Nazis beyond the North Pole

Admiral Richard E Byrd was a famous American explorer of both the Arctic and Antarctica. He passed away in 1957. For whatever reason, his name became posthumously associated with a bizarre hoax, a “secret diary” in which Byrd is supposed to have detailed his encounters with UFOs. The publication history of the “diary” isn't entirely clear to me. The diary itself is dated 1956. It was mentioned in 1959 by one F Amadeo Giannini in “Worlds Beyond the Poles”. Apparently, Ray Palmer – the pulp magazine editor and ufologist extraordinaire – commented on Admiral Byrd's alien encounter shortly afterwards. Palmer concocted a story about how the federal government had confiscated all copies of the December 1959 issue of “Flying Saucers” magazine (of which Palmer himself was the editor). The ostensible purpose was to stop the truth about Byrd's discoveries from ever reaching the public. Finally, in 1964 one Raymond W Barnard (real name Walter Siegmeister) published a book titled “The Hollow Earth”, in which he discusses Byrd's diary and Palmer's claims.

This is the “diary” itself. It's rather short and perhaps not worth nine dollars. It's also obviously a hoax. The “diary” is a story of alien contact or abduction, typical of its time, with Byrd cast in the role of contactee or abductee. Written when contact with UFO occupants was seen as benign, the aliens turn out to be highly spiritually evolved and want to stop us from detonating more atomic bombs. Their leader is called The Master (obviously one of the Ascended Masters of Theosophy). More bizarre are the Nazi traits. The aliens are called Arianni, speak English with a German accent and are described as blond Nordic types! Their craft carry swastika-like insignia. However, this could also be a Theosophical trait: the swastika is a Buddhist symbol used by Theosophists, and Theosophy founder Madame Blavatsky regarded the Aryans as the most spiritually advanced race (however, she included the dark-skinned peoples of northern India in this race, hardly Nordic types). Speculations about an advanced Aryan civilization at the North Pole are a chapter in itself, but Bal Gangadhar Tilak's “The Arctic Home in the Vedas” (1903) can be mentioned here. Blavatsky believed in “polar” and “hyperborean” civilizations, but they weren't Aryan in her version. The whole “diary” sounds almost like a parody of Theosophy, with the Nazi aliens cast as radiant peaceful creatures who only want what's best for us. I have no idea who wrote it, but I suppose Ray Palmer might be a prime suspect. It's interesting to note that Barnard seems to have been into both Theosophy and Anthroposophy.

A curious trait with Admiral Byrd's diary is that Byrd (or rather his fictitious persona) doesn't encounter the aliens in outer space. Rather, the Earth turns out to be hollow! During an attempt to fly over the North Pole, Byrd accidentally flies right inside the opening to the subterranean world where he discovers lush vegetation, a living mammoth and a rainbow city inhabited by the Nordics. The Hollow Earth angle is vintage Palmer, who had rocked the world with “The Shaver Mystery” already in 1946. The mystery story was set in an underground world inhabited by intelligent alien-like beings. Theosophists, Anthroposophists and the Theosophy-derived I AM Movement (which had Nazi affinities) were also interested in occult truths about the subterranean realms.

Those who believe in the veracity of Admiral Richard Byrd's lost diary belong to the outer edges of ufology or even neo-Nazism, so this is definitely fringe material. Yet, it's surprisingly well known fringe material. I've heard about it already as a kid, since Hilary Evans' excellent book “UFO: The Greatest Mystery” mentions the hollow earth and Byrd's supposed expedition beyond the North Pole. Not sure how to rate this material. It feels like two-and-a-half stars.