminous object escorting a TWA DC-3.
• Terreur extraterrestre (Extraterrestrial Terror): Pages 3 to 5 detail several disturbing accounts of alleged alien encounters. The issue highlights incidents in Venezuela (Caracas, Carora, San Carlos del Zulia) and Sweden (Domsten) where witnesses reported being attacked by small, hairy, or dark-colored beings emerging from UFOs. These encounters often resulted in physical injuries, such as scratches and bruises. A notable case from Anolaima, Colombia (July 4, 1969), describes a farm family's encounter with a luminous object and a being, leading to the death of one witness, Arcesio Bermudez, who reportedly suffered from radiation sickness.
• Au dossier des ovnis (On the UFO Dossier): Pages 6 and 9 present photographic evidence of UFOs from various locations, including Calgary (Canada, 1967), the Italian Dolomites (1978), and Cocoyoc (Mexico, 1973). These images are presented as part of the ongoing investigation into the UFO phenomenon.
• L'armée Chilienne, crée une commission d'enquête officielle sur les ovnis (The Chilean Army Creates an Official UFO Investigation Commission): This article, from November 1997, reports on the establishment of the 'Comite de Investigaciones de Fenomenos Anomalos del Espacio' (CIFAE) by the Chilean Air Force. It notes the involvement of private ufologists and the potential for access to military data, suggesting a more open approach to UFO research in South America compared to other regions.
• Other Notable Mentions: The issue also includes brief mentions of Chinese ufology, a specific incident on September 26, 1954, in Chabeuil, France, and a case from December 1924 involving sea phantoms. A spontaneous combustion case from Reims, Marne, in 1725 is also listed.

Editorial Stance and Contributors:

The editorial stance, as stated on page 2, is that the responsibility for published texts lies solely with their authors, and publication does not necessarily imply endorsement of all content. The issue was directed by Gilbert Schildknecht and Alain Blanchard, who also contributed to the content. The cover photo is credited to 'Terreur extraterrestre', from the book 'ovnis: un dossier brûlant' by Atlas Editions, February 1984.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance:

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, alleged extraterrestrial encounters, unexplained phenomena, and official investigations into these events. The magazine aims to present a collection of intriguing cases and evidence, encouraging readers to consider the possibility of phenomena beyond conventional explanation. The editorial approach appears to be one of presenting information from various sources, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions, while maintaining a degree of skepticism regarding the absolute truth of every claim.

Phénomèna is a French magazine dedicated to UFO phenomena. This issue, identified as page number 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, covers a range of topics related to UFOs, extraterrestrial encounters, and other unexplained phenomena. The magazine appears to be published by SOS OVNI and is priced at 150 francs for France and 180 francs for other countries, with subscriptions available.

Articles and Features

The Marshal of the Air and "The Extraterrestrial"

This article recounts a curious story from Air Marshal Sir Peter Horsley's memoirs, 'Sounds from Another Room'. In 1954, he met an entity named 'Janus' who claimed to be from another planet and wished to meet Prince Philip. Janus spoke of galactic harmony and suggested that humanity would one day travel between stars at incredible speeds using technology that could bend space-time. Horsley noted the conversation and the assurance that God was a 'cosmic battery' pervading the universe. He never shared this with Prince Philip.

"UFO Culture" in All Its Forms

This section reviews the book 'Saucer Attack!' by Eric & Leif Nesheim, a large-format book celebrating the 50th anniversary of the official UFO sightings. It features 120 pages of color reproductions of UFO-related pop culture items from the 1950s, including book covers, magazine covers, movie posters, comic books, toys, and gadgets. The book is described as a delightful visual treat, costing $16.95 plus shipping.

Chinese Ufology (As Seen by The Wall Street Journal)

An article from the Wall Street Journal by Kathy Chen, dated November 7, 1997, discusses ufology in China. Despite a somewhat skeptical tone, it reveals that the Chinese UFO Research Association, led by Professor Sun Shili, receives government funding. The association includes scientists and Communist Party officials, and its members are not just trying to prove the existence of UFOs but also to understand their propulsion to harness this energy for China's benefit. Professor Sun, who also served as a translator for Mao Tse-tung, believes that while Western interest in UFOs is passive, China's research is science-driven. He recounts his own close encounter in 1969 with a bright sphere that bounced like a yo-yo.

Comic Strip: The Case of the Scarecrow

Pages 9 and 10 feature a comic strip detailing an encounter in a cornfield in La Drôme, France, in September. Mme Leboeuf, while picking berries, sees two large eyes staring at her from what appears to be a scarecrow. The scarecrow then moves towards her with a strange, hopping gait. Frightened, she flees. Later, she hears a whistling sound and sees an object resembling a large spinning top rise horizontally from the field. The object then tilts vertically and ascends at a fantastic speed.

Strange Cases from Elsewhere

This section presents several brief accounts of unusual events:

• September 1954, France: Following Mme Leboeuf's encounter, the area around the scarecrow showed flattened grass in straight lines, suggesting a landing or impact.
• September 10, 1954, France: Marius Dewilde experienced paralysis and tingling sensations after encountering a UFO and a small being.
• September 17, 1954, Vienne, France: A cyclist was paralyzed with tingling sensations while a UFO hovered nearby, and a small being touched his shoulder, uttering incomprehensible words.
• September 22, 1954: A luminous object was observed over Montmartre and the surrounding hills.
• September 24, 1954: A farm worker saw a luminous object approaching his tractor at low altitude and abandoned his machine.
• September 26, 1954: A UFO resembling a large spinning top hovered over a field, emitting a red light, before ascending vertically at high speed.
• September 30, 1954: Engineer Eugene Farhier observed a flying saucer for 20 minutes that rotated, emitted a faint whistle, and had flames escaping from its base. This object is compared to one photographed in Palma de Mallorca in 1950.

Bizarre! Strange Stories from Around the World

• The Heavy Enigma: In 1974, a 5-ton demolition mass suspended from a crane at 60 meters height in Indianapolis, USA, disappeared overnight and was never found. The police could not solve the mystery.
• The section also references René Magritte's 1953 painting 'The Infinite Recognition' as evoking such a mystery.

Companions of the Voyage: Ghosts of the Sea

This article recounts an incident in December 1924 aboard the SS Watertown, a large tanker. Two sailors, James Courtney and Michaël Mechan, died from asphyxiation during tank maintenance and were given a sea burial. The next day, the second mate reported seeing the faces of the deceased sailors floating on the water's surface. The entire crew observed the faces for the remainder of the voyage. Upon docking in New Orleans, six photos were taken, with two clearly showing the faces, which were deemed authentic.

Last Minute News: UFO Day

An announcement for a local UFO event on September 7, 1998, in Châlons en Champagne, France. The event includes an exhibition on fifty years of ufology and a forum with French ufological associations, featuring known ufologists like Commander Jean Gabriel Grésle.

Spontaneous Combustion: The Strange Case of the Lion d'Or

This report details an incident in Reims, France, in 1725. Monsieur Millet Jean and his wife Nicole, who was known to drink heavily, retired for the night. Around 2 AM, Millet was awakened by the smell of fire. In the kitchen, they found Nicole Millet almost entirely consumed by fire, with only parts of her head, lower limbs, and some vertebrae remaining. The floor beneath her had burned, but her armchair was only slightly scorched. Millet was arrested on suspicion of murder, but the testimony of Dr. Claude Nicolas Le Cat, who described the fire as a 'divine punishment,' led to Millet's acquittal. He never recovered from the event and died in an asylum.

Spontaneous Combustion: A Phenomenon

This section, attributed to Ronald J. Willis, explains spontaneous human combustion (SHC) or autocombustion. It describes people slowly burning to ashes, a phenomenon that disproportionately affects alcoholic women. The article states that SHC is now considered normal and recognized by forensic medicine.

Homage to a Ufologist

A tribute to Monsieur Morlet Gilbert of Petit-Betheny, Reims, a passionate amateur ufologist who dedicated over 28 years to research in ufology, archaeology, and geology. He passed away about a year prior to this article. His wife, Madame Morlet, has donated his collection of documents to the association "Ovni Mame" to continue his work.

UFOs Full of the Sky

This section presents a collection of recent UFO sightings from around the world:

• September 1997: In Marshall and Mars Hill, North Carolina, USA, the population observed an object in the sky. On the same day, in Saskatchewan, Canada, a young woman saw three boiling points in the sky.
• September 1997: In England, an object was observed by passengers of a Boeing over the North Sea, remaining stationary before disappearing.
• September 1997: In Hartingen, Texas, USA, a woman saw a strange glow in the sky, which she confirmed was not a meteor shower.
• 1998: In Arlington, Texas, USA, a man saw a luminous object zig-zagging in the sky from his kitchen window.
• Undated: In England, a cigar-shaped UFO was reported.
• 1973: In Revélstoka, Colombia, residents observed a huge luminous ball that illuminated the sky before vanishing with a noise.

SOS OVNI Contact Information

This section provides contact details for SOS OVNI, including a postal box in Aix-en-Provence, France, phone numbers for emergencies and administration, fax number, Minitel access, and an email address. It also lists an address for OVNI MARNE in Chalons en Champagne.

Phénomèna Magazine Subscription

This part of the magazine is a subscription form for Phénomèna, describing it as a review of UFO phenomena created in 1991 to provide rapid and precise information. It highlights the magazine's exclusive publications, such as photos from a supposed alien autopsy film and a transcription of a pilot-control tower conversation during an F16 interception of a UFO. The subscription costs 150 francs for France and 180 francs for other countries. It notes that the magazine is sold in kiosks and no free specimens are sent.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO phenomena, extraterrestrial encounters, and related mysteries. It presents a wide range of cases, from historical accounts to recent sightings, and includes reviews of books and cultural aspects of ufology. The editorial stance appears to be open-minded and investigative, aiming to provide information without dogmatism, as indicated by the description of Phénomèna as a magazine that "jette un regard neuf et incisif sur tout ce qui touche de près ou de loin le phénomène ovni, sans aucun dogmatisme."