Åke Franzén trying to catch one of the saucers (left) and in the historical Stonehenge environment (right).

Åke Franzén (1936-1995) was a Swedish ufologist, most well-known for his original, ufological search through contemporary  Swedish newspapers for stories about the Scandinavian ghost fliers   (in the 1930s). Franzén was an early member of Swedish UFO societies. His interest was always spurred by the more fantastic aspects of ufology, bordering on science fiction. In September 1968 Åke wrote to New York journalist John A. Keel, having just read about the sightings of ’Mothman’, in West Virginia. Keel immediately wrote back, suggesting Franzén should visit some Stockholm library and scan through the newspapers for the 1930s.

Åke enthusiastically did so, but forgot to write down the exact details and to note the sources for the ghost flier stories he found and reported to Keel. Reprimanded for this by Keel, Åke was asked to return and take more careful notes. "This is very, very, very important", Keel wrote. "I do hope you will try to put aside your own conclusions and review those events objectively." In another letter: "I know that it is hard work to go through old newspapers and copy down these items but in the end it will prove more fruitful than going out and sitting on hilltops and waiting for the UFOs to land."

Franzén´s translations became the raw material for a series of ghost flier articles in the Flying Saucer Review. Åke was one of the first ufologists to visit Dr. Tage Eriksson, who was the official Swedish Defence spokesman on UFOs, at his office.

Keel’s letters gave Åke new insights into his ’Mothman’ research and the young Swede decided to go to West Virginia to travel and meet the witnesses himself. He wrote Mary Hyre, one of the central persons in the West Virginia drama. The trip to the U.S. and West Virginia came about in the late summer of 1969 and cost Åke all his savings, more than 8.000 Swedish kronor.

In Point Pleasant, West Virginia - focal point of the ’Mothman’ syndrome - Åke met and fell in love with Linda Scarberry, one of the principal Point Pleasent witnesses. He spent five weeks traveling the area in the company of witnesses and local reporter Mary Hyre. All in all, Åke interviewed more than 30 witnesses. The sightings continued while he was there, but Åke was never able to see anything for himself.

Åke tried to get a job in the US to be able to stay with Linda. Failing this, he had to return to Sweden and his regular job as a civilian guardsman at the Swedish government’s offices. During the winter season of 1969-70 the intense communication between Linda and Åke (called "Honey" by Linda) was by letter, but in the spring of 1970 Linda's letters started to fade. A little more than a year after they had met, Linda finally wrote a farewell letter, stating she had met another man.

Franzén kept tabs on the Mothman and ghost flier affairs throughout the years, keeping up his contacts with John Keel, who visited Sweden and Åke's home in 1976, and with other researches he had met in the US. Åke also visited Warminster and Stonehenge to come closer to the strange phenomena of this world that always kept him wondering. He met Arthur Shuttlewood of Warminster fame, and Bob Rickard, publisher of the Fortean Times.

AFU’s files also holds Åke Franzén’s letters-to-the-editor published by several Swedish newspapers and books and magazines that he donated to us, or that came from Franzén’s home after his death (cataloged in our library). This includes a copy of "Operation Trojan Horse" signed by the author and much treasured by Franzén.

The Åke Franzén archive has been put in order by Sussie Andersson and Anders Liljegren.