The “Peace Angel of Helsinki” wanted to save the world By Volker Kluge Unauthorised intruder at the ceremony: 23-year-old Barbara Rotraut Pleyer took her place in Olympic history with her ‘illegal’ lap of the stadium as the ‘’Peace Angel of Helsinki’’. Photo: Suomen Urheilumuseo On the 19th July 1952, the weather gods proved ungracious opening formula – for the first time in four languages. as a storm raged over Helsinki. The downpour continued Six thousand doves flew away into the grey sky, startled for hours. Yet people still streamed towards the by the 21 gun salute which accompanied the raising of stadium, protected by umbrellas and capes. Once there, the Olympic Flag. they found 70,000 wet seats. Gusts of wind made them The last torchbearer who entered the stadium was shiver. Yet they remained good-humoured, for this was nine time Olympic champion Paavo Nurmi. He kindled the opening of an Olympics for which Finland had been the bowl in the centre field. Shortly afterwards, another forced to wait twelve years. running legend Hannes Kolehmainen lit the fire at the The rain had relented by the time fanfares announced top of the stadium tower. A choir sang the Olympic hymn the ceremony at one o’clock on the dot. In those days by Jaakko Linjama. the ceremonial was still somewhat ponderous but this This solemn moment was to be followed by a sermon time at least, the IOC Members did not wear top hat and by Archbishop Ilmari Salomies. Instead, there was an tails when they were presented to Finland’s President unexpected incident. In the Official Report it was later Juho Paasikivi. A roll of drums announced the “parade described thus: of the athletes”. March music rang out. The flag of Just as the atmosphere in the Stadium was at its each of the 67 teams was welcomed with a storm of most hushed and solemn and the Archbishop was applause.1 preparing to read his Latin prayer, an unexpected Helsinki’s former Mayor Erik von Frenckell greeted the intermezzo occurred. Dropping over the barrier in assembly in the name of the Organising Committee. He front of stand C, a young woman in white ran along was followed by President Paasikivi with the traditional the track and gained the rostrum. There, however, 6 her performance ended without further disturbing Although she had the programme. The Chairman of the Organising planned a “speech Committee tactfully escorted her from the field to be of peace” in seven taken care by the authorities. 2 languages, the German student did Who was this young woman? She was named as not get beyond the Barbara Rotbraut-Pleyer – an error which is repeated opening words. When in many publications to this day? 3 The second part of Organising Committee her surname was in fact “Rotraut”. She was a 23 year President Erik von old German and had succeeded in entering the stadium Frenckel offered her without a ticket. She had red hair, wore a long white his arm like a bride- dress and as she carried a torch, stewards probably groom, she willingly assumed that she must be a participant. followed him. General And Pleyer also regarded herself as such even if there Secretary Martola was no mention of her participation in the programme. the little lady, after a steward had removed her from the (behind Pleyer) then She had sought a starting position in Block C. Although microphone, by the arm to calm her down and said to handed her over to the infield was surrounded by a fence, there was a gap her: ‘Now I must put you on the right path.’ She was of the police. immediately behind the finish and it was here that she course very excited and shaking all over. For that reason Photo: AP, Volker Kluge Archive slipped through. I added: ‘Now you must drink a glass of cognac, that will In fact she intended to wait for the Archbishop, but calm you.’”4 the rain, which had extinguished her torch, upset her timing. She made a snap decision to enter the softened What did the “troublemaker” want to say? cinder track, on which she covered almost an entire lap. Accompanied by the cheers of the spectators. Rotraut Pleyer allowed herself be handed over to the Many believed they were watching the Finnish beauty police without resisting arrest. When her identity became queen Armi Kuusela who lived in the USA. That June, known, a Frenchman in the IOC lounge commented with Kuusela had been chosen as the first “Miss Universe” at the exclamation “Naturellement les boches”.5 Otherwise a competition in Long Beach, California. excitement was limited. Nobody stopped Pleyer and she was able to step Meantime Pleyer had been taken to a psychiatric onto the podium in front of the VIP stand. She started clinic. The rumour spread that they were dealing with a to make an address, but got no further that the word mentally sick person or someone seeking validation in “Ystävät” – “Friends”. Only now did the organisers a sick way. A journalist asked Baron von Frenkell if the realize what was happening. Gallant as a bridegroom, “white lady” had at least been locked up. He answered von Frenckell offered the young lady his arm. “I took with a smile: “So many eccentrics are running around balancing act. The task was given to Who was the last team sport athletes (ball players) who torchbearer in 1952? were otherwise underrepresented in Olympic ceremonies. All four were from For the global public the nine times Helsinki clubs but they represented Finnish Olympic champion Paavo Nurmi different sports (football/pesäpallo), was the person who lit the cauldron political sports federations (bourgeois in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. It is SPL/socialist TUL) and linguistic groups however also correct that a few minutes (Finnish/Swedish): 1. Martti Laitinen, later a flame burned on the stadium club: Ponnistus (football, TUL, Finnish); tower which had been set alight by 2. Åke Forsberg, club: KIF (football, the Olympic champion of 1912 and 1920 SPL, Swedish); 3. Onni Sallinen, Hannes Kolehmainen. club: TMP (pesäpallo, TUL, Finnish); However the 62-year-old Kolehmainen 4. Lauri Lehtinen, club: HJK (football, did not carry the fire himself up to the SPL, Finnish).” After that Hannes around 72-metres-high tower. For this to identify him. His name is Martti Kolehmainen only required to walk a four young runners were responsible, Laitinen. few paces to fulfil his task. of whom the first can be seen on the Vesa Tikander, the Museum Archivist, It therefore remains a question of photo. Merja Vilen of the Photo Archive also informed us: “The choice of the interpretation as to who is regarded as of the Finnish Sports Museum was able four runners in the tower was a careful the last runner. JOH 1 | 2017 The “Peace Angel of Helsinki” wanted to save the world 7 ‘’Expelled’’ but good- in this world unhindered ...” For him the incident was tempered: Rotraut over and done with. The court psychiatrist who had Pleyer (right) before been asked to examine her was of the opinion that her departure to she was “a charming, delightful girl” – “somewhat Stuttgart accompanied overwrought, but very intelligent”.6 by a policewoman. Pleyer told how she had set off eight days before from Stuttgart with ten Pfennigs in her pocket. She had little Photo: AP luggage but carried a homemade long white dress. By hitchhiking she managed to reach Flensburg, where she sold her nailfile to be able to pay for the visa for Denmark. Olympic enthusiasts in the North financed her crossing to Sweden and later Finland, Pleyer reached Helsinki on 17th July, where she experienced a setback. Her attempt to ask the Finnish President to combine the opening of the Games with an appeal for peace, was rejected by Paasikivi’s Secretary Colonel Ragnar Grönvall. After that she resolved to take action herself. She was well prepared for this. After five semesters studying law in Marburg and Göttingen, she had de- matriculated so as not to burden her university. But before doing so she had composed an address. With the help of fellow-students this was translated into Finnish, English, French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic. widely understood. It had emerged from the longing of Her helpers were unaware what she planned to do with a young generation for an everlasting peace and which the text. reached its climax in the demands that Her ideas had taken root in 1948, when she first 1. all cold and hot wars should be ended, became aware of the Olympic Games. Her convictions 2. every people should elect its own government, were strengthened in the summer of 1951. She had 3. the greatest possible measure of freedom and wanted to make a spontaneous address during the IIIrd equality should be guaranteed. 8 World Festival Youth and Student Games in East Berlin. This was not permitted by the organisers and instead From the Russian text the Finnish police concluded that she was jailed for three days.7 She had also wanted to she could not be a Communist provocateur, which had appear at the World Peace Congress in Paris but did not been suggested in some newspapers. For Pleyer wanted get the chance to do so. to tell Russian: “You have too little love, and for that Her message was to have been the same as she reason you are filled with fear. That’s why you write intended in Helsinki. After her arrest she willingly about hopelessness and despair. But God will accept presented the police with the phonetically written you.”9 These were sentiments which would scarcely texts, which were checked with the help of three female have found a sympathetic audience in the Kremlin at interpreters.