UFO-Sweden Special Report - 1974 2

Magazine Overview

This issue of UFO-SWEDEN SPECIAL REPORT, dated 201974 (likely a typo for 1974), is presented as issue number 2 of volume 201974. The magazine is published by RIKSORGANISATIONEN UFO-SVERIGE in Sweden. The cover features the title and an "Editorial" section. The price for a year's subscription (6 numbers) is US $10.00.

Editorial

Lars Nilsson introduces himself as the new editor, taking over from J.O. Sundberg, who is no longer able to continue due to having too many other commitments. Nilsson acknowledges that this issue might appear somewhat confused due to the abrupt change but hopes future issues will be better, though he doesn't expect to reach Sundberg's level. He states that the contents of this issue were collected and translated by J.O. Sundberg. Nilsson provides a brief geographical description of Frösön, an island in Lake Storsjön, Jämtland, Sweden, noting that Storsjön is known for its own "Nessie"-like legend. He expresses hope that readers will find the issue interesting and mentions that J.O. Sundberg has provided material for future issues, which will include reports on "THE MYSTERY OF THE SIX DEATH CASES IN GOTHENBURG", "THE MYSTERY OF THE STINKING SCHOOL", and "THE ISLAND GHOST WITH THE RED LANTERN". UFO-Sweden welcomes magazine or newspaper clippings on UFOs and other strange happenings, to be sent to their Motala, Sweden address. The Swedish magazine "UFO-Information" is printed in offset.

In This Issue:

The issue table of contents lists the following articles:

• SAAB-SCANIA OVERFLY (Page 2)
• "SWEDISH" UFO OBSERVED IN NORWAY (Page 3)
• RIDE WITH MR. RICHARD T. CROWE ON "THE CHICAGO GHOST TOUR" (Page 3)
• MYSTERY DEPARTMENT:
• THE MYSTERY OF THE EXPLODING WATER MATERIAL (Page 4)
• THE MYSTERY OF THE GHOSTLIGHT IN THE SWAMP AREA (Page 4)
• THE MYSTERY OF THE FORGOTTEN GRAVE'S HORNED SKULL (Page 4)

SAAB-SCANIA Overfly

This report details an observation made on Tuesday, April 17th, 1973, near the SAAB-SCANIA airfield in Linköping. Four workers at Hackefors cement-factory observed a small object, estimated to be a couple of centimetres in size, "hanging" over a grove about 1 kilometre away. The weather was cloudy. One witness, who was outside the factory, heard a strong peeping sound at intervals, described as similar to short-wave signals, which he found unpleasant. Upon entering the factory, he learned that others had also seen the object, noting its strongly glittering over- and undersides. The object then moved rapidly eastward and disappeared. The report also includes accounts from Mr. Edvin Mahrs, owner of the cement-factory, and his wife, who have made several observations at the same location. Mr. Mahrs recounts an observation from April-May 1954, where he saw a large, metal-glittering object hovering at an estimated height of 75 metres, about 500-700 metres from the main road. Initially mistaking it for an airliner, he realized it was stationary. The object was described as having a "Punch-hat of giant size" shape with a dome on top, and an estimated diameter of 25 metres. At the time, a J-29 Jet Fighter was warming up at the SAAB-SCANIA airfield. About 30 seconds after the jet stopped, the object took off with incredible speed in a northwest direction, covering an estimated 2 Swedish miles in 3-4 seconds. A man cutting wood nearby did not see the object, as he was focused on his work. Mr. Mahrs also describes observing a gleam of light moving in a zigzag path within the Big Dipper constellation, which would light up and then go dark. Another observation involved a large, cigar-shaped object with a gleaming back in purple, yellow, and red, moving silently across the sky from the Rystad direction at an estimated height of 300 metres, appearing 3-4 times larger than a plane at that altitude.

"SWEDISH" UFO OBSERVED IN NORWAY

This section reports on a UFO sighting that occurred in July 1973 near Kragerö, Norway. The event was reported in the Norwegian newspaper "DAGBLADET" on July 19th, 1973. Two 19-year-old youngsters, Ove Hagen and Terje Johnsen, were driving north when they spotted a UFO emitting a strong glare of light. They described the object as moving from left to right in front of their car around 23:30 on a Wednesday night. The object was visible for about 4 minutes. They stopped their car and followed its movements, convinced it was not a known craft or a balloon. They stated the object was not high up, its speed was not high, and it moved without sound. Both had cameras but were too astonished to use them. They described the object as looking like "two plates placed against each other, and between them there was something that looked like posts - maybe it was lines of windows." The report notes that this pictured UFO looks almost exactly like the UFO observed in Mantorp Parish in Sweden, which was previously published in issue number 2 of this "Special Report". The article suggests that perhaps the Martians wanted to visit their Norwegian friends.

RIDE WITH MR. RICHARD T. CROWE ON "THE CHICAGO GHOST TOUR"

This section, written by J.O. Sundberg based on a letter from December 6th, 1973, introduces Richard T. Crowe from Chicago, Illinois, USA, who is active with "GHOST'S!". Crowe works for IRISH TIMES ENTERPRISES in Chicago, which organizes "CHICAGO GHOST TOUR" trips. The tour guide is Mr. Crowe himself, who shows participants "eerie areas" such as:

• ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE SITE: The original garage used by Al Capone's henchmen is gone, but the location is said to exude an uneasiness felt by local people and psychic investigators.
• BACHELORS GROVE CEMENTERY: Described as a classic Chicago ghost spot, featuring a blue ghost-light, a disappearing house, and reports of a mysterious hook-handed sniper. Visitors are advised to look for a 45-calibre casing.

The tour also includes "THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE SHIP" and "THE GLOWING GREEN MAN", among other things. Readers are encouraged to visit Mr. Crowe at IRISH TIME ENTERPRISES, 11256 S. State, Chicago, Illinois 60628, USA, for this unforgettable trip.

MYSTERY DEPARTMENT

This section, introduced as a new column in UFO-Sweden Special Report, aims to present "fantastic stories" from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark that are true but lack explanation. It references authors like Frank Edwards ("Strange World"), Ivan T. Sanderson ("Things" and "More 'Things'"), and Michael Hervey ("Fantastic Stories about Strange Happenings"). The editor notes that these are "real-ly... 'Things'!"

THE MYSTERY OF THE EXPLODING WATER MATERIAL

This story, dating back to February 1936 in Norway, describes an unknown explosive material that washed ashore at Lindesnes on Norway's South Point. The material reportedly explodes upon contact with anything, with detonations heard from the coast. A fisherman found two kilos of the material and put some in his stove, causing it to explode violently. Another fisherman found more material, samples of which were sent to military authorities. Fishermen believed it was dynamite from a destroyed mine, but experts on explosives ruled this out.

THE MYSTERY OF THE GHOSTLIGHT IN THE SWAMP AREA

This mystery occurred in 1936 in Sweden, in a swamp area near Kanikbo in Möklinta (Västmanland province). During autumn nights, people observed a strange ghostlight with a reddish glare moving over the swamp. The light would intensify, sometimes becoming a lightball the size of a coffee-saucer, before slowly fading or disappearing, only to reappear nearby. The phenomenon remains unexplained, though military experts were reportedly investigating.

THE MYSTERY OF THE FORGOTTEN GRAVE'S HORNED SKULL

This report dates from September 1937 and details a strange discovery in an old grave at Svanskogs Cemetery in Värmland, Sweden. Upon opening the grave, an extremely damaged human skull of a strange type was found. The forehead was very low (1.5 inches), the head was unusually long (30 centimetres) relative to its width (8 centimetres), and the jaws were broad. Most notably, the skull had small horns over the eyes. The skull's appearance reminded observers of ancient human types. The cemetery dates from the late 1700s, suggesting the body was likely buried in that century. Witness documents were to be made and sent to scientists for examination.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, unexplained phenomena, and historical mysteries. The editorial stance, as presented by Lars Nilsson, is one of continuing the work of the previous editor, J.O. Sundberg, by presenting intriguing and unexplained cases from Sweden and surrounding regions. There is a clear interest in documenting and sharing these phenomena, with an open invitation for reader contributions. The "Mystery Department" specifically focuses on historical cases that lack conventional explanations, highlighting the unusual and the unexplained.