The APRO Bulletin for September-October 1967 published the report of events of August 23, 1967 in Kolmarden, Sweden, the witnesses being a boy and a girl aged 15, who provided their real names to the investigators but were nicknamed Erik and Inga on their wish for anonymity.
They were wandering at about 08:00 p.m. about the urban area where they lived, when they saw a reddish glow above the small wooded area nearby; which seemed to go down toward the ground.
Feeling a little apprehensive, the youngsters headed for their home about a half a mile away. But as they were still curious about the light, they walked back to the road where they had initially saw the glow, they noted that it was still there, but it was now moving back and forth above the trees, occasionally moving away to disappear from sight in the end.
They resumed their walk home and passed an old deserted shack. They tried to open the door but it was locked. They saw weird yellowish lights were seen hovering in one of the rooms of the shack, and alongside the wall facing the road, they saw a sort of light cone fluttering upward from the ground.
From inside the shack, as they apparently managed to open the door or break in, they heard "sounds like brief, muted thuds against a bit of plank." As they knew the shack was supposed to be deserted, they thought this was odd.
When the red light appeared, coming from the west and going towards the north, they became frightened. The red glow was traveling close to the ground and was shortly hidden by a clump of trees outside the shack. It then suddenly turned to a brilliant white, went past the road, and appeared to land on the other side of a little brook nearby.
They became too frightened and ran the rest of the way home. The boy rang the doorbell at his house, but nobody answered, so they went next door at the house where the boy's two sisters resided.
They were very shocked when they saw was a round source of light "like a giant flashlight" hanging in the air about 13 feet above the ground near that house.
A sort of whistling sound now came from the vicinity of the brook, as if it races along the ravine covered by dense vegetation nearby. They compared that sound to the whistling sound kids produce by blowing on a blade of grass held between the palms and thumbs of one's hands.
During the time they heard that whistling, they also heard quick and light footsteps from the direction of the brook. The steps were in series and now and then interrupted by a pause, but coming closer and closer.
Although they were frightened and puzzled, they had the courage to go along a little path to check the ravine.
Then, something suddenly jumped out from behind some bushes near them. It was about 10 feet away, and it was a small creature about 1.30 meters tall. It had its arms at its side, and stood with its head bent so that the face was not visible. It had a dark clothing, but as it was now 10:00 p.m. the youngsters could not be sure that the clothing itself was dark.
Inga thought it might be someone from the village and took a few steps toward the figure. As she did so, the figure raised its head and arms, in a motion that the boy described as jerky, uncertain, and "shimmying."
The boy grabbed the girl and shouted, "Look out, it is not a human being!"
The being had a very large head, completely out of proportion with the body, with the upper part seemingly covered by something dark which could have been either hair or a hood. Its eyes were large and dark, and its mouth and nose, not clearly distinguishable, formed an "X". Its arms and legs were very slender, and its legs plainly bowed. Its hands were clawed. It had two thin wire-like bands encircling its ankles and giving off an intensive white light. They did not observe the feet at all.
The youngsters were almost paralyzed by fear, and watched the being for a few more seconds, and then run away toward home.
When the being lifted its arms, it showed a box-like apparatus with a short protruding tube. The youngsters had the feeling it had to be heavy, because the being held it with both its hands. They thought it could be some weapon as the being was pointing the device at them, but nothing unusual happened.
The youngsters got home. The next day, they searched the place for clues of the being's presence.
Near their homes, they found 15 centimeters long footprints which seemed to have three toes. Near the bushes where the being appeared, they found some apples, split apart, with halfmoon-like marks clearly not made by any human or animal teeth or nails. A "slime" covered the cut surfaces of the apples and gave off a pungent and offensive "animal smell."
During the two next nights, the boy's older sisters heard soft footsteps and ticking and scraping sounds outside their home, and saw lights moving about the area. In the morning after the second incident, they found out that two shutters had been torn. The two youngsters subsequently did not dare to walk outside in the dark anymore.
The youngsters were interviewed by Sven Schalin, a competent civil engineer and seasoned UFO investigator, who believed their story, in view of the youngster's reputations and the seriousness and sincerity they displayed while he questioned them.
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[Ref. lo1:] CORAL AND JIM LORENZEN:
The author recall that the APRO Bulletin for September-October published the report of this case in its front-page, headlined "Monster Report from Sweden."
The article told that on August 23, 1967, two youngsters from Sweden who provided their real names to the investigators but were nicknamed Erik and Inga on their wish for anonymity, were wandering at about 08:00 about the urban area where they lived.
They saw a reddish glow above the small wooded area nearby; which seemed to go down toward the ground. Feeling a little apprehensive, the youngsters headed for their home about a half a mile away.
But as they were still curious about the light, they walked back to the road where they had initially saw the glow, they noted that it was still there, but it was now moving back and forth above the trees, occasionally moving away to disappear from sight in the end.
They resumed their walk home and passed an old deserted shack. They tried to open the door but it was locked. They saw weird yellowish lights were seen hovering in one of the rooms of the shack, and alongside the wall facing the road, they saw a sort of light cone fluttering upward from the ground.
From inside the shack, they heard "sounds like brief, muted thuds against a bit of plank." As they knew the cabin was deserted, they felt that this was unnatural and weird.
When the red light appeared, coming from the west and going towards the north, they became frightened. The red glow was traveling close to the ground and was shortly hidden by a clump of trees outside the shack. It then suddenly turned to a brilliant white, went past the road, and appeared to land on the other side of a little brook nearby.
They became too frightened and ran the rest of the way home. Erik rang the bell at his house, but nobody answered, so they went next door at the house where Erik's two sisters resided.
They were very shocked when they saw was a round source of light "like a giant flashlight" hanging in the air about 13 feet above the ground near that house.
A sort of whistling sound now came from the vicinity of the brook, as if it races along the ravine covered by dense vegetation nearby. They compared that sound to the whistling sound kids produce by blowing on a blade of grass held between the palms and thumbs of one's hands.
During the time they heard that whistling, they also heard quick and light footsteps from the direction of the brook. The steps were in series and now and then interrupted by a pause, but coming closer and closer.
Although they were frightened and puzzled, they had the courage to go along a little path to check the ravine.
Then, something suddenly jumped out from behind some bushes near them. It was about 35 feet away, and it was a small creature about 4 feet 4 four inches. It had its arms at its side, and stood with its head bent so that the face was not visible. It had a dark clothing, but as it was now 10:00 p.m. the youngsters could not be sure that the clothing itself was dark.
Inga thought it might be someone from the village and took a few steps toward the figure. As she did so, the figure raised its head and arms, in a motion that Erik would describe as jerky, uncertain, and "shimmying."
Erik grabbed Inga and shouted, "Look out, it is not a human being!"
The being had a very large head, completely out of proportion with the body, with the upper part seemingly covered by something dark which could have been either hair or a hood. Its eyes were large and dark, and its mouth and nose, not clearly distinguishable, formed an "X". Its arms and legs were very slender, and its legs plainly bowed. Its hands were clawed. It had two thin wire-like bands encircling its ankles and giving off an intensive white light. They did not observe the feet at all.
The youngsters were almost paralyzed by fear, and watched the being for a few more seconds, and then run away toward home.
When the being lifted its arms, it showed a box-like apparatus with a short protruding tube. The youngsters had the feeling it had to be heavy, because the being held it with both its hands. They thought it could be some weapon as the being was pointing the device at them, but nothing unusual happened.
The youngsters got home. The next day, they searched the place for clues of the being's presence.
Near their homes, they found 6 inches long footprints which seemed to have three toes. Near the bushes where the being appeared, they found some apples, split apart, with halfmoon-like marks clearly not made by any human or animal teeth or nails. A "slime" covered the cut surfaces of the apples and gave off a pungent and offensive "animal smell."
During the two next nights, Erik's older sisters heard soft footsteps and ticking and scraping sounds outside their home, and saw lights moving about the area. In the morning after the second incident, they found out that two shutters had been torn. The two youngsters subsequently did not dare to walk outside in the dark anymore.
The report was submitted to APRO by Mr. Rehn. The witnesses interviews were conducted by Sven Schalin, a competent civil engineer and seasoned UFO investigator.
Schalin believed their story, in view of the youngster's reputations and the seriousness and sincerity they displayed while he questioned them.
[Ref. jv1:] JACQUES VALLEE:
In his catalogue of UFO landings sightings, Jacques Vallée indicates that on August 23, 1967, at 08:00 p.m., in Kolmarden, Sweden, a boy and a girl, both aged 15, noticed a red glow coming down in the woods.
Later, they saw a large source of light in mid-air and heard piercing whistling sounds, then footsteps, and saw a jumping creature, 10 meters away, about 1.30 meters tall and with a disproportionate head.
It made jerky motions, raised a tube in its arms, and had a "shimmering" appeareance.
Vallée indicates that his source is "A.P.R.O., Sept. 1967."
[Ref. js1:] JACQUES SCORNAUX:
This ufologist indicates that on August 23, 1967 at approximately 8 p.m., a young man and a 15 year old girl were walking near woods close to Kolmarden in Sweden, when they witnessed various luminous phenomena: a reddish gleam which moved back and forth above the trees, then approached, became white, and seemed to land close to a brook. They saw yellowish lights in an unused shack, a large white and round light hovering 3 meters above the ground.
They heard various sounds successively: low noises in the hut, then a shrieking whistle sound and the noises of fast and light footsteps coming from the surroundings of the brook. These steps stopped from time to time, then started again and came closer.
They suddenly saw a humanoid entity, 1.30 meters tall, spout out from behind a bush within 10 meters of them. Its movements were shaky, it wore dark clothes and had an abnormally large head, while its arms and legs were very thin. A fine wire surrounding the ankles emitted a sharp white light. This being held within its two hands an apparently heavy box from which emerged a short tube in which was the gleam of an electric arc.
The two frightened witnesses rushed inside their nearby house.
The next day, some 25 centimeters long deep prints with three toes were found.
Weird lights and sounds, like light footsteps noises, scratching sounds and tick-tock sounds were still heard the following nights in the area.
Scornaux indicates that this case was the subject of a ufological investigation, and quotes the APRO Bulletin for September and October 1967 as a source which he could not get and which was cited in "UFOs the Whole Story" by Coral and Jim Lorenzen, Signet Books, 1969, pp. 278-280.
[Ref. jb1:] JEROME BEAU:
Jerome Beau indicates that at 8 p.m. on August 13, 1967, in Kolmarden in Sweden, a boy and a girl both 15 years old noticed a red gleam going down in the woods and saw thereafter a great source of light in the open air and heard piercing whistles, then footsteps, and saw a leaping creature, 10 meters away, approximately 1.30 meters tall. It had a head larger than the normal, made jerked movements, raised a tube in its arms, and had an "shimmering" appearance.
Beau indicates as source "Vallée 1969" citing "APRO Sep., 67."
[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
Donald Johnson indicates that on August 23, 1967 in Kolmarden, Sodermanland, Sweden a 15-year-old boy and girl, Erik and Inga, were walking together in the evening when they saw a reddish glow descend into the woods at 8:00 p.m.
When they reached an abandoned cabin, they saw a conical light beam cast onto its wall, and the red light re-appeared. Alarmed by this, they walked to the home of the boy's sisters, where they found a round, brightly luminous object hovering about 13 feet in the air.
Then they heard a whistling sound and footsteps, and finally a little being jumped out from behind some bushes, 35 feet away. The being was 4 feet 4 inches tall, and its face was at first completely in shadow.
Then it jerkily raised its head and arms, holding a box from which a short tube protruded. Its head was very large covered by hair or a helmet. It had large dark eyes, and a nose and mouth that together formed an "X." It was bowlegged, and around each ankle was a brilliant, white glowing wire.
The witnesses ran for home.
The next day at the site the boy found some apples that had been broken apart, some with the marks of five fingernails or claws on the broken surface. Other apples were coated with a foul smelling slime. Also found outside the house were deep, odd footprints, 6 inches long and with three-toe marks.
Don Johnson indicates that the source is David F. Webb and Ted Bloecher's "HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports", case 1967-82, citing K. Gosta Rehn, APRO and Sven Schalin; as well as Ted Phillips, Physical Traces Associated with UFO Sightings, case 712).
[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:
Albert Rosales indicates that in Kolmarden, Sweden, on August 23, 1967, at 11:00 p.m., a boy and a girl, both aged 15, were walking in the evening when they noticed a reddish glow descending into a wood.
When they reached an abandoned cabin, they saw a conical light glow on its wall, and the red light re-appeared. Alarmed by this, they walked to the home of the boy's sisters, where they found a round, brightly luminous object hovering about 13 feet in the air.
Then they heard a whistling sound and footsteps, and finally a little being jumped out from behind some bushes, 35 feet away. It was 4-foot 4 inches tall; its face was at first in shadow.
Then it jerkily raised its head and arms, holding a box from which a short tube protruded. Its head was very large covered by hair, or a helmet; it had large dark eyes, and a nose and mouth that together formed an "X." It was bowlegged, and around each ankle was a brilliant, white glowing wire.
The witnesses fled for home.
The next day at the site, the boy found some apples that had been broken apart, some with the mark of 5 fingernails, or claws, on the broken surface, and others that were coated with an ill smelling slime. Also, deep, strange, footprints, 6" long and with 3 toes were found outside their houses.
Albert Rosales indicates that the source is K. Gosta Rehn for APRO and Sven Schalin.
The closest I found in the direction of a confusion is that the nearby Kolmarden zoo housed gorillas and chimpanzees at the time and since then, and maybe the youngsters were frightened by an animal that escaped from there.
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The X shaped mouth and nose, the bowed legs, the whistle, the eaten out apples would more of less fit in. The luminous bangles at both legs should be checked, as a possible phosphorescent device used at the zoo. The 1.30 meter size, the fact that the being appeared behind bush rather than coming out or getting in a UFO, the poor lighting at that time, the fact that the witnesses were already frightened, are also to be kept in mind.
All this provides for at least a vaguely possible commonplace explanation which should have been checked back then in order to validate it or rebuke it.
| Id: | Topic: | Severity: | Date noted: | Raised by: | Noted by: | Description: | Proposal: | Status: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data | Severe | January 19, 2007 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Investigation notes and witnesses interviews not available. | Help needed. | Opened. |
| 2 | Ufology | Severe | January 19, 2007 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Possibility of confusion with animal possibly not considered or not investigated. | Help needed. | Opened. |
Extraterrestrial visitor or ape.
* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.
| Main Author: | Patrick Gross |
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| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Created/Changed By: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | January 19, 2007 | Creation, [lo1], [js11], [jb1], [dj1], [ar1]. |
| 0.2 | Patrick Gross | January 19, 2007 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | March 23, 2008 | Conversion from HTML4 to XHTML Strict. |
