Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Tourist finds WWII refugee's message in a bottle

Tandem · 07-27-2003, 06:30 PM

A bottle found on a Swedish beach contains a plea for help from an Estonian refugee written 60 years ago, a Swedish newspaper reports.

The regional daily Soedermanlands Nyheter reports the yellowed paper, dated 1943, and its bottle were found on a beach in south-eastern Sweden by a Swiss tourist.

In the message, Estonian refugee Maja Westerman asks in broken English if World War II has finished yet.

The newspaper published a Swedish translation of the text.

"Dear friend, we live on an island. We came here a year ago... the lighthouse keeper's family is very kind... is the war finished ... we wait for peace and friendship," Ms Westerman wrote.

Her note says she was on Gotska Sandoen island.

Refugees from the Baltic states fled to Sweden during the 1939-1945 war, as their countries were occupied by the Nazis and the Soviets.

Many sought refuge on the island of Gotska Sandoen in the middle of the Baltic, some 100 kilometres off the Swedish coast.

The message's finder, Thorsten Schwarz, says he would now try to track down Ms Westerman - using the Internet.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s910721.htm

07-27-2003, 06:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tandem Insane Location: Brisbane, Australia	Tourist finds WWII refugee's message in a bottle A bottle found on a Swedish beach contains a plea for help from an Estonian refugee written 60 years ago, a Swedish newspaper reports. The regional daily Soedermanlands Nyheter reports the yellowed paper, dated 1943, and its bottle were found on a beach in south-eastern Sweden by a Swiss tourist. In the message, Estonian refugee Maja Westerman asks in broken English if World War II has finished yet. The newspaper published a Swedish translation of the text. "Dear friend, we live on an island. We came here a year ago... the lighthouse keeper's family is very kind... is the war finished ... we wait for peace and friendship," Ms Westerman wrote. Her note says she was on Gotska Sandoen island. Refugees from the Baltic states fled to Sweden during the 1939-1945 war, as their countries were occupied by the Nazis and the Soviets. Many sought refuge on the island of Gotska Sandoen in the middle of the Baltic, some 100 kilometres off the Swedish coast. The message's finder, Thorsten Schwarz, says he would now try to track down Ms Westerman - using the Internet. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s910721.htm Last edited by Cynthetiq; 07-28-2003 at 05:11 AM..