Like all of society UFO-Sweden has been forced to
redirect activities because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 50 years anniverary
planned on April 17-19 in Norrköping has been postponed and can hopefully be
arranged during the Autumn of 2020. Now when we are all adviced to minimize
social gatherings is the perfect time for some UFO-Sweden nostalgia. This time
recollections from earlier decades when much of UFO-Sweden´s social activity
was concentrated in a building not far from the city of Enköping, a site referred
to by UFO-Sweden members as the UFO Cottage.
The UFO Cottage
The middle 1970s was a time of intensive activity in
UFO-Sweden. Many new local groups were formed and there was a high demand for
public lectures and much media interest in UFOs and the UFO movement. The local
UFO-Sweden unit Enköpings UFO-förening (Enköping UFO Society) was founded in
1976 and soon developed into one of the most active local groups. In 1980 Mr.
Arnold Idebring (1921-2011) was elected chairman and the group succeeded in
hiring a cottage at Ulunda, outside Enköping. A large inauguration was arranged
on August 10, 1980 with some 30 participants, including the then UFO-Sweden
chairman Christer Nordin.
Enköpings-Posten August 12, 1980
For 30+ years the UFO Cottage was a center for
UFO-Sweden activities: board meetings, lectures, seminars and a variety of
social gatherings and parties. Beginning in 1976 the local group kept an open house
at the cottage every Wednesday evening, where members and others interested in UFOs
could get together for a chat and a cup of coffee.
Seminar at the cottage, coding of UFO reports. From left Sten Lindgren, Bertil Kuhlemann
March 21, 1987 UFO-Sweden planning conference at the UFO cottage
December 12, 1987, Christmas party at the cottage
Arnold Idebring was a talented artist and he loved
to create badges and UFO models for the many local units. Some of these were
used as decorations on the walls of the UFO cottage. These beautiful
decorations can now be found on the walls at the AFU headquarters.
Arnold Idebring´s badges at the cottage
September 18, 1988, Autumn festivity at the cottage
Beginning in 1980 Arnold Idebring was one of the principal
editors of UFO Allehanda, the newsletter published by Enköpings UFO-förening. Arnold
never wrote any UFO books but published a wide variety of amusing and historical
articles in the local newsletter, often using the headline In the Head of an Old
Man. Between 1985-1990 he also edited the UFO-Sweden newsletter Lokal
Information. Arnold Idebring left us on New Years Ewe 2011. He will always be
remembered as a idealist and one of the hardworking pillars of UFO-Sweden.
Arnold Idebring
Interview with Arnold Idebring, Enköpings-Posten February 2, 1981
Another important member of Enköpings UFO-förening
was Jörgen Granlie (1929-2013), for many years one of the leading lights of
Swedish ufology. He started his ufological career in 1976 as board member of Enköpings
UFO-förening. Between 1978-2011 Jörgen served as board member of UFO-Sweden in
several capacities: vice chairman, secretary and treasurer. He was also an
active field investigator, always meticulous in research and documentation. The
older generation of Swedish ufologists also remember him as a skilled
instructor at the annual UFO-Sweden Field Investigator training seminars in the
1970ies and 80ies. Jörgen Granlie worked as an engineer all his life. He was a
practical man, a doer and idealist always ready to lend a hand with hard work.
At the UFO Cottage Jörgen was often seen
moving the lawn, fixing the plumbing or doing general maintenance work.
Former UFO-Sweden chariman Christer Nordin and Jörgen Granlie 1981
Jörgen Granlie at UFO-Sweden board meetings October 12, 1996
In 2011 UFO-Sweden was
ordered to move out of the UFO Cottage as the municipality, who owned the house,
had decided it was to be demolished. It was with a sense of sadness and
nostalgia that UFO-Sweden arranged the last board meeting at the UFO Cottage on
March 19, 2011. With mixed feelings the house was emptied of all UFO documents
and parafernalia and then the members of the board said goodby to this
historical place and building. When Clas Svahn, a few months later, passed by
the site, the house was gone. Many of the UFO-Sweden members will always cherish
the memory and the happy times at the UFO Cottage.
Former UFO-Sweden chariman Clas Svahn. Board meeting at the UFO Cottage April 10, 2010
The UFO-Sweden board at the last board meeting at the UFO Cottage March 19, 2011
UFO-Sweden board member Gunnar Karlsson at the site of now demolished UFO Cottage, March 17, 2012
