Erik's writings about this are a bit ambiguous. In the early manuscript of his memoirs (1958) he says (after relating the details about his conversion):

And I knew at once what is was all about: I must become an Officer, it was God's will.

All these years I have been wondering about what kind of connection there could have been  between my call and my friendship with Frieda.  Naturally people at once would say -- yes, of course! And how could any single one really understand?!

Actually it took three years until I admitted (1927) in a letter from the Swedish West Coast that she meant more to me than anyone else.

When at last I  had made up my mind and asked Frieda to become my wife (I received the telegram answer: "Delighted") and told my father and mother there was an awful row. - - -

In this last sentence Erik has put in the year "1927", but in his official memoirs God's Conscript he has the year "1928". Perhaps the first letter was sent in the fall of 1927 and the proposal came close to or after the new year?

Another one of the mysteries, perhaps not very important. But when you know what happened later this proposal cannot have come very much later than in the beginning of 1928.

Sven Wickberg

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Updated 1999 03 10