Press Communiqué regarding aerial phenomena over Sweden, August 1946

This document is a press communiqué dated August 6, 1946, issued by Major Nils Ahlgren, Chief of the Air Defense Department of the Swedish Defense Staff. It addresses the ongoing investigation into aerial phenomena observed over Sweden during the summer of 1946. Major Ahlgren reports that the Defense Staff, in collaboration with the Air Administration and the Defense Research Institute, has been actively investigating these reports. He notes that while there was a surge of approximately 300 reports between July 9 and July 12, the frequency has since declined, though reports continue to arrive daily. The investigation has determined that many of these sightings are misidentifications of natural phenomena or aircraft, such as a waterspout being mistaken for a crash or an airplane at twilight being mistaken for a rocket. Ahlgren warns the public against 'rocket psychosis' and emphasizes the need for careful observation. Despite this, he acknowledges that a significant number of consistent reports suggest that some of the phenomena may indeed be rockets, potentially of German design given the state of technology at the end of the war. However, no physical parts or remains of such rockets have been recovered. The document also addresses the discovery of slag-like lumps in various locations, which have been analyzed and determined to be common slag rather than meteorites. While the theory of meteors cannot be entirely dismissed, the high volume of observations and the low altitude of the phenomena suggest they are not of celestial origin. The investigation remains ongoing, and no definitive statement regarding the true nature or origin of the phenomena can be made at this time.