Von Rosen's Nefarious Mission
By Jamie Bisher
September, 1916, found von Rosen back in Stockholm after a trip to Berlin. He busily procured supplies for his mysterious mission
while Stärky and Graaf relayed them from Stockholm more than five hundred miles north to Gallivare, Sweden. Powerful thermite explosive was packaged in two-kilo and four-kilo corned beef tins, then packed in cases marked "Svea Kjott"--"Swedish Meat." Into the stockpile at Gallivare also went a quantity of magnesium to ignite the thermite and--a schoolboy's dream--an ingenious incendiary device disguised as a pencil.
while Stärky and Graaf relayed them from Stockholm more than five hundred miles north to Gallivare, Sweden. Powerful thermite explosive was packaged in two-kilo and four-kilo corned beef tins, then packed in cases marked "Svea Kjott"--"Swedish Meat." Into the stockpile at Gallivare also went a quantity of magnesium to ignite the thermite and--a schoolboy's dream--an ingenious incendiary device disguised as a pencil.
Von Rosen and his agents moved their arsenal from Gallivare to Vitangi, nearer the Finnish border. Soon thereafter, the Russians reinforced their guards on the Finnish-Swedish border and the foursome moved their deadly wares north to Soppero, Sweden. Despite their claims that they were prospectors, the local sheriff at Soppero insisted on searching their baggage. Von Rosen and his men "confided" that they were smuggling medicines to the Finnish rebels. The skeptical sheriff opened a can of "Swedish Meat," but the suspects managed to convince him that the peculiar substance within was actually beef extract. When the lawman started to cook it though, the conspirators confessed that it was really an explosive. The sheriff took them into custody. Out of curiosity, he casually tested a modest sample of thermite. The resulting explosion rattled every house for miles around. One-half ton of the stuff had already been delivered to the Finnish guerrillas. Not knowing this, the sheriff released von Rosen and his men after confiscating their entire stock of the volatile "Swedish meat."
When the Baron, Jokela, Stärky and Graaf departed Soppero, they still carried a load of asparagus cans full of incendiary pencils that
escaped the sheriff’s detection. A number of fuses, some powdered magnesium explosive and von Rosen's biological weaponry had also gone undetected. Von Rosen's resolute expedition pushed on to Karesuando, Sweden's northernmost town. They were determined to contact the rebel organization even as the arctic winter's chilling shadow crept across Lappland. On December 6, 1916, after several unsuccessful trips into Russian Finland from Karesuando, the agents relocated their base to Kautokeino, Norway. Graaf stayed behind in Sweden.
From Kautokeino and a small mountain shelter nearby, they probed behind Russian lines on skis or mounted atop reindeer, hoping to rendezvous with Finnish guerrillas. Even for these experienced outdoorsmen, daily marches through the arctic wasteland in
wintertime were grueling torment. Stärky fell ill.
When the Baron, Jokela, Stärky and Graaf departed Soppero, they still carried a load of asparagus cans full of incendiary pencils that
escaped the sheriff’s detection. A number of fuses, some powdered magnesium explosive and von Rosen's biological weaponry had also gone undetected. Von Rosen's resolute expedition pushed on to Karesuando, Sweden's northernmost town. They were determined to contact the rebel organization even as the arctic winter's chilling shadow crept across Lappland. On December 6, 1916, after several unsuccessful trips into Russian Finland from Karesuando, the agents relocated their base to Kautokeino, Norway. Graaf stayed behind in Sweden.
From Kautokeino and a small mountain shelter nearby, they probed behind Russian lines on skis or mounted atop reindeer, hoping to rendezvous with Finnish guerrillas. Even for these experienced outdoorsmen, daily marches through the arctic wasteland in
wintertime were grueling torment. Stärky fell ill.
Christmas 1916, was spent in a village called Sitsajavre. From there, a Lapp guide showed them a way over the mountains to Annarjokka. It was the darkest time of year, when the sun never rose above the horizon. Temperatures dropped to -40 degrees Centigrade and von Rosen and his men suffered unimaginable hardship, but finally they met up with the Finnish rebels.
They used reindeer, not only to haul their deadly cargo, but also, according to von Rosen's diary, to carry out mounted raids on Russian outposts. With horsedrawn carriages they transported food and other supplies to the rebels. Entries in the Baron's diary testified to spreading not only anthrax, but typhus as well, throughout northern Finland.
They used reindeer, not only to haul their deadly cargo, but also, according to von Rosen's diary, to carry out mounted raids on Russian outposts. With horsedrawn carriages they transported food and other supplies to the rebels. Entries in the Baron's diary testified to spreading not only anthrax, but typhus as well, throughout northern Finland.
Copyright 2014, Jamie Bisher.