The UFO observations of Edith Nicolaisen

With increasing fascination and interest I continue reviewing, organizing and scanning thousands of documents from the Parthenon archive. One of the oldest UFO collections housed at AFU, with many rare and unique items especially from the 1950s and 1960s. I would not hesitate to designate Miss Edith Nicolaisen - founder of the publishing house Parthenon in 1957 – the Mother of the Swedish UFO movement. Her pioneering work inspired thousands of people. There are aspects of her life that still remains something of an enigma, especially the scope and authenticity of her several UFO observations.

The authors, researchers, ufologists worldwide who donate their archives to AFU usually restrict the donated material to documents who are associated with their work and investigations. In the case of Edith Nicolaisen (1911-1986) with have received her entire personal archive including all records from the Parthenon publishing house. From a historical viewpopint this is exceedingly valuable, giving a profound insight into early UFO history.

Because of her extensive university education during the 1930s and 1940s, including medical studies at the University of Copenhagen, Edith´s prospects and future looked very bright. During the severe polio epidemic in Denmark 1952 she participated in the large-scale nursing work of more than 7.000 patients. Because of her valuable contribution during this period she was on July 7, 1953 rewarded with an invitation to Drottningholm Palace, the private residence of the Swedish royal family. This was followed by an invitation for cocktails, July 8, 1953, to the Danish Ambassador in Stockholm, Knud Aasge Monrad-Hansen.

Invitation to Drottningsholm Palace

Invitation to the Danish Ambassador i Stockholm

In 1954 Edith Nicolaisen was to enter a radically new life journey. Resting in a summer cottage by the Danish coast she read Flying Saucers Have Landed by Desmond Leslie and George Adamski and this book became the turning point of her life. Several years later she described this momentous event in a letter to Basil van den Berg: "The first book I read was that of Leslie-Adamski´s Flying Saucers Have Landed and something in me recognized the truth, however fantastic it all sounded to my intellect and narrow-minded teaching, we all have received. I am a Danish citizen, who in 1954 was faced with the difficult choice either to accept the doors suddenly flung open for an additional three years college-training in USA for a future career under WHO Geneve... or, to volunteer for the SAUCER-cause here in Sweden, which meant to chose the "thorny and stony" road of the lonesome pioneer. After a fierce fight between intellect and heart, the latter gained supremacy." (September 1, 1963).

Edith Nicolaisen 1946

Together with three Swedish ladies from the Theosophical Society (Adyar) Edith Nicolaisen founded Parthenon in 1957 and moved from Copenhagen to Hälsingborg, Sweden. In spite of a severe car accident, periods of illness and many other obstacles Ediths succeeded in publishing many of the early classics in UFO contactee literature. Here is a list of books published during the first years:

1957
Desmond Leslie, George Adamski, Flying Saucers Have Landed. Swedish edition: Flygande tefat har landat.

1958
George Adamski, Inside the Space Ships. Swedish edition: Ombord på rymdskepp. 2nd and 3rd, revised Swedish editions in 1968 and 1973.

Daniel Fry, The White Sands Incident. Swedish edition: Resa med flygande tefat. 2nd revised edition 1968.

1959
Elisabeth Klarer, I Flew in a Spaceship Over the Drakensberg. Swedish edition: I rymdskepp över Drakensberg.

Max B. Miller, Flying Saucers, Fact or Fiction? Swedish edition: Flygande tefat: fantasi eller verklighet?

Ray och Rex Stanford, Look Up. Swedish edition: Kontakt med rymdmänniskor.

1960

Daniel Fry, Alan´s Message. To Men of Earth. Swedish edition: Budskapet från rymden. 2nd revised edition 1968.

Beginning in 1954 Edith Nicolaisen lived a life of total dedication to what she regarded as her life mission, inspired by the space people. It was an austere and ascetic life. She became a vegetarian, often living long periods only on fruit juices. Working days often exceeding 16 hours. In a letter to Mrs. Harriet P. Foster, San Diego, USA, Edith explained her situation: ”Personally, I have burned my "candle in both ends a little shorter", and it is still my hope, before I shall have to leave my "physical mantel" behind me, worn out entirely from overwork and lack of sleep, to find genuine people of the type, which Alice Bailey called: "The suicide squad" to carry Parthenon´s' information work onward, as long as it will be needed.” (March 12, 1964).

To my knowledge Edith Nicolaisen never claimed personal telepathic messages from the space people, nor any physical encounters. She only mention ”inspiration” and having been ”chosen” for this life task. There are four UFO-observations referred to in her voluminous correspondence. As she seldom mention the exact date it is rather difficult finding other sources confirming her sightings. Here is a summary of the most interesting observations from various letters. The observations in the Austrian Alps, Summer 1955, 1956 and close encounter outside Linköping in November 1955 are often described together.

1955-1956, Austria and outside Linköping, Sweden
”From the very first  time I heard about ”Flying Saucers” coming from other planets, I believed it quite possible - to-day I am convinced! Had , too, the luck to see a ”Flying Saucer" of the Venusian type hovering some hundred meters about my head here in Sweden and last year

during my holidays in the Austrian mountains a huge mother ship passed at a distance of about 500 meters and at the same level majestic, soundless and with incredible speed! As it seems as if I belong to those ”elected ones", who always get the toughest jobs to solve in life, I felt it my duty to plant the banner of  ”Flying Saucers” on the top of ”Mount Everest" here in Sweden. ”
(Letter to Desmond Leslie, Sept. 18, 1956).

”In November 1955 on a moonlit evening between 22-23 p.m. about 15 km south of Linköping while waiting in my car for a train to pass, I suddenly caught sight of a beautiful green-light far above the way-lin´s green signal-light. In order to see better I rolled down the car-pane on the left side and put out my head – and there a few hundred meters above the ground a big bell-shaped ”Flying Saucer” with portholes and landing gears was suspended in the air.. In the clear moonlight it looked like a magnificient silhouette of the world-famous Venusian-scout-design. From one side of the portholes shone a shaft of green light and from the other a shaft of orange light. (The colours and the intensity reminded much about our most beautiful neon-light advertisements.) As I had time to watch this ”silhouette” suspended in the air for 2 á 3 minutes before it disappeaed of sight, I noticed the details as above described. The next day a local newspaper reported that five people south of Linköping had observed a ”Flying Saucer”. The description of the observers tallied with my own observation.”

Letter to Cosmic Brotherhood Association, Yokohama, Japan, March 1, 1962).

Photo by George Adamski, Dec. 13, 1952

 ”Personally, I believe they are they same Brothers who visited George Adamski at Palomar Hill, for after having contacted  G . via correspondence , shortly after a few month for the first time I observed Fl . Saucers at a close distance - the first a Venusian Scout ship - exact of the same form and size as that G.A . photographed on Palomar Hill - later a year after a enormous size of a Space Ship passed my nose at a close distance high up in the Austrian mountains .

I gasped as a 12 year old school child.”

(Letter to George Adamski, Vista, California, March 27, 1963)

”As I have had the opportunity to watch space-ships on many occasions I know that the photos of G.A. are genuine. Particular two occasions, I remember: In 1955 here i Sweden about 15 km south of Linköping I wa tched a Venusian scout-craft with four port-holes howering for  several minutes and at a very close distance. And in 1956 while standing on a mountain..plateau in the Austrian Alps, a huge mothership passed silently, but with great speed close to the plateau, both mentioned spacecraftss were of the exact type and appearance as those G.A. took by help of his telescope and Brownie-camera from Palomor Garden… If you happen to have photos of a scoutcraft with four portholes in your files, I should appreciate  veiry much to get photoprint in black-white reproduction. Unfortunately only three portholes can be seen on the scout-craft which G.A. took.  In O.p.R. he speaks about four portholes.”

(Letter to Desmond Leslie, Jan. 17, 1968).

”Concerning the Venusian-scout-ship with four port-holes! I read with interest what you write on page 373 in ”Piece for A Jig-saw”: ”… in order to suit the format of the book Waveney Girvan trimmed the photo of the scout-ship to size…” It does not sound very convincing, because why didn´t he diminish the photo to right size for block-making fitting the page in the book? The photos of scout-crafts received from G.A. during 1957 for block-making had only three port-holes. But in autumn 1955 about 15 km south of Linköping here in Sweden I watched a Venusian scout-ship of exact the same type and form as that outside the cover of the English edit. Of ”Flying Saucers Have Landed”, and it had four portholes. From one side of the scout-craft a strong neon-like orange light and from the other side a strong green-neon-like light was beaming, as it was very close I had time to watch all the details. Therefore, it would be of interest, if we Adamski-friends could get hold of a photo of a scout-ship with four port-holes. Try to contact Desmond Leslie who visited George Adamski in 1954, he may have among his collection of saucer-pictures a photo-print of the Venusian scout-ship with four port-holes.
(Letter to Leonard G. Cramp, Isle of Wight, Feb. 18, 1968).

”If you find a photo-print of a Venusian-Scout-ship – the Adamski-type with four portholes, please let us know, as all the photoprints which we received from G.A. for the mentioned two books had only three portholes. Personally, I know that G.A. is right, when he speaks about four portholes, as I have seen a Venusian-space-craft (of exact the same type and form as that reproduced on the cover of the English edit. Of ”Flying Saucers Have Landed”) at a very close distance about 15 km south of Linköping here in Sweden in 1955 – and it had four portholes.”
(Letter to Gray Barker, March 9, 1968)

”Since my first contact with G.A. in 1954, I knew that he had seen and photographed the type of spaceships as reproduced in his book: ”Inside the sp.sh.” because I have watched the same types at a very close distance both here in Sweden and in the Austrian mountains. So in spaite of all the fierce attacks on G.A. I do know that his photos are genuine.”
(Letter to Ingo Swann, United Nations, New York, April 18, 1969).

”The mentioned photo of the scout-ship taken by Tahalitha at Merlin, means a treasure to me too, due to the fact that in November 1955 on my way to Stockholm a scout-ship of exact the same appearance manifested above my head 15 km south of Linköping while waiting in my little car for a train to pass, it was late in the evening – and may be, in order to draw my attention, - a strong green light was beaming from one side of the craft and a strong orange light from the opposite site. Later I understood it meant a greeting and an encouragement from our Brothers to overcome all adversities and difficulties which the information-work about the UFOs and the Brothers messages to man of Earth would cause here in Sweden, indeed beyond imagination and description. Thanks to these greetings and encouragements in critical hours, I got the  needed inner strength to face and to overcome the adversities of all sorts and to continue the new-age-information-work of Parthenon during the latter 17th years here in Sweden.”

(Letter to Daniel and Tahalita Fry and Kerttu Campbell, Jan. 10, 1975).

Photo by Tahahlita Fry, Merlin, Oregon Nov. 1968

The close encounter with the scout-ship in November 1955 is of special interest as Edith write that a group of people had also observed this craft and that this was mentioned the day after in a local paper. I have always surmised that it must have been a local paper published nearby the observation site but it could of course have been published in any local Swedish paper. Nothing has been found in the local papers of Östergötland but If I could find the article and it would confirm Ediths observation that would certainly be finding the smoking gun. If any of my UFO colleagues and friends in Sweden would like to check local papers, November 1955 it would be greatly appreciated.

October 24, 1957, Hälsingborg, Sweden

”I woke up early that morning with anticipation and joy at heart – without knowing what was going to happen that day – before two silver discs passed our window here. When the first one passed about 8 o´clock I wore no glasses and therefore could not see it clearly – and I felt a great disappointment – about 20 minutes later another disc caming rolling along an invisible line. – when I appeared on the balcony and sent them my greetings of welcome and vawed my hands to them it stopped and lingered a while before it shot off in the far distance. This greeting on the day PARTHENON  started its work here in Sweden has been my light and hope thorugh all difficulties during this winter.”

(Letter to George Adamski, Palomar Terraces, California, November 11, 1958).

”The following incident ascertains that it was not a self-appointment or an imagination!

On the 24th of October l957, the day PARTHENON started its new-age-acitivity here in Sweden, distributing the first "Flying Saucer-books, in the morning between 8:-8.30 a.m. a large SILVER DISC with sharp contours from which surface the October sunlight was reflected from its surface, - came rolling along an invisible line and stopped at a short distance in front of our balcony wobling for some minutes - a time enough to get thoughts of greetings before it shot away at an immense speed disappearing into the 4th dimension. This incident had been foretold one and a half year ahead by a highly spiritual-minded lady during my stay in Stockholm: "The day you start PARTHENON's NEW-AG-wo rk here in Sweden, you will

get a greeting from our VENUSIAN friends!”

(Letter to Tarna L. Halsey, Los Angeles, June 6, 1966).

Together with Parthenon co-workers leaving for the DUIST UFO congress in Wiesbaden 1972. From left: Ronny Hellborgssson, Edith Nicolaisen, Ebbe Johansson, Pia Ringstrand, Hellborg Johansson

May 1970, Malung, Sweden

”At the time I was on the point of giving up a 12 years` pioneering work here in Sweden, once more Parthenon´s friends from space manifested themselves on the physical plane as they did on the 24th of October 1957, the day Parthenon started its information work here in Sweden. On my arrival in the evening just at sunset at Malung, a town in the northern part of Sweden, a silver-disk hang suspended in the air and when I ”complained” telepathic that it was difficult to see the brim due to the dusk a few seconds after the thoughts had been received, the whole brim was glowing with light. Later when I entered my room in a remote hotel-annex, it got filled with light and blessings beyond words – and something extraordinary happened, which I prefer to related orally. This experience gave me the encouragement needed to continue.”
(Letter to the Findhorn Community, Oct. 17, 1970):

There are still hundreds of documents to review in the Parthenon archive and thousands of letters to peruse. Hopefully I will find some more clues regarding the observations and the remarkable life of the UFO pioneer Edith Nicolaisen.

The Esoteric Intervention Theory - Updated

For several years I have in various blog posts presented different aspects of the UFO contact enigma and esotericism. To give all readers and research colleagues a summary of my writings I have made a somewhat updated version of the Esoteric Intervention Theory, which, has been my main working hypothesis since many years. For in-depth documentation follow the links or use the search engine at the upper left corner of the blog.

In common with UFO researchers Allen Hynek and Jacques Vallee I have one foot in empirical science, critical investigation and one foot in the Esoteric Tradition. From this vantage point or paradigm I have advanced the theory that some of the physical UFO contactees of the 1950s were involved in a cultural and psychological influence test. An experiment implemented by a group of benevolent aliens, earth based or extraterrestrial, a group with access to highly advanced “vimana” technology. This test was done in co-operation with the custodians of the Ancient Wisdom (Higher Intelligence Agency), using a new type of phenomena as attraction as they used spiritualist phenomena in connection with the founding of the Theosophical Society in 1875.

A brief summary of my arguments for seriously considering this theory:

1. Many years of investigating and documenting physical contact cases have convinced me that some individuals (very few) have actually met and communicated with “aliens” from somewhere.

2. In spite of their faults and personality idiosyncrasies there is circumstantial evidence that the following contactees were involved in a cultural and psychological test: George Adamski, Orfeo Angelucci, Daniel Fry, George Van Tassel, Howard Menger.

3. The contact experiences of journalist Paul M.Vest indicates that the test was a carefully orchestrated plan by this benevolent group.

4. The message or information presented to these contactees is a somewhat simplified version of the Esoteric Tradition with basic ideas such as: a multiverse reality, reincarnation, universal laws for the evolution of consciousness, Earth a quarantined or “prison planet”, man not alone in the universe etc. In order to detect and understand the similarity in ideas between the contactee messages and esotericism a thorough acquaintance with the works of Helena Blavatsky, Alice Bailey and Henry T. Laurency is required.

5. The “hidden hand” similarities between the outbreak of spiritualist phenomena in the 19th century and UFO phenomena in the 1940s and 50s. In the Esoteric Tradition this hidden hand is the planetary guardians, the custodians of the Ancient Wisdom (scientists of the multiverse) using "phenomena" to expand the worldview and consciousness of man.

6. The assertion, in the 1930s and 40s, by AliceBailey´s teacher the Tibetan D.K. that "extraplanetary beings "stand ready to intervene" and "offer their help at this time".

7. To determine whether this version of the Esoteric Intervention Theory is tenable and will stand the test of time and critical analysis, much further research is required. Investigation and documentation of empirical evidence coupled with an advanced and serious study of the Esoteric Tradition. This is an intellectual challenge for the coming generation of open-minded researchers who enter the domain of ”forbidden science”.

Who Is The Photographer?

In several blog posts I have commented on the three photographs of a bell-shaped craft allegedly taken by Tahahlita Fry in Merlin, Oregon on November 1968. These photos have been reproduced innumerable times in books and magazines, often with different dates and claims that they were actually taken by other people. In the Parthenon correspondence file at AFU we have original letter from Tahahlita Fry, describing how she took the photos. I have generally regarded all other claims as highly dubious. But recently a new source have appeared that deepens the mystery.

Tahahlita Fry

Info on backside of photo

In her letter June 2, 1969 to Edith Nicolaisen, Sweden, Tahahlita Fry, second wife of Daniel Fry, narrates how and when she took the photos in Merlin, Oregon, November 1968. Her friend Mrs. Wilma ”Billie” Thompson was also present on this occasion, but none of them observed the craft. They were surprised to find a bell-shaped craft on the pictures when the drug store had the roll developed. Tahahlita`s handwriting is rather difficult to read but with the help of Timothy Good I have made a reasonable interpretation. There is no exact date given in the letter and Edith Nicolaisen asked two times about this in their correspondence but Tahahlita never answered this question. Her comment that ”I have never seen one open before” is enigmatic.

Dear ones at the Parthenon,

Bless you all. Just mailed the book to ………… We thank you so much. You will find enclosed two pictures of UFO taken over Merlin, Oregon November 1968. A clear blue sky. I was taking pictures of the parlor to send to friends in Florida who wanted to come here to live so – a truck went by our freeway – or interstate 5. I took the truck and then my camera seemed to snap without me doing any thing. My dear friend Mrs Billie Thompson was with me, so we used a roll of film and then I started all over again to try and be sure I got proper snapshots to send away. I did get good ones too. I am sending you 2 of them. I have never seen one open before. …. once in a very big glow…
Wishing you all good luck.
All love and good wishes go to you
Sincerely
Tahalita Fry

Daniel and Tahahlita Fry 1965

Edith Nicolaisen received two different photos but the craft appeared on three. Whether she received the third photo later I have not been able to find out but we have one copy at AFU. When Timothy Good visited Daniel Fry and his third wife Florence in 1976, Dan told that Tahahlita did not see the craft when she took the pictures. The camera started to click the shutter by itself six times. In a email to me February 6, 2012 Timothy Good mentioned this interview: As you know, I spent a lot of time with Dan and his second wife Florence when I stayed at his home in Arizona with Lou Zinstag in 1976, and he gave me two  large colour prints of that craft. I've just gone through our correspondence, and this is what Florence wrote to me on August 29, 1977: "About Tahalita's picture [sic] - Dan states that Tah did not see the ship and disclaimed the pictures when they were presented to her because she didn't recognize them. Finally one picture was of a mutual friend and she accepted the role [roll?] of them. The camera simply snapped itself six consecutive times and when the roll was developed there were the spaceship pictures. . ." Timothy Good sent me copies of the color prints he received from Daniel Fry.

Prints received by Timothy Good

Timothy Good also sent me a copy from a magazine called Lotus Leaves, Feb-March 1974, with an interesting comment on the photo with the open section. Lotus Leaves was a newsletter published by the Lotus Ashram, Miami, Florida. This was a spiritualist fellowship headed by Dr. Noel Street and his wife Coleen.

The Tahahlita photograhs were published in many books and magazines, often with differing and rather confusing data. George Van Tassel published one of the photos on the front page of his magazine Proceedings 1978, with this comment: ”This photograph was taken by Tahahlita Wiese, in September of 1969. She, and a friend, were standing on a hill taking photographs of her property downhill from where they were, near the Interstate 5, Merlin, Oregon interchange. We reprint the picture here with the permission of Mrs. Wiese.” Both the month and year are here incorrect. Tahahlita had married Mr. Harold Wiese around 1970.

Some further interesting data are presented in a short note in the magazine UFO Universe, vol. 1, no 2, September 1988. But as usual the month and year is incorrect, stating September 1972. Very interesting though is the statement that Tahahlita  heard a ”peculiar humming sound in the sky. We are also informed that the camera was a Yashica and that negatives exist. I asked Sean Donovan, custodian of the Understanding archive if he had these negatives but they were not to be found among the archive he has salvaged, and now present on his excellent website.

Anyone searching the internet for information on the Tahalita photos will soon find the assertion that they were actually taken by an engineer named Fritz Van Nest on March 21, 1968. The location is given as eight miles south of Kanab, Utah. The first ufologist to make this statement, from what I have found, is Wendelle Stevens in the article Bell-Shaped UFOs, published in Official UFO, vol 1, no 4, November 1975. Stevens gives a very detailed report of the incident, appearently from a first hand source. Rather sensational is the claim that Fritz Van Nest was a working colleague with famous UFO Skeptic Dr. Donald Menzel. I corresponded with Wendelle Steven 1981-1991 but unfortunately never asked him about these photos.

On July 30, 2008 a man calling himself TruthSeeker wrote a short note on the Daniel Fry website. According to TruthSeeker Tahalita Fry took the photos but they were ”stolen by her real estate agent, Fritz Van Nest, who later made several attempts to profit from the photos. I was surprised to find that on the same website the daughter of Fritz Van Nest (Alix Van Nest) disputed this claim: ”My father is Fritz Van Nest. That is ridiculous that my father stole any picture from anyone. I personally have the original picture in my possession. I´ve had it since I was a little girl. He always told me it was real, and after returning home after seeing that thing there was always a telescope up looking at the sky. To say he tried to profit from the photo is offensive, he was a scientist, never a real estate agent. I´ve never heard of the person who you credit that the photo was stolen from.And since I have the original I think you had better research your sources before you slander my fathers name.”

In an effort to resolve this enigma of opposing statements I wrote an email to Alix Van Nest on January 12 this year, but so far no answer. Neither have I been able to find specific data on Fritz Van Nest. If he was a ”well-known and highly respected geophysical engineer”, according to Wendelle Stevens, there ought to be some information of his life and career on the internet.

Adding to the confusion on this issue is the website of Neil Slade who claim this his friend Henry Rowland from Denver received the photo in the 1970s from a client for whom he was doing landscape work in California. The photo had been taken by his brother. And the list of people who are said to be the photographer goes on and on. So far the earliest data on these photos comes from the personal letter from Tahalita Fry. Perhaps some of my research colleagues out there have more first-hand data that can possibly solve this complicated photo enigma?