ALSACAT:

Between Saverne and Bouxwiller

Two young people
followed by a UFO

Two gendarmes among the witnesses

Two young people from Monswiller, near Saverne, two gendarmes from the Bouxwiller brigade and several other people from this region saw an unidentified flying object on the night from Sunday to Monday. This new UFO case is of a very serious nature because of the number of testimonies and the observation that could be made by the gendarmerie.

Around 1 a.m. on Sunday, two young people were driving on the CD 219 in the direction of Ernolsheim-Monswiller when, at the southwest exit of Dochsenheim-sur-Zinzel, they saw a luminous ball on the road, right of their vehicle. It was 10 cm in diameter and was surrounded by multicolored rings. It was 4 or 5 meters above the young people's car, which it was following in a curve from back to front.

When the object, still according to the testimony of the young people, seemed to rush on the car, they suddenly turned around to return to Monswiller. The UFO then changed shape and color. The glow had turned blue and purple, but very blinding.

In Monswiller, the young people then observed the UFO very high in the sky. It had changed shape again. A luminous disc, a very elongated cigar... with all the colors, but its movement was then done slowly.

The phenomenon could be observed, by chance, several kilometers away, by two gendarmes of the Bouxwiller brigade, between logwiller and Bouxwiller, until 4 a.m.

They watched it through binoculars. The UFO now showed the shape of a triangle surrounded by luminous dots which became more intense with each displacement. Two very bright glows were then perceived similar to that of aircraft nozzles.

Before daybreak, residents of Monswiller were also able to follow the UFO in the sky. It disappeared around 6 a.m. But all the testimonies are unanimous: the phenomenon has always been silent.

This case will undoubtedly generate much attention. It is all the more interesting since the witnesses were not all in the same place and they did not know each other. The gendarmerie took this matter very seriously. They recorded all the testimonies. Starting with those... of the gendarmes.

A UFO of changing shapes

Strasbourg. -- Several people, including two policemen, saw an unidentified flying object (UFO) that flew over the region of Bouxwiller (Bas-Rhin) on the night of Saturday 21 to Sunday, August 22, 1976.

Two young motorists said that, around 1 am, an object, surrounded by colored rings, approached their car, four or five meters from the ground, and followed them when they turned around. Moving silently, they add, the UFO changed shape, ranging from an "egg" to an "elongated cigar" and it became dazzling.

According to the report by two gendarmes of Bouxwiller, alerted by the young people, "light jets" came out from the object, triangular in shape when it moved. The police watched the UFO through binoculars from 4am. on

Finally, it is told at the Saverne gendarmerie that the inhabitants of the region also saw the UFO before it disappeared at daybreak at 6 am.

FOLLOWED BY A UFO:
it is the adventure which happened, Monday evening, in Bas-Rhin, to two young motorists. An object surrounded by multicolored rings flew over their car 4 or 5 meters above the ground and turned around at the same time as they did. Gendarmes were able to observe the UFO with the binoculars.

A U.F.O. in Alsace

(SAVERNE)

Numerous witnesses saw a UFO in the region of Bouxwiller, in the Bas-Rhin, on last August 23. The first to have seen the craft were two young motorists, it was then one o'clock in the morning, and the object followed their car four or five meters above the ground. It was silent, luminous and changed shape, stretching out like a cigar or shrinking like an egg.

Alerted, two gendarmes from Bouxwiller observed the craft through binoculars from 4 to 6 in the morning.

The Saverne gendarmerie received several other testimonies from inhabitants of the region who, too, saw the craft during the night.

ON AUGUST 22, 1976. BOUXWILLER (Bas Rhin)

Around 1 a.m. 2 young motorists were followed by a craft, surrounded by multicolored rings. The object located 4 or 5 m from the ground and throwing luminous jets, changed shape (from an egg to a cigar) and became dazzling. Several people including 2 gendarmes saw the phenomenon, the same in the region of Saverne.

("Parisien Libéré" for 8/25/76)
("L'indépendant" du 8/25/76)

IN THE
BAS-RHIN

INVESTIGATION BY
PH. WIEDENHOFF
Regional Delegate

THE FACTS

During the night of Saturday 08/21 to Sunday 08/22, 1976 around midnight R. B. and M. C. both aged 21 were traveling in their vehicle from Monswiller to Dossenheim, on the CD 219.

"We were looking for a place, a bistro to have a drink. We left Saverne to find a bistro open at this hour. At the entrance to Ernolsheim (point 1), M. C., my fiancée, alerted that a "thing" was following us. She said that jokingly.

(continued on page 18)

continued from page 18: IN THE BAS-RHIN

It was a big ball, like a pétanque ball, very, very luminous with like luminous antennae and above the ball heaps of luminous spots which sparkled in a semicircle, this semicircle being slightly on the left ”(see fig. 1 a).

When I questioned Mrs. C., she told me that she saw "a kind of white smoke upwards intermittently" (see fig. l b). Let us specify immediately that she did not see the luminous spots in a semi-circle until later, when she looked at the phenomenon through binoculars. We will come back to that.

The two witnesses estimated that the altitude of the phenomenon was around 100 meters, and that it had an angular size of 1° 30' to 2°.

Continuing their journey, R. B. and M. C. see that "the ball is sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left of the car a hundred meters above." And this until the entrance to the village of Dossenheim (point 2). At average speed, it takes a maximum of one minute to travel from Ernolsheim to Dossenheim.

Arrived therefore at the entrance to Dossenheim, near the campsite, located on the left, the phenomenon has an unusual behavior. It was R. B. who said:

"At the campsite in Dossenheim, the ball was on the right. I observe it, but suddenly it veers to the left and presents itself in front of the car. It passed behind the first house on the right (see fig. . 5). It must have been 2 to 3 m above the car." Still according to R. B. it was the size of an egg, of a very bright white-yellow color. Around the ball, reigned a bluish and reddish light (hence, no doubt, the "multicolored rings" of the press). He couldn't give more details because he was dazzled and was only thinking about one thing at the time: to make a U-turn.

Mr. C., for her part, declares that "it became very small, like an egg, and burst like a flash".

While they make a U turn, R. M. sees the fixed ball, while M. C. no longer sees it (?).

When I asked them if they had noticed anything abnormal with the operation of their car during the observation, R. M. informed me that the radio was interfered with by noise during the close observation. This noise annoyed him to such an extent that he switched off the set. Therefore, he cannot say whether the brodcast resumed normally after the observation or not. Still, no other problem arose. Mr. C. didn't notice the "crackles" of the radio, being too edgy and too busy watching, she said.

The gendarmes of Bouxwiller provided the following details, which they got from witnesses from elsewhere: "at the entrance to Dossenheim, the luminous ball was observed (as being) at the height of a telephone pole, then above the first house on the right."

The data allow to establish that this ball must have been between 3 and 4 m in diameter, whereas during the close phase, the "egg" must have been between 30 and 40 cm.

After their U-turn, "the ball regained altitude, but followed us by another path, because we did not see it any more, for a few minutes".

M. C. specifies: "after the U-turn I turned around and saw it behind, then to the right, then to the left". R. B., driving, did not see it, because her passenger herself had to press her face against the windows to see it. Which undoubtedly explains this "momentary disappearance" until Ernolsheim. Until their arrival in Monswiller (point 3), the phenomenon shows itself quite far from them on their left, towards the village of Hattmatt (angular size approximately 40').

They arrive in front of the girl's house. There "they see the ball above the neighbour's roof (see fig. 4), 40 to 50 m above. It was moving to its right very slowly". Its shape was still round and its color had not changed.

M. C. entered her home and looked for her mother. They came out with binoculars and observed the phenomenon. The father joined them later. The ball seemed to change shape. At one point, the mother "thought she saw a disc rush to her." She got scared and entered her home.

M. C. reports that she saw a dot of light just above the roof, under the luminous ball, slightly

on the left, luminous dot which changed color (red-orange-yellow). It could be seen without a binocular. On the other hand with the binoculars the small points in the semicircle of which I spoke above were visible, as well as an elongated gray-black zone on either side of the ball (see fig. 2a and 2b), invisible to the naked eye.

At around 1 a.m., they called the Saverne gendarmerie. Two gendarmes came to the young woman's home. They were able to see the phenomenon. The only result of this interview was, it seems, the summons of the witnesses to the gendarmerie and the investigation carried out by them.

In the meantime, the young man, R. B., had returned home to Ingwiller. He was still seeing the luminous ball, which didn't seem to move.

At this point in the story, I want to make an important point. It seems, in fact, that the phenomenon takes on another aspect from this moment on. Unless it's just another phenomenon. Still, the following observation does not seem to agree with the previous observation, at least as regards the description of the phenomenon.

This duality of the phenomenon is also reported in the newspaper article.

Arrived therefore at Ingwiller, R. B. meets the adjutant Le Martret, and the gendarme Paicheler, of the brigade of Bouxwiller (company of Saverne), in the process of carrying out a night round, in "Estafette". It should be noted that the two gendarmes knew the young man, as I have already indicated. So when the latter tells them that he was followed by "something luminous, like a ball", the gendarmes believed it was a joke.

"Are you okay? Did you dring too much white wine?" (sic)

R. B. then shows them the location. The luminous ball is still there. Constable Paicheler specifies: "In reality, there were several lights. It was not a star, it was too big, but like headlights".

Then, the two gendarmes took the direction of Rothbach (CD 28), for, it seems, to climb on the highest place of the region. Indeed there is a hill between Ingwiller and Rothbach (alt. 230 m). They made this trip by turning on the rotating beacon of the "Estafette". This reflex, to say the least curious, is easily explained when we know that the gendarmes were thinking of a plane or a helicopter in difficulty. Arrived at the intersection with the CD 105, (see fig. 6 and point 4} they stopped and saw the lights to the east (direction Mulhausen). Had they moved?

Was this a new phenomenon? Nobody knew how to answer me, nobody having noticed any displacement.

These new lights "were in the shape of a triangle (of an angular size identical to the ball: 1°30' to 2°). From time to time, sprays of fire appeared at the base of the triangle (cf. Fig. 3). The whole set then lit up more strongly and took on the appearance of a ball. The lights (of the triangle) dimmed "which seems normal, if the whole set was lit by advantage. "When the lights were sharp, they seemed fixed." This happened every 3 or 4 seconds.

Constable Paicheler believes he can attribute a small movement to the whole at each "ignition", although this is very difficult to say, given the brilliance of

the light. He further specifies that "the peak light was not in the axis of the others, but slightly to the left".

After an observation of 10 to 15 minutes, they continued their patrol, without stopping the observation.

Arrived at Bouxwiller (point 5), they took binoculars to observe exactly the same thing. At this time, Constable Paicheler took two photographs, with a DACORA camera. There were two shots left to take. Unfortunately, he didn't think about setting his camera for a night photo (paused). He thinks he took both pictures at 1 / 125th! As you might expect, both photos, developed the next day, were completely black. I personally could not see the proofs, but I was told that nothing, not the slightest clear point, was visible.

This sighting lasted until 4 a.m. Constable Paicheler, having some small notions of astronomy, located the phenomenon approximately in relation to the big bear and to a brighter star which served as a landmark during the observation (which would therefore be the northern star?). He could observe that "the lights seemed closer to the star (brighter star) at Bouxwiller than on the hill".

These are the facts, as I was able to identify them.

At first glance, these two observations, which bring together no less than six known witnesses, seem distinct. In fact, while the two gendarmes observed their "triangle" in Bouxwiller, Mrs. C., the mother of witness M. C., got up just before dawn, looked outside and saw the luminous ball again, not above their own house anymore. "It was just a very shiny yellow ball."

In addition, the round appearance on the one hand, and triangular on the other hand, reinforces this hypothesis, although gendarme Paicheler speaks of a "ball" at times of increases in luminosity.

The pulsating aspect of the light was not noticed by the young people, although Mr. C. said he saw "intermittent white smoke".

On the other hand, these two phenomena are completely silent. None of the witnesses smelled or felt any heat.

The young people speak of disorderly luminous dots, slightly to the left above the ball, while the gendarmes speak of ordered luminous points, with the point at the top slightly to the left. Coincidence?

It seems very difficult to be able to answer this. To end this report, I would like to point out three more things:

- Constable Paicheler, while he was boarding in Obernai in 1953, claims to have seen a cigar-type phenomenon. He had never mentioned it.

- M. C., during the two or three days following his observation, had headaches. Maybe it was just because of her nervousness.

- Warrant Officer Le Martret's son was returning from La Petite Pierre the same night. He declared to his father, before being aware of the events of the night: "I saw a Sputnik." His father retorted: "Me too!" Unfortunately I could not meet this witness, I heard this from Mrs Le Martret.

Note that R. B. was familiar with the U.F.O.s phenomenon like everyone else, but that he had no interest in it. M. C. on her side, had read a book dealing with the topic, a book which she began to read again the day after the sighting, but she did not attach too much importance to UFOs until this day.

AUGUST 22, 1976.-

BOUXWILLER. - (68)

Time: around 1 a.m.

Several witnesses including 2 gendarmes observed an object surrounded by multicolored rings, which approached the witnesses' car, 4 or 5 m above the ground and followed them in silence when they turned around. It changed shape from egg to cigar and became dazzling.

According to the alerted gendarmes, jets of light escaped from the triangular-shaped object when it moved. They observed it through binoculars from 4 a.m.

"CENTRE PRESSE" for WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25, 1976.

INVESTIGATION OF M. PH. WIENDENHOFF (Regional delegate following an article published in "Centre Presse" for August 25, 1976.

AUGUST 22, 1976

BOUXWILLER.- (67)

THE FACTS: Around 24 H. R.B. and M.C., both aged 21, were traveling in their vehicle from Monswiller towards DOSSENHEIM, on CD 119: "We were looking for a place, a bistro to drink a drink. We left Saverne to find a bistro open at this time. At the entrance to ERNOSLHEIM, my fiancée pointed out a "thing" that was following us. She said that jokingly

It was a big ball, like a pétanque ball, very, very luminous and above the ball lots of luminous dots which sparkled in a semi-circle, this semi-circle was slightly to the left.

M.C. specifies that she saw "a kind of white smoke upwards, intermittently."

She didn't see the dots of light until later, when she looked at the phenomenon with binoculars. The two witnesses estimated that the altitude of the phenomenon was approximately 100 m and that it had an angular size of 1°30' to 2°.

Continuing their route, RB and MC see that "the ball is sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left of the car, about a hundred meters above."

And this, as far as the entrance to the village of DOSSENHEIM. At average speed it takes 1 minute to connect Ernoslheim to Dossenheim.

At the entrance of DOSSENHEIM, near the campsite on the left, the phenomenon has an unusual behavior. RB says: "At the campsite the ball was on the right. I observed it, but suddenly it turned left and appeared in front of the car. It passed behind the first house on the right. It must have been 2 or 3 m above the car." Was the size of an egg, of a yellow-white color, very vivid. Around the ball reigned a bluish and reddish light (hence no doubt the "multicolored rings" of the press). He was dazzled and thought of only one thing: to turn around.

M.C. as for her, declares that "it became very small like an egg, and burst like a flash."

While they were doing the U-turn, RM sees the fixed ball, while MC no longer sees it (?)

RM reported that the radio was jammed with extraneous noise at the time of the close sighting. This noise bothered him so much that he turned off the set. MC did not notice the "crackling" of the set, she said being too upset and too busy watching.

The data allows us to establish that these balls must have been between 3 and 4 m in diameter, while in the close phase, the "Egg" must have been between 30 and 40 cm. After their U-turn "the ball regained altitude, we did not see it for a few minutes."

MC specifies "after the U-turn I looked back and I saw it behind, then to the right, then to the left." RB driving, couldn't see it. Which undoubtedly explains this momentary disappearance up to ERNOLSHEIM. Until they arrive at MONSWILLER, the phenomenon manifests itself quite far from their left, towards the village of HATTMATT (angular size approximately 40').

They arrive in front of the young girl's house. There "they see the ball above the neighbor's roof, 40 to 50 m above. It moved on her [or its] right very slowly. Its shape was still round and its color had not changed. MC went home and went to get her mother. They came out with binoculars and observed the phenomenon. The father joined them afterwards. The ball seemed to change shape. At one time, the mother thought she saw a disc rushing at her. She got scared and went home.

MC reports that she saw a luminous dot just above the roof, under the luminous ball, slightly to the left, luminous dot which changes color (red-orange-yellow). It was seen without a binocular. On the other hand, with binoculars, one discovered the luminous dots in a semicircle, as well as an elongated grey-black zone on either side of the ball, a feature invisible to the naked eye.

Around 1 a.m. they called the Saverne gendarmerie. Two gendarmes came to the girl's home. They were able to observe the phenomenon.

In the meantime the young man RB had returned home to INGWILLER. He still saw the luminous ball which did not seem to move. It seems that the phenomenon takes another look from this moment. Unless it

simply another phenomenon. Arrived therefore at INGWILLER RB meets Adjutant LE MARTRET and Gendarme RICHELER, of the BOUXWILLER Brigade (Savern company) doing a night tour, in "Estafette." It should be noted that the two gendarmes knew the young man, so when the latter told them that he had been followed by "something luminous like a ball" the gendarmes believed it was a joke. "Are you okay? Didn't you drink a little too much white wine?"

RB then shows them the place. The luminous ball is still there. Gendarme RICHELER specifies: "In reality there were several lights. It was not a star, it was very big but like a headlight."

With that, the two gendarmes took the direction of ROHBACH (CD 28) to, it seems, climb to the highest place in the region (alt. 230 m). They made this journey by switching on the Estafette's flashing light. The police thought it was a plane or helicopter in difficulty. Arriving at the intersection with CD 105 they stopped and saw the lights to the EAST (direction MULHAUSEN). Had they moved? Was this a new phenomenon? The new lights were in the shape of a triangle of the same angular size as the ball: 1°30' to 2°. From time to time, sheaves of fire appeared at the base of the triangle. The whole thing then lit up stronger and took on the appearance of a ball. The triangle lights were dimming, which seems normal if the whole set was getting brighter. When the lights were sharp, they seemed fixed. This was happening every 3 or 4 seconds.

Constable RICHELER specifies that the light at the fromt was not in line with the others, but slightly to the left. After an observation of 10 to 15 minutes, they continued their patrol without stopping the observation. Arriving at BOUXWILLER they took the binoculars to observe exactly the same thing. Photos were taken but with poor setup, developed they were all black. The observation continued until 4 a.m.

LDLN No. 166 (June - July 1977) P. 15 to 20.

Strasbourg. -- Several people, including two policemen, saw an unidentified flying object (UFO), which flew over the area of Bouxwiller (Bas-Rhin) in the night from Saturday 21 to Sunday, August 22, 1976.

Two young motorists said that around 1 a.m., an object, surrounded by colorful rings, approached their car, four or five feet from the ground, and followed them when they turned around. Moving silently, they add, the UFO changed shape, ranging from the "egg" to an "elongated cigar" and it became dazzling.

According to the report of two gendarmes of Bouxwiller, alerted by the young people, "jets of light" escaped from the object, of triangular shape when it moved. The policemen watched the UFO through binoculars from 4 a.m.

Finally, the gendarmerie in Saverne (Bas-Rhin) said that the inhabitants of the region also saw the UFO before it disappeared at dawn at 6 a.m.

Night of 08211976 to 08221976 from 24 a.m. to 4 D219 , between Ernolsheim-lès-Saverne 67330 D3 and Dossenheim-sur-Zinsel.

WITNESSES.

R. B. Mr. and Miss C. (XX), 21. The father and mother of Miss M. C. Two gendarme of the squad of Saverne. Two gendarmes of the Bouxviller [sic] squad, Gendarmerie Adjudant Le Martret and Gendarmerie officer Paicheler.

OBSERVATIONS.

1) A luminous ball of 3 to 4 m in diameter with kinds of luminous antennas. Above this ball are many bright spots that sparkle, forming a semicircle (low altitude phenomenon observed by Mr. R.B., Miss M. C.).

2) A ball of white-yellow color emitting a bluish and reddish light. (Phenomenon moving 2 or 3 meters above the couple's car and observed over the roof of the parrents of Miss M.C. by both young people and parents of Miss M.C.

3) A triangle which lets escape sheaves of "fire" with lighted base and takes the form of a ball, the lights then attenuating (these changes occur every 3-4 seconds). Observation by Adjudant Le Martret and Constable Paicheler.

EVENTS.

The phenomenon No. 1 is observed by the young couple who drives by car from Ernolsheim to Dossenheim for a minute. It follows the car of the witnesses. The phenomenon No. 2 is observed at very low altitude and then going away by the couple, from Dossenheim to Ernolsheim then until Monswiller in the direction of the village of Hattmat. In Monswiller, the parents of the girl watch the ball over the roof of the home of a neighbor (at 40 meters altitude). M. C. distinguishes a bright spot under the left of the ball that it changing color from red to yellow to orange.

At 1 p.m., the aletered gendarmes of Saverne observe the phenomenon number 2. Mr. R. B. returned to his home in Ingwiller and meets Adjudant Le Martret and Constable Paicheler of the Bouxviller [sic] squad currently on night patrol in "Estaffette." He tells them of the phenomenon. So, when Mr. B. told them that he is followed by a luminous ball, the gendarme think is is a prank. "Are you nuts? Did you drink a small glass of white wine too much?" (Sic) Mr. B. tells them the location of the phenomenon and the two gendarmes take the direction of Rothbach, they put on the beacon of the "Estafette". This quite odd reflex is easily explained by the fact that the two gendarmes think of a helicopter in trouble.

They stop at the intersection of the D105 and see a triangular phenomenon in the direction of Mulhausen phenomenon (phenomenon number 3). After observing for 10 to 15 minutes, they continue their patrol without ceasing their observation until Bouxviller where Constable Paicheler grabs a Dacora camera and takes two shots at 1/25! (picture completely black).

The observation extends up to 4 o'clock.

Before daybreak , Mrs. C. stood up and observed a very bright yellow ball.

EFFECTS. The radio of the vehicle was scrambled during the observation #2.

SOURCES . L.D.L.N., No. 166, p. 17-20 (investigation by P. Wiedenhoff ) . - Centre Press for 08/25/1976.

1976, night from August 21 to 22.

FRANCE, Ernolsheim/Dossenheim (Bas-Rhin)

Around midnight a young couple driving from Ernolsheim to Dossenheim saw a luminous ball of 3 to 4 m in diameter with some kind of luminous antennae. Above this ball are numerous glittering luminous dots forming a semicircle. The phenomenon is observed at low altitude. Then between Ernolsheim and Monswiller they observe a white-yellow ball emitting a bluish and reddish light 2 or 3 m above their car, the same phenomenon is observed above the house of the female passenger by two young people and by the parents. About 1 o'clock, the alerted gendarmes of Saverne also observe it. Adjutant Le Martret and Constable Paichelier of the Bouxwiller squad on patrol stop at the intersection of the D 105 and see towards Mulhausen a triangle from which fire sprays emerge from the base that illuminates and takes the appearance of a ball, changes occurring every 3 to 4 seconds. Constable Paichelier, after 15 minutes of observation, grabbed a Dacora camera and took two pictures (they will be entirely black). (Mr. FIGUET / JL RUCHON: "Ovni, Premier dossier complet..." Alain Lefeuvre publisher 1979, pp. 628, 629) Around 01:00 an object surrounded by multicolored rings approached the car of the two witnesses, 4 or 5 m from the ground and followed them when they turned around. It moved silently and changed shape: from the egg to the lengthened cigar while becoming dazzling. (Robert ROUSSEL: "Ovni, la fin du secret" - Belfond 1978, 105)

Ref. F/00/67/76 08 22 (01) IQ: 1,1,1,1,1 (5) IE: 1,1,0,1,0 (3)

On the night of Saturday August 21 to Sunday August 22, around 0 a.m. (UTC: 10 p.m.), a young engaged couple is driving on the CD 219 linking Monswiller to Dosenheim (67). At the entrance to the village of Ernolsheim, they feel followed by a luminous phenomenon, round and yellow, equipped with antennas and topped by a mass of luminous points a hundred meters above the vehicle. Arrived at the entrance of Dossenheim, the witnesses note that the phenomenon descends to 3 m above them and decreases in size by giving off a bluish and reddish light, it seems to burst like a flash. Frightened the driver majes a U turn. The car radio is jammed. Until their arrival in Monswiller, the phenomenon becomes punctual. Arriving in front of the young girl's house, they alert the parents and all observe the ball with binoculars which is stationary 40/50 m above a roof. They call the gendarmerie, two brigadiers come to note the presence of the phenomenon. However, the driver returned to Ingwiller and took the gendarmerie patrol as a witness, which in turn observed the phenomenon. The patrol goes to a nearby hill and notices the presence of another (?) phenomenon consisting of lights forming a triangle illuminating strongly at night. Periodically, sheaves of fire appear at the base. The gendarmes go down to Bouxwiller to take a pair of binoculars and a camera. They shoot 2 pictures without adjustment (no results). The observation lasts until 4 a.m., the phenomenon seems fixed to the right of the Big Dipper. No noise was heard.

Source: Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace for 08/24/76, l'Alsace 08/24/76 (UFOLOGIA n°6}, Parisien Libéré 08/25/76, L'Indépendant 08/25/76 (LDLN nr 159), investigation P. Wiedenhoff (LDLN nr 166 p. 17/20), LDLN nr 261 FRANCAT n°766), Roussel p. 105, Figuet p. 628.

Ernolsheim lès Saverne (67) on August 22, 1976

General features

Num Base:	44
Department:	Bas Rhin (67)
Place of observation:	Ernolsheim lès Saverne
Latitude:	48.783
Longitude:	+7.383
Date of observation:	August 22, 1976
Heure:	00:00
Duration (HH:MM:SS):	04:00:00
Weather:	No weather indication
Type of observation:	Visual: close
Nbr of witness(es):	4
Official investigation:	No

Feature of the object

Nbr of object:	1
Type of object:	Several shapes to without dou
Size:	Not specified
Color:	Cream
Luminosity:	Briliant
Visual caracteristic:	Numerous lights
Speed:	not defined
Movement/Dislacement:	Near the ground or low altitud
Object on the ground:	No
Instantaneous disappearance:	No

Type of effects noted

Physical effects:

radio or tv interferences,

Observation

Around midnight a young couple by car from Ernolsheim to Dossenheim sees a luminous ball of 3 to 4 m in diameter with kinds of light antennas. Above this ball are many dots of light that sparkle forming a half circle. The phenomenon is observed at low altitude. Then between Ernolsheim and Monswiller they observed a white-yellow ball emits a bluish and reddish light to 2 or 3 meters above their car, the same phenomenon is observed above the house of the female passenger by two youths and by the parents. Around 1 o'clock, the alerted gendarmes of Saverne also observed this. Two gendarmes of the brigade of Bouxwiller on patrol stop at the intersection of the D 105 and see towards Mulhausen a triangle from which fire jets escape by the base that lights up base and takes the form a ball, changes occurring every 3 to 4 seconds. One of them, after 15 minutes of observation, grabs a Dacora camera and takes two pictures (they will be completely black).

Sources

Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979
Ovni, la fin du secret by Roussel Robert ** Belfond 1978

12290: 1976/08/21 23:50 240 7:24:00 E 48:48:00 N 3333 WEU FRN BRH 7:A

D219 nr DOSSENHEIM,FR:5 COPS+6:4M LUM ORB W/ANTENNAS/LO alt:lcl wave:/r30p628

Ref#194 LUMIERES dans la NUIT.(LDLN France) Issue No. 166 : TOWN &CITY

On the night from Saturday, 21.08 to Sunday 22.08 at about 0 a.m., R. B and M. C., both 21 years of age, were traveling in their vehicle from Monswiller to Dossenheim on the CD 219.

"We were looking for a place, a bar, to have a drink. We got out of Saverne to find a bistro that would have been open at this hour. At the entrance of Ernolsheim, M. C., my bride, points to me a "thing" that follows us. She said it in jest. It was a big ball, like a bowling ball, very, very bright with like luminous antennas and over the ball a lot of bright spots that glittered in a semi-circle, this half-circle being slightly to the left "(cf fig.1a).

When I asked M. C., she clarified that she saw "a kind of white smoke up intermittently" (see fig.1b). It should be noted immediately that she saw the bright spots in semi-circle only later, when the phenomenon was watched with binoculars. We will get back to that.

Both witnesses estimated that the altitude of the phenomenon was about 100 m, and it had an angular size from 1°30 to 2°.

Continuing their trip, R. B and M. C. see that "the ball is sometimes on the right, sometimes on the left of the car a hundred meters above." And this until the entrance of the village of Dossenheim. At a medium pace, it takes at most a minute to gp from Ernolsheim to Dossenheim.

Thus arrived at the entrance of Dossenheim. up to the campsite, on the left. the phenomenon has an unusual behavior. This is R. B telling:

"At the the level of the camping of Dossenheim, the ball was on the right. I observe it, but suddenly it turns to the left and goes in front of the car. It went behind the first house on the right (see Fig. 5). It must have been 2 to 3 m above the car." Also according to R. B it had the size of an egg; of a white-yellow color, very vivid. Around the ball, a bluish and reddish light spread (hence probably "colored rings" of the Press). He can not give more details because he was dazzled and was thinking at that time of only one thing: to turn around. M. C. meanwhile, states that "it had become very small, like an egg, and it burst like a flash."

While they perform the U-turn, R. B sees the fixed ball while M. C. does not see it anymore (7). (...)

The Bouxwiller police brought the following clarifications, they also got from the witnesses by the way: "at the entrance of Dossenheim, the luminous ball was observed (as being at) the height of a telephone pole and above the first house on the right."

The data establish that the ball must have between 3 and 4 m in diameter, while at the earliest stage, the "egg" should be between 30 and 40 cm. After their U-turn, "the ball took altitude again, but followed us by another path, as we did not see it anymore, for a few minutes."

M. C. entered her home and sought her mother. They emerged with binoculars and observed the phenomenon. The father joined them later. The ball appeared to change shape. At one point, the mother "thought she saw a disc rush at her." She got scared and went back inside.

M. C. reported that she saw a bright spot just above the roof, under the luminous ball, slightly on the left, a luminous spot that changed color (red-orange-yellow). It was seen without binoculars. On the other end with the binoculars the bright spots in a semicircle were discovered as I mentioned above, as well as an elongated dark gray area on each side of the ball, (see Fig. 2a and 2b(, feature unseen by the naked eye.

M. C. specifies: "After the U-turn, I looked back and saw it behind, then right, then left." As R. B was driving, he could not see because his passenger herself had to stick her face against the window to see it. This probably explains the "temporary disappearance" until Ernolsheim. Until they came at Monswiller, the phenomenon manifests itself quite far from them on their left, to the village of Hattmatt (angular size 4° approximately).

They arrive before the house of the girl. There "they see the ball over the neighbor's roof (see fig. 4) 40-50 m over. It moved to the right very slowly." Its shape was always round and its color had not changed.

Towards 1 a.m., they called the police of Saverne. Two gendarmes presented themselves at the home of the young girl. They were able to see the phenomenon. The only result of this interview was, it seems, a witness summon to the police office and the investigation by them. Meanwhile the young man, R. B, had gone home in Ingwiller. He was still seeing the bright ball, which did not seem to move.

At this step of the story, I want to make an important point. It seems that the phenomenon takes a different look from that moment. Unless this is a different phenomenon altogether. Still, the observation which follows does not seem consistent with the previous observation, at least as to the description of the phenomenon.

This duality is also reported in the newspaper article.

So, arriving in Inwiller, R. B meets Warrant Le M., and Constable P. of the Brigade of Bouxwiller (company of Saverne), currently conducting a night tour, in an "Estafette". It should be noted that "the two gendarmes knew the young man (...). So when he tells them he had been followed by something luminous, like a ball, the police officers believe it is a prank. (...)

R. B then show them the place. The luminous ball is still there. Constable P. states: "In reality there were several lights. It was not a star, it was too big, but like headlights."

Upon this, the two gendarmes took the direction of Rothbach (CD 28) for, it seems, to get up on the highest spot in the area. Indeed, there is a hill between Ingwiller and Rothbach (Altitude 230 m. They made this trip while putting on the flashing light of the "Estafette". This quite odd idea is easily explained when we know that gendarmes thought it was a plane or a helicopter in trouble. Arrived at the intersection with the CD 105, (see fig. 6 and item 4) they stopped and saw the lights in the east (towards Mulhausen). Did they moved? Was this a new phenomenon? Nobody was able to answer me, having seen no movement.

These new lights "were triangular (same angular size than the ball: (1°30' to 2°. Occasionally, fire sheaves appeared at the base of the triangle (see fig 3). The whole set then lit stronger and took the appearance of a ball. The lights (of the triangle) dimmed"; which seems normal, if the whole set brightened more. "When the lights were sharp they seemed motionless." This occurred every 3 or 4 seconds.

The gendarme P thinks he managed to perceive a gentle movement of the whole set at each "firing", although it is very difficult to say, since the burst of light. He states in addition that "the light at the point was not in the axis of the others, but slightly to the left."

After an observation of 10 to 15 minutes, they continued their patrol, still watching. Once in Bouxwiller, they took binoculars to observe exactly the same thing. (...) This observation continued to 4 a.m.. Constable P. having a few notions of astronomy, situated approximately the phenomenon compared to the Big Dipper and a bright star that served as a benchmark when observing (which would then be the Northern Star). He was able to observe that "the lights seemed closer to the star (the brightest star) from Bouxwiller than they were on the mound."

These are the facts as I could note them down.

At first glance, these two observations; which group no less than six known witnesses, seem distinct. Indeed, while the two gendarmes watched their "triangle" in Bouxwiller, Ms C, the mother of the witness M. C., stood up just before dawn, looked out and saw again the luminous ball, not anymore above their own home. "It was just a very bright yellow ball."

In addition, the round appearance on one hand and the triangular appearance on the other, supports this hypothesis, although the policeman P says "ball" at times when the brightness increases.

The pulsating aspect of the light has not been observed by the young people, although M. C. said he saw "white smoke intermittently".

The young people talk about disorderly luminous dots, slightly left above the ball, while the gendarmes speak of ordained luminous dots, with the point at the top slightly to the left. Coincidence?

It seems very difficult to tell.

To conclude this report, I would like to mention three things:

• Constable P., while in a guests house in Obernai in 1953, claims to have seen a phenomenon of the cigar type. He had never talked about it.
• M. C. during the two or three days following her observation, had headaches. Perhaps it is only because of her state of nervousness.
• The son of Warrant Officer M. was returning from La Petite Pierre in the same night. He told his father before being informed of the events of the night: "I saw a Sputnik". (...) I have unfortunately not been able to meet this witness, having picked this statement from Mrs. Le M.

Let's note that R. B knew the UFO phenomenon like everyone else, but it did not interest him at all. M. C. on her part, had read a book that dealt with the subject, book she began to read again the day after the sighting, but she did not attach too much importance to UFOs until that date.

Sunday, May 22, 2022

FR3 Alsace archival documents relating to UFO cases in the 60s and 70s

[...other cases...]

A second, shorter excerpt mentions a case in the Saverne area on August 23, 1976.

Several sources report some additional information...

Around 01:00 an object surrounded by multicolored rings approached the car of the two witnesses, 4 or 5 m from the ground and followed them when they turned around. It moved silently and changed shape: from egg to elongated cigar becoming dazzling. Source: OVNI, la fin du secret - Robert Roussel, Belfond 1978, p. 105

Around midnight a young couple driving from Ernolsheim to Dossenheim sees a luminous ball 3 to 4 m in diameter with a kind of luminous antennae. Above this ball are many luminous points which sparkle forming a semi-circle. The phenomenon is observed at low altitude. Then between Ernolsheim and Monswiller they observe a white-yellow ball emitting a bluish and reddish light 2 or 3 m above their car, the same phenomenon is observed above the house of the passenger by two young people and by parents. Around 1 a.m., the alerted gendarmes of Saverne also observed him. Warrant Officer Le Martret and Constable Paichelier of the Bouxwiller brigade on patrol stop at the intersection of the D 105 and see a triangle in the direction of Mulhausen from which sheaves of fire escape from the base which s lights up and takes on the appearance of a ball, with changes occurring every 3 to 4 seconds. Constable Paichelier, after 15 minutes of observation, grabs a Dacora camera and takes two photos (they will be completely black). Source: Ovni, Premier dossier complet... ed. Alain Lefeuvre 1979, p. 628, 629.

These cases have been updated in my "UFO Maps".

Posted by Polyèdre at 2:48 PM