von Braun papers go on sale

Kyt · Dec 4, 2007

Nazi rocket scientist's top-secret papers go on sale | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

A once top-secret manuscript that is widely recognised as a milestone in the development of modern rockets is to go under the hammer in New York today.

Wernher von Braun, the Nazi physicist-turned-leading figure in US space exploration, created the 166-page document for his PhD dissertation in April 1934. It contains the scientist's handwritten annotations as well as his charts and graphs.

Von Braun was awarded a doctorate in physics on the basis of the dissertation, but its contents were considered so pivotal to the future of rocket development that it was seized by the German military and remained classified until 1960.

Von Braun developed Nazi Germany's V2 combat rocket, which was known as the Vergeltungswaffen 2, or Vengeance Weapon 2, and was launched on London on September 7 1944.

He and his fellow scientists surrendered to US troops at the end of the war and were integrated into the American scientific community. Von Braun went on to become the director of Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Centre and the main architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle for Apollo 8, which enabled the Americans to put a man on the moon.

But Von Braun remains controversial to this day, as does the decision to recruit a former top Nazi scientist.

Although von Braun always contested the charge that he was a willing card-carrying member of the National Socialist party, there is evidence to suggest he may have joined it voluntarily as early as 1932. He later became an officer in the Waffen-SS.

While initially viewed sceptically by many Americans, von Braun, who died in 1977, soon endeared himself to them with his plans to conquer space, even collaborating with Walt Disney to make educational films.

Until now the manuscript, which is being auctioned at Bonhams in Manhattan, had been in the possession of a fellow scientist who worked with von Braun on the V2 project in Peenemunde, on Germany's Baltic coast.

"Von Braun's revolutionary dissertation changed the course of world history," said Catherine Williamson, director of Bonhams' books and manuscripts department. "It allows the reader a rare glimpse into the beginning of a great career."
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morse1001 · Dec 5, 2007

I hope some museum bus the papers and puts them on display! But what interests me, is if they were classified, then how come they are up for sale! Who got them and how?

spidge · Dec 5, 2007

He always knew which side his bread was buttered on and who could fulfil his dream!

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Kyt Άρης

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