In his investigation report published in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit in June 1977, which focused on a case in 1976 in the Lower Rhine, ufologist Philippe Wiedenhoff indicated that one of the witnesses of this case of 1976, Gendarmerie officer Paicheler, had stated that while he was on boarding at Obernai in 1953, he had seen a cigar-like phenomenon. He had never talked about it.
Former journalist in Alsace interested in the topic of the unidentified flying objects, Christian Valentin published in his 2012 book a report about the case at Ernosheim-lès-Saverne in 1976. It was an investigation report Philippe Widenhoff on this case, published in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit in June 1977. The latter reports that one of the witnesses of the case of 1976, Gemdarmerie officer Paicheler, affirmed that then he was in a boarding house in Obernai in 1953, he had seen "a cigar-like phenomenon. He had never talked about it."
Discussion:
With so little information, all I can say is that meteors are often described as "cigars", especially in the 1950s, so a meteor is a possible explanation of the observation of the policeman.
Evaluation:
Possible meteor.
Sources references:
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
[ldl1] ? Investigation and sketches by Philippe Wiedenhoff in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #166, June 1977.
[cvn2] * "Mythes et Réalités des Phénomènes Aériens Non Identifiés - Histoire des soucoupes volantes en Alsace jusqu'en 1980", book by Christian Valentin, Grimoires d'Alsace publishers, France, pp 118-122, 2012.
