Conspiracy 58
Encyclopedia
Conspiracy 58 is a Swedish
mockumentary
from 2002, made by producers from the national public service, which claims that the 1958 FIFA World Cup
in Sweden
didn't really take place, but was staged as a television and radio event between American
and Swedish Television
, the CIA and FIFA
as part of a Cold War
strategy. It is claimed that Sweden did not have the economic or technical resources to promote such an event. The main reason for the Americans' involvement, according to the theory, was to find out if propaganda on television
had any influence on viewers and if such methods could be used as political weapons.
A large amount of evidence was presented. For example, there was analysis of television recordings at the matches, where houses can be seen in the backgrounds that never actually stood there. The programme also analyzed how the shadows of the players in the field were falling, and were angled in a way that is not possible in Sweden if you study the position of the sun at the time. The Chairman of the association, Bror Jacques de Wærn, who was employed in the Swedish National Agency for more than twenty years, claims that he has looked for evidence that the tournament really took place, but didn't find anything.
After the end of the film it was revealed that it was a hoax
. Despite this, many people still believed in it, as the hoax was not revealed in the film itself. It took several days until the newspapers actually announced it was all made up by the producers. The film was reported by Swedish viewers to the Swedish Broadcasting Commission
numerous times, but it was declared that the broadcaster did not violate ethical rules.
The aim of the movie, according to the director Johan Löfstedt, was to illustrate how historical denial (in particular Holocaust denial
) works and to highlight the importance of source criticism
when getting information from, for example, the media.
The majority of the characters in the film are real celebrities who were playing themselves.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
from 2002, made by producers from the national public service, which claims that the 1958 FIFA World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
didn't really take place, but was staged as a television and radio event between American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Swedish Television
Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
, the CIA and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
as part of a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
strategy. It is claimed that Sweden did not have the economic or technical resources to promote such an event. The main reason for the Americans' involvement, according to the theory, was to find out if propaganda on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
had any influence on viewers and if such methods could be used as political weapons.
A large amount of evidence was presented. For example, there was analysis of television recordings at the matches, where houses can be seen in the backgrounds that never actually stood there. The programme also analyzed how the shadows of the players in the field were falling, and were angled in a way that is not possible in Sweden if you study the position of the sun at the time. The Chairman of the association, Bror Jacques de Wærn, who was employed in the Swedish National Agency for more than twenty years, claims that he has looked for evidence that the tournament really took place, but didn't find anything.
After the end of the film it was revealed that it was a hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
. Despite this, many people still believed in it, as the hoax was not revealed in the film itself. It took several days until the newspapers actually announced it was all made up by the producers. The film was reported by Swedish viewers to the Swedish Broadcasting Commission
Swedish Broadcasting Commission
Granskningsnämnden för radio och TV – English title: The Swedish Broadcasting Commission – was a Swedish government agency formed in 1994 to regulate already broadcasted radio and television in Sweden.-Jurisdiction:...
numerous times, but it was declared that the broadcaster did not violate ethical rules.
The aim of the movie, according to the director Johan Löfstedt, was to illustrate how historical denial (in particular Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
) works and to highlight the importance of source criticism
Source criticism
A source criticism is a published source evaluation . An information source may be a document, a person, a speech, a fingerprint, a photo, an observation or anything used in order to obtain knowledge. In relation to a given purpose, a given information source may be more or less valid, reliable or...
when getting information from, for example, the media.
The majority of the characters in the film are real celebrities who were playing themselves.
Cast
| Name | Cast |
|---|---|
| Bror Jacques de Wærn | Author, historian, professor, Chairman of KSP58 |
| Olof Arnell | Director of KSP58 |
| Ingrid Lorentzen | Treasurer of the KSP58 Foundation |
| Thomas Böhm | Psychologist |
| Caj Ernelli | Bookseller |
| Bengt Grive | Sports-writer in the 1950s |
| Ulf Drakenberg | Sports-journalist in the 1950s |
| Bengt Ågren | Secretary of the FIFA Organization Committee 1958 |
| Per Carlsson | Chairman of the Vindicate the 1958 Movement |
| Lennart Johansson Lennart Johansson Lennart Johansson was the president of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations from 1990 until 2007. Johansson is probably most famous for starting the UEFA Champions League and for bringing the UEFA European Football Championship to his native Sweden.He started as a bandy leader in AIK... |
UEFA UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... -President 1990-2007 |
| Agne Simonsson Agne Simonsson Agne Simonsson is a former Swedish footballer. He played for the Sweden national football team, earning 51 caps and scoring 27 goals. He was a participant in the 1958 FIFA World Cup, scoring 4 goals, when Sweden reached the final on home soil, losing the game 5-2 to Brazil... |
Player in Sweden national football team Sweden national football team The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first... 1958 |
| Kurt Hamrin Kurt Hamrin Kurt Roland Hamrin is a former Swedish footballer. He is currently the seventh highest goalscorer of all-time in Italy's Serie A with 190 goals. He was best known as goal scoring winger with incredible dribbling ability.-Career:Hamrin first played for AIK in Sweden, whom he joined in the 1952-53... |
Player in Sweden national football team Sweden national football team The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first... 1958 |
| Sigvard Parling | Player in Sweden national football team Sweden national football team The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first... 1958 |
See also
- Alternative 3Alternative 3Alternative 3 is a television programme, broadcast once only in the United Kingdom in 1977, and later broadcast in Australia and New Zealand, as a fictional hoax, an heir to Orson Welles' radio production of The War of the Worlds...
- Dark Side of the Moon