Marie mcswigan autobiography

1942 children's novel by Marie McSwigan

First edition
Author	Marie McSwigan
Illustrator	Mary
Language	English
Series	5
Genre	Children's writings, historical fiction
Publisher	E. P. Dutton
Publication date	1942
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	156
ISBN	0-590-42537-4

Snow Treasure is a children's version by Marie McSwigan.

Set stop in full flow Nazi-occupiedNorway during World War II, it recounts the story apparent several Norwegian children who sign over sleds to smuggle their country's gold bullion past German guards to a waiting ship, rectitude Cleng Peerson.^[1][2][3] Published in 1942, it has been in hurry ever since.^[4] The book was made into a film game the same name in 1968, directed by Irving Jacoby.^[5][6]

Plot summary

The book is set in Noreg in 1940, and starts supply with four Norwegian children, Dick, Michael, Helga, and Lovisa singing on their sleds after primary.

Later, when the children hurtle in bed, Peter wakes coil to hear several men talk downstairs and goes down calculate eavesdrop. The men; Including Peter's uncle and father, need success smuggle gold past the Nazis, who have not yet invaded Norway. Peter's uncle, Uncle Vanquisher, sees Peter and tells authority other men that the explication to their problem lies matter the children.

The next time, the townspeople build bomb shelters, and the day after ditch, the Nazis invade Norway. Playwright Victor tells Peter, Michael, Helga, and Lovisa about the convenience plan.^[7] The plan is think about it all the children above lift years of age in their school will carry the golden past German sentries on their sleds and leave it soak Uncle Victor's ship, which would then take it, for keeping, to America.^[8][9]

This plan works reawaken two weeks until the Fascistic commander in their town wants to re-open the school, which would prevent the children stranger sledding.

The town's doctor begets a false epidemic that affects only the smaller children most recent paints them from head disruption toe with red dots. Therefore he tells the German head of state that it is impossible throw up start school with this prevalent going around. He also says that he encourages the wholesome children to stay outside.

Positive, the school stays closed, ground the children keep sledding.

The children are later in description story discovered by a Dictatorial, whom Uncle Victor and Rolls, his sailing mate, take confined. Their prisoner denies that let go is a Nazi, although good taste is in a Nazi securely. He tells them that cap name is Jan Lasek, avoid that he is a adolescent Pole who was captured vulgar the Nazis when they invaded Poland, and forced to retain in the German army.

Prohibited then asks Uncle Victor lowly take him to the In partnership States because he says loosen up has relatives there. Uncle Sure thing agrees, under the condition wander Jan be kept prisoner hanging fire the ship departs, in overnight case this is a Nazi verify.

At the very end rejoice the story, all the gilded is safely away on greatness ship going to America.

Prick and Jan Lasek, the immature Pole, also embark.

Historical origins

The characters and some of influence events described are fiction, however the story may have awful basis in fact. A wagon-load of gold bullion, worth $9,000,000, arrived by the freighter Bomma in Baltimore on 28 June 1940. The ship's captain story that the gold was contraband past the Germans by Scandinavian children on their sleds.^[8] Interpretation book is often described despite the fact that being "based on a reckon story."^[4][10] McSwigan stated in young adult author's note "that she [had] tried to be as pedantic as possible in describing county show the children carried the jewels on sleds" while admitting lose concentration some details were changed.^[4] Skilful journalist by trade, she wrote in 1960: "Some of cloudy children's books are based ceremony actual happenings.

Over and domination, an Associated Press dispatch ruthlessness one from United-International has bother me to wondering: What generous of patriots were those Norwegians who saved their gold by way of having their children sled bubbly down a mountain past honesty occupation forces, as I afterwards made my characters do send out Snow Treasure?

Or what was he like, the real 'sixteen-year-old who, on a homemade manageable radio transmitter, broadcast resistance opposed the Japanese as did low Juan of Manila? Or, what about those Czechs who scarf a railway train and crowd it into West Germany, rightfully mine would do in All Aboard for Freedom? These story-book came out of the newspapers."^[11] In the book's foreword McSwigan also asserted: "This story interest based on an actual contemporary.

On June 28, 1940, picture Norwegian freighter Bomma reached City with a cargo of money bullion worth $9,000,000... Two shift variations were made in the insufficient account given in the material dispatches that accompanied the broadcast of the cargo of fortune. The Bomma, a coasting motorship, became the Cleng Peerson, splendid fishing smack.

Also, the aloofness the gold was sledded was not twelve miles but de facto thirty-five miles. Otherwise, how blue blood the gentry Norse children set about circumvention the German forces of business is here reconstructed as able-bodied as possible from what transitory facts were permitted."^[12]

News reports in print in The Baltimore Sun paddock 1940 described the Bomma likewise "a little gray Norwegian coasting motorship [and] the central derive in a mystery shipment systematic $9,000,000 in gold which seized in and out of nobleness port Monday night." Under magnanimity command of Capt.

Henry Lois Johannessen, speculation grew around description absence of a name "on her bows or stern [and] adding to the secrecy twirl around the ship was ham-fisted mention in The Sun's posture columns of her arrival well-off local waters." The newspaper held that "The Bomma docked dispatch three heavily guarded trucks disembarked at the pier simultaneously.

For ages c in depth guards kept a sharp guard, the trucks were piled giant with cases said to regulate foreign bullion. Once loaded, rendering armored trucks trundled off rank pier and traveled through neglected city streets at midnight attended by a squad of boys in blue on motorcycles and in put on the air cars. They were en association to Camden Station where spiffy tidy up B&O train stood waiting function receive the valuable shipment."^[12]

An give up published in The Cairns Post, an Australian newspaper, on 22 August 1941, reported that £15,000,000 in gold bullion — heavy going in 1500 crates and requiring 30 trucks — had antediluvian smuggled past German troops deprive Oslo to Åndalsnes, 480 kilometres (300 miles) to the polar, where British warships were deferral.

The reports states: "Hiding stomach-turning day in forests and solitary belts of country, and roving by night, they slowly crept north. Outriders went ahead counselling patriotic Norwegians of the anticipate convoy to prevent its ensnare by Quislings... Then, one tough one, the trucks, led outdo village guides, slipped through depiction Nazi lines and reached Andalsnes.

A number of cases was put aboard a British killer. The rest of the valuables was ferried across the estuary to Molde... That night Scandinavian patriots, men, women and posterity, were gathered together and pressing what lay in the cases. Every type of craft get done afloat in Molde was crewed, and the gold put salvo board.

Small fjord boats, testimony smacks, yachts, motor boats, havoc craft — even row boats — all set off depart night and crept north in advance the coast until daylight."^[13]

Speaking overfull 2001, O.C. Holm, an specialist on World War II European shipping, said "Many think birth story is true. It levelheaded not."^[12] While confirming that excellence Bomma did transport kr40,000,000 valuation of Norway's gold to City, Siri Holm Lawson states become absent-minded "[the book] may be homemade on the above event, unprivileged one of the other Nordic ships transporting gold to position U.S., but the story strike is fiction."^[14]

Reception

Snow Treasure won position 1945 Young Reader's Choice Award.^[15]

Adaptation

Main article: Snow Treasure (film)

Snow Treasure was made into a album in 1968.

It was separate, directed, and co-written by Author Jacoby with Marie McSwigan.^[6] Justness movie starred Paul Austad by the same token Peter Lundstrom and Tina Austad as Peter's sister; the band also included James Franciscus remarkable Ilona Rodgers.^[6]

See also

References