The 1954 French flap:

Says German rocket specialist

Unknown humans:

THE URANIDS!

Hamburg, 4. -- Flying saucers exist and represent at least ten percent of the objects observed in the sky, said professor Hermann Oberth, German rocket scientist and honorary president of the "German Astronotical Society" last night, during a conference in Hamburg.

Professor Oberth added that it is possible in his opinion, that these craft contain crews of creatures similar to humans, and proposed, to designate these unknown beings, the term "Uranids". The "Uranids", continued the German scientist, are probably thousands of years ahead of our time.

To explain why no "flying saucer" has yet crashed on earth, Professor Oberth suggests that pilots may have perfect control of their machines and that, for some reason human intelligence cannot can imagine, they may not want any contact with terrestrial crops.

Considering another possibility, Professor Oberth recalled that the observed saucers could be considered as an improvement of the V-7, German rockets of the end of the war, of which several prototypes would have fallen, according to the scientist, in the hands of the Russians in 1945.

The National Assembly
will take care
of flying saucers

While, on all sides (Deux-Sèvres, Côtes-du-Nord, Finistère, Nord, Indre) people of very good faith declare having seen these days in the sky or on the ground flying saucers and cigars, the presence of these craft concerns parliamentarians.

Today, it is Mr. Rocher [sic, Nocher], deputy of the Loire, who expressed to the Secretary of State for Air the emotion aroused in the public by the many and diverse testimonies concerning the "flying saucers".

flying saucers
and cigars

No flying saucer near Melun

MELUN, 4. -- The road menders who claimed to have seen a flying saucer, near the Coulommiers-Meaux road, gave up on their statements and admitted that they had fabricated their story.

They will likely be charged with contempt of court.

However, the flying saucers have not finished haunting the sky and even the country, if we believe the following testimonies:

Vic-sur-Sère, 4. -- Several people affirmed having seen, going towards the south, a machine having the form a cigar giving off a slight plume of smoke.

Nevers, 4. -- The representative of a Clamecy Insurance Company declares to have seen an orange-colored luminous disc which was moving in the sky and which, after having changed altitude several times, disappeared vertically.

Bressuire, 4. -- An employee of the Slaughter Center, Mr. Angelo Girardo, 55, living in Breuil-Chaussée (Deux-Sèvres), declared having seen Sunday morning, on his way to work, a circular machine near which was a being who appeared to him dressed in a kind of diving suit. The being in question went to Mr. Girardo who, frightened, fled. Shortly after, the circular machine set off again at a very high speed.

Abbeville, 4. -- Two young men from Vron (Somme) said they had seen on the Route Nationale, between Crécy and Ligescourt, a curious machine around which individuals of odd shape prowled. They approached the craft, which they say looked like a haystack, but it took off.

Châteauroux, 4. -- Mrs. widow Janiki, living in the village of Cerisier, commune of Levreux (Indre), told the gendarmerie that she had seen in the sky a luminous machine with a diameter of about 3 meters and which was at the level of the buildings.

Mrs. widow Barotte, living about 200 meters from Mrs. Janiki's home, said she had witnessed the same phenomenon.

Châteauroux, 4. -- Mrs. Baron, resident of Vatan (Indre), said that on Saturday evening he saw a luminous ball in the sky.

She alerted her husband as well as fifteen people from her neighborhood, all of whom saw aat a very high altitude, the yellow "greenish" craft moving up and down in the sky.

Saint-Brieuc, 4. -- Several people claimed to have seen, 400 or 500 meters from them, last night, around 10:15 p.m., a "flying cigar", at an altitude of about 50 meters. The craft, they said, could be 15 meters in length and intermittently lit with pink gleams. It moved silently.

Brest, 4. -- Mrs. Henry, farmer in Guesnou (Finistère) said she saw Thursday, then Friday, in the evening at the same hour in the sky, a purple cylindrical craft which moved silently from West to East.

Lille, 4. -- Mr. Anicet Corneille, agricultural worker, said he saw on Saturday evening, in Comines, a machine in the shape of a cigar from 8 to 15 meters wide, which was moving at forty meters in height and produced a vivid purple glow. After flying over the city for a few seconds, the craft reportedly disappeared in the sky.

The statements made by Mr. Corneille were confirmed by a Tourcoing driver passing through Comines.

"Flying saucers exist"
says a German specialist

Flying saucers exist and represent at least ten percent of the craft observed in the sky," said Professor Hermann Oberth, German rocket scientist and honorary president of the "German Astronautical Society", yesterday during a conference he gave in Hamburg.

Professor Oberth added that it was possible in his opinion, that these craft contain crews of creatures similar to humans, and proposed, to designate these unknown beings, the term "Uranids". The "Uranids", continued the German scientist, are probably thousands of years ahead of our time.

To explain why no "flying saucer" has yet crashed on earth, Professor Oberth suggests that pilots may have perfect control of their apparatuses, and that for some reason human intelligence cannot imagine, they may desire no contact with earthly creatures.

Considering another possibility, Professor Oberth recalled that the observed saucers could be considered as an improvement of the V-7, German rockets of the end of the war, of which several prototypes would have fallen, according to the scientist, between the hands of the Russians in 1945.

Latest appearances

In Vic-sur-Cère. -- Several people claimed to have

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

FLYING SAUCERS

(Continued from the first page)

sighted, moving towards the South, a craft in the shape of a cigar, releasing a light plume of smoke.

A representative of an insurance company in Clamecy, as well as several residents of Corbigny, saw a bright orange disc moving in the sky and which, after having changed altitude several times, disappeared vertically.

An employee, Mr. Angelo Girardeau, 55, living in Breuil-Chaussée (Deux-Sèvres), said he saw on Sunday morning, on his way to work, a circular craft near which was a being who appeared to him dressed in a kind of diving suit. The being in question went to Mr. Girardo who, frightened, fled. Shortly thereafter, the circular craft departed at a very high speed.

Mrs widow Janiki, living in the village of Cerisier, commune of Levreux (Indre), told the gendarmerie that she had seen in the sky a luminous machine with a diameter of approximately 3 meters and which was at the height of the buildings.

Mrs. widow Lacotte, living about 200 meters from Mrs. Janiki's home, witnessed the same phenomenon.

A strange craft
- above -
Mont Blanc

Chamonix, 4. -- Many people, including officers from the High Mountain School, Chamonix gendarmes and the pilot Guiron, a flight specialist in the high mountains, who flew over the region at the time, said they saw for more than an hour a brilliant machine moving between Mont Lachat and Mont Blanc.

The pilot Guiron indicated that flying about 2,000 meters above Faverges, he saw a craft which, he said, had no resemblance to a normal plane. In addition, the direction followed at high speed by this craft excluded the hypothesis of a sounding balloon.

A STRANGE CRAFT MOVES ABOVE MONT-BLANC FOR MORE THAN ONE HOUR

CHAMONIX. -- A very large number of people, among whom were officers from the High Mountain School, gendarmes from Chamonix and pilot Guiron, a specialist in high mountain flying who flew over the area at that time, said to have seen for more than one hour a craft move between Mount Lachat and Mont Blanc.

Pilot Guiron reported that flying about 2,000 meters above Faverges, he saw a craft which, he said, bore no resemblance to a normal aircraft. In addition the direction followed at high speed by this craft excluded the hypothesis of a sounding balloon.

A Saucers Invasion

Moreover, one continues - jokes, hallucinations or trustworthy testimonies - to report everywhere the manifestation in the sky of saucers or other cigars.

VIC-SUR-CERE. -- Several people have said that they have seen a cigar-shaped craft heading south, with a slight smoke plume.

NEVERS. -- A representative of an insurance company in Clamecy, as well as several residents of Corbigny, said they saw an orange luminous disc moving in the sky and which, after having several times changed altitude, disappeared vertically.

BRESSUIRE. -- Slaughter center employee, Mr. Angelo Girardeau, 55-year-old, residing in Breuil-Chaussée (Deux Sèvres), said he had seen Sunday morning, on his way to work, a circular machine near which was a being who appeared to him dressed in a kind of scuba. That character went to Mr. Girardeau who, frightened, fled. Shortly after the circular craft departed at very high speed.

ABBEVILLE. -- Two young men from Vron (Somme) said they saw on the national road, between Crécy and Ligescourt, a curious craft around which bizarre individuals roamed. They approached the craft, who, they say, looked like a haystack, but it took off. The two young people told their adventure to the gendarmes.

CHATEAUROUX. -- Mrs widow Janiki, residing at the Bourg du Ceris1er, commune of Levroux (Indre), told the police that she had seen in the sky a luminous craft of a diameter of about 8 meters and which was at the level of buildings. Mrs. widow Lacotte, who lives about 800 meters from Mrs. Janiki, said she witnessed the same phenomenon.

(See more on page 5)

A strange craft is moving...

(Continued from the first page.)

CHATEAUROUX. -- Mrs. Baron, living in Vatan (Indre), said she saw a luminous ball in the sky Sunday evening. She alerted her husband and about fifteen people from her neighborhood who, all, saw moving, at a very high altitude, the greenish yellow machine that went up and down in the sky.

An official report

Whereas these different appearances can make the skeptics smile, the information coming from Africa appears more serious. Because, probably not wanting to disdain any continent, flying saucers were seen in Côte d'Ivoire. The news came from an official report to the governor of Côte d'Ivoire by Mr. Vernhet, chief administrator of the Danane subdivision, a town 500 kilometers northwest of Abijan. The facts date back to September 19, but have only been made official today through specific inquiries and investigations.

In addition to the population, the head of the gendarmerie station, the chief medical officer of the medical center, the Reverend Father Vyard, of the Lyon missions, head of the subdivision, and his wife, gathered in the courtyard of the residence, and saw on September 19, from 8:30 p.m. zo 9:05 p.m., a craft exactly corresponding to those observed in France, but which did not land.

It was a luminous dot, surrounded by a halo that first grew rapidly, moving closer to or away from the horizon. The witnesses saw the craft light a powerful headlight, sometimes directed upwards, sometimes downwards. The craft, of ovoid shape, was surmounted by a dome and luminous beams seemed to be detached on each side.

When it disappeared, after having moved for half an hour, the witnesses saw very clearly two luminous halos of oval shape, to be formed on the presumed location of the craft. The latter moved without any noise. Administrator Vernhet has attached to his report a detailed sketch of the different phases observed, as well as of the shape of the craft.

On the same day, in Soubre, 250 kilometers north-west of Abidjan, and in the same direction, similar phenomena were observed. The head of the subdivision of Soubre confirmed the existence of the phenomenon he attended.

"The Uranids"

Moreover, the scientists who until now had remained silent on the flying saucers affairs, will they leave their prudent reserve?

"Flying saucers exist and account for at least ten percent of the craft observed in the sky," said Professor Oberth, German rocket scientist and honorary president of the "German Astronautical Society", during a conference in Hamburg.

Professor Oberth added that it is possible, in his opinion, that these craft contain crews of creatures similar to humans, and proposed, to designate these unknown beings, the term "URANIDS". The Uranids, the German scholar continued, are probably thousands of years ahead of our time.

To explain why no "flying saucer" crashed on Earth so far, Professor Oberth suggests that pilots may have perfect control of their craft and that, for some reason that human intelligence cannot imagine, they may not desire any contact with terrestrial creatures.

Looking at another possibility, Professor Oberth recalled that the saucers observed could be considered as a perfecting of the V7, German rockets of the end of World War II, of which several prototypes would have fallen, according to the scientist, in Russian hands in 1945.

Mysterious devices continue to crisscross the sky

The "flying saucers" continue to travel the sky. Some land and their occupants are trying to get to know the human... Thus Mr. Angelo Girardeau, residing in Breuil-Chaussée (Deux-Sèvres), stated to have seen yesterday morning a circular machine near which was a being who appeared dressed him in a sort of spacesuit. The being in question headed Mr. Girardeau who, frightened, fled. Soon after, the circular craft returned at high speed.

Two young men of Vron (Somme), say they too have seen on the road between Crécy and Ligescourt a curious craft prowled around which individuals oddly shaped. They approached the craft which, they say, like a wheel, but he took off.

The two young men have told their adventure to the gendarmes.

In Vic-sur-Cere, several people claimed to have seen, heading south, a machine having the shape of a cigar and giving off a slight plume of smoke.

In the Nièvre, a representative of an insurance company of Clamecy and Corbigny several residents reported seeing a bright orange disc which after repeatedly changed altitude, disappeared vertically.

A resident of Bourg-du-Cerisier, in the Indre, Mrs. Janiki, told police she had seen flying at roof height of a building, a luminous machine with a diameter of 3 meters. Ms. Lacotte, who lives 800 meters from Ms. Janiki, said he noticed the phenomenon.

About October 3 [, 1954]

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?: Vic-sur-Cère (Cantal):

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