Timeline
This timeline for Silent Hill: The Short Message is based on the notes found in the game. The notes are put in chronological order for a better understanding of the game's story. |
1930s Kettenstadt, a town in Germany, witnessed economic prosperity in the 1930s thanks to the collaboration of Japanese and German entrepreneurs. Some attribute this success, though, to a mystical Japanese woman who came to be known as "The Witch of the Far East." 
During the joint efforts of Japanese and German entrepreneurs and Laborers in the 1930s to foster economic growth and prosperity, there was an exchange in cultural beliefs, giving rise to the belief in witches. - Belief in the Witch of Kettenstadt In 1930s Germany, the town of Kettenstadt attracted wealthy entrepreneurs and enjoyed a period of economic prosperity. Behind that success, though, was supposedly a Japanese woman who used her clairvoyance and mystical powers to guide the entrepreneurs. She would come to be known as the "Witch of the Far East," and would be greatly respected by the German people. 
A number of researchers studying the occult point to a witch as the cause of the economic downturn in Kettenstadt. The witch was a Japanese woman who used her clairvoyance to influence economic development in the town in the 1930s. |
1947 A large fire destroys factories in Kettenstadt, leading to great losses of the businesses. As a result of this, the Witch of the Far East jumps off the hospital's roof and kills herself under mysterious circumstances. 
However, in 1947, the entrepreneurs suffered great losses. A large fire spread throughout their industrial parks, losing them the majority of their factories. The Witch of the Far East, who was hospitalized, jumped off the roof of the hospital and killed herself. The witch had been diagnosed with an unknown illness, and many believed the fires pushed her over the edge. Some citizens, however, claimed that a witch hunt was to blame. They argued the witch's rise to prominence angered the mayor's party, who used the chaos from the fires as a cover for murder. There is no evidence to support this claim, and many now view it as a mere conspiracy theory, but the mayor's party did manage to regain influence in the town after the witch's death. Since then, citizens have started to believe any stroke of bad luck is a result of the witch's curse.
Researchers believe she was hunted down and killed. Before her death, she is believed to have placed a curse on the town, stymieing its growth. - Witch’s Curse Impedes Progress My great-grandmother was a fortune teller. I hear people here used to treat her like some sort of prophet. But they all eventually turned on my great-grandmother... - Maya |
May 25, 2012 Krysta Planert, Anita's mother gets contacted by Kettenstadt Child Welfare Center due to the abuse of her children as she struggles with her personal life. 
Ms. Krysta Planert We have reached out to you repeatedly but have yet to receive a response. We take this to mean you have no intention of remedying this issue. You are in violation of German Civil Code Article 1631 Section 2. Accordingly, the Federal Court has instructed us to take your children. Should you have any objections to this, please contact us as soon as possible. Frank Fischer |
May 25, 2012 He hasn't called me much lately... Am I destined to be alone? Everyone else is out enjoying life, while I'm working my ass off raising kids. Why am I the fucking bad guy?! |
July 2012 Anita's little brother dies due to neglect locked up in the closet by his mother. Their mother attempts to hide his body in the refrigerator before Anita escapes and reports her to the police.
July 15, 2012 Nothing matters anymore. I just want to be happy. |
Boy Found Dead in Refrigerator, Mother Arrested A boy was found dead today in a refrigerator in the home of his 41-year-old mother, person A, who was arrested by local authorities for hiding the body. Person A claims to have locked her son in the closet for more than a day to punish him, and when she noticed he wasn't moving the next morning, she hid his lifeless body in the refrigerator. Investigators are conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. According to the investigation, person A's daughter ran to a neighbor's house to call the police and report her mother for neglect. When detectives arrived at the house, they discovered her brother's body in the refrigerator and arrested the mother after she confessed to her crime. |
Late 2010s After facing economic and demographical crises, the city council of Kettenstadt tries to restore the town's former glory with the help of Chinese investment firms and starts their "Revitalization" project. The project aimed to repurpose some abandoned properties developed by the Japanese companies in 2008, but this plan failed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 
Kettenstadt, a town with a long history as a thriving border stronghold. In recent years, those in their 20s have begun leaving en masse, causing concern. The aim of this wide-scale project is to rebuild Kettenstadt and restore it to its former glory with the help of Chinese investment firms. The theme is "Revitalization." |
Plans to rebuild Kettenstadt have suffered yet another major setback, as instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced interest from foreign investors. Previous plans to jump-start the town failed to materialize, owing to the monetary instability caused by the 2008 global financial crisis, which forced the plan to involve Japanese corporations and financial institutions to be reconsidered. Two attempts to rebuild; two failures, due to unfortunate external circumstances. Kettenstadt has struggled to bounce back, with increased unemployment. The city council is considering ways to revitalize the economy by drawing skilled experts to the area, but as of yet no effective measures have been implemented. |
November 9, 2020 Sure, it would have been nice if it had gone through, but I just couldn't see it happen, even if things had worked out. Not in this place. It hasn't been special since I was little. There's nothing to do, the buildings are ancient—it's a dump! |
October 2020 to September 2021 Amelie studies hard to enter Deutschland Medical University, but her plans do not come to fruition because of her family's financial troubles.
November 9, 2020 - College Prep Diary: October 2020 to November 2020 February 21, 2021 I'm worried about how much my parents are fighting recently, though. They were yelling at each other again today. I asked Mom why, but she wouldn't say. - College Prep Diary: December 2020 to May 2021 August 24, 2021 September 22, 2021 So this means they're out of money, right? Does this mean I can't go to college?! All that hard work was for nothing?! No way! Don't leave me, Mom! I can't stay here! I can't be stuck here with my brother! |
September 25, 2021 A young student jumps off the roof of the Villa residential complex, an abandoned building known as a suicide spot for teenagers. 
At around 10:00 AM on the 24th, a local resident reported seeing an 18-year-old female high-school student fall from the roof of a Kettenstadt apartment building. The girl was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead two hours later. According to school staff, the girl was distraught over not being able to attend college due to troubles at home. No note or diary was found, but police still believe her death may be a suicide. |
Teenage Suicides Continue at Infamous Building A rundown apartment complex in Kettenstadt has become known for its suicides, with teenage girls jumping from its roof practically every year. Despite repeat events, the building—abandoned ever since the development/management company declared bankruptcy—remains easily accessible. The young and unemployed are not deterred by the building's grim reputation, though, with many continuing to enter it, and young graffiti artists using it for their work. Meanwhile, local residents' security concerns continue to grow. |
September 28, 2021 To All Villa Residents, We have received many inquiries about the management of this building after the recent news. We would therefore like to hold a meeting to explain our policies more formally. We hope you can find the time to attend. |
February-March 2022 Maya, a graffiti artist known as C.B., completes her last artwork on the roof of the Villa apartment complex in memory of all the girls who jumped off the building's roof. 
February 21st I think I might finally be free of my despair, because I've never felt this inspired. I'm going to put every last bit of myself into this piece! March 4th But once this is done...then what? Do I have it in me to come up with something even better? How much longer can I enjoy the fame and praise I get now? Is there despair and disappointment waiting for me right around the corner...? The sadness that gripped me before has clawed its way back into my mind. I guess it was always there... Who knows how often it'll show up...? The thought makes my skin crawl. Maybe I should just end things while I'm still happy...go out on a good note. I wish I could talk to someone about all this... |
March 13, 2022 Maya is found dead at the Villa complex. 
March 13, 2022 At approximately 1 PM on the 12th, popular graffiti artist C.B., Maya Aco Hindenburg, was found collapsed on the grounds of an apartment building in Kettenstadt. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. The death of the 18-year-old girl comes as a shock to not only local community members, but also to all those who were familiar with her work. Authorities believe the cause of death may be suicide, but given her popularity and the lack of warning signs to her peers, they have not ruled out foul play, and are proceeding with a full-scale investigation. |