ALSACAT-1978-02-14-BOURTZWILLER-1
Journalist Pierre-Louis Cereja published in the regional newspaper L'Alsace for February 15, 1978, an article about two UFO sightings in Bourtzwiller by the same witness, Christian Ruppé, electrician, 17 year-old in 1978.
The previous evening, February 14, 2015, at approximately 7 p.m., he was walking his dog near the small park in the street of Dieppe in Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller, when he saw a flying object.
He had noticed it far off in the sky and had initially thought it was a plane that passed; so he continued his walk without paying attention.
But a few minutes later, he looked back and saw, about 5 meters above the roof of a house, a flat object with two headlights at the ends and a sort of triangle in the middle. Both headlights were producing a very white and very bright light, which he called an "industry white" color.
The lights went out and lit alternately. The UFO was stationary for about ten seconds above the ridge of the roof of the house before "disappearing" behind it.
The newspaper published this sketch as representing the UFO seen:
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The article said that three years ago, in the same place but around midnight, Christian Ruppé had already observed a UFO. He was then with his mother and neighbors in the street to follow the slow passage of a triangular-shaped object that moved, without light.
| Date: | February 14, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Time: | ~07:00 p.m. |
| Duration: | 10 seconds or more. |
| First known report date: | February 15, 1978 |
| Reporting delay: | Hours, 1 day. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Bourtzwiller |
| Place: | Walking near the small park rue de Dieppe in Bourtzwiller, UFO in the sky. |
| Latitude: | 47.767 |
| Longitude: | 7.330 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 500 m |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 1 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 1 |
| Witness(es) ages: | ? |
| Witness(es) types: | Young man, electricien who already reported a UFO. |
| Reporting channel: | The regional Press. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | By foot i a suburb street near a small park, UFO in the sky. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | Maybe |
| UFO departure observed: | Yes |
| Entities: | No |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | Maybe. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | Maybe. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | ? |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Hynek: | NL or DD or CE1 |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Unidentified, but sparse information. |
[Ref. lae1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ALSACE":
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A young electrician of 17 years old, Christian Ruppé, brings his stone to the building since last night around 7 p.m., while walking his dog near the small park in the street of Dieppe in Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller, he saw a flying object.
At first, the young man had noticed far off in the sky a presence that he initially attributed to the passage of an airplane. So he continued on his way without paying attention. However a few minutes later, the young electrician turned around to see, about 5 m above the roof of a house, a flat object with two headlights at its ends and a kind of triangle in the middle. Both headlights were providing a very white and very strong light (an "industry white" according to the expression of the professional young man) that was flickering on and off alternately. The UFO remained motionless for about ten seconds above the ridge of the roof before disappearing behind it.
Three years ago, in the same place already but that time around midnight, Christian Ruppé had already observed a UFO. He was then with his mother and neighbors in the street to follow the slow passage of a triangular shaped object that moved without light however.
[Sketch caption:] This is how Christian Ruppé saw the UFO.
P.L.C. [Pierre-Louis Cereja]
[Ref. ldl1:] "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" UFOLOGY MAGAZINE:
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ON FEBRUARY 14? 1978. MULHOUSE. BOURTZWILLER (Haut-Rhin)
At about 7 p.m. Mr. Christian RUPP saw about 5 m above the roof of a house, a flat object equipped with 2 headlights at its ends and a kind of triangle in the middle. The two "headlights" flickered on and off alternately. The craft was motionless for ten seconds then disappeared behind the roof. 3 years earlier the witness had made a sighting in the same place around midnight.
("L'Alsace" for 2/15/78)
[Ref. ldl2:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
The magazine published a call by Michel Figuet to delegates and investigators; he was looking for press articles necessary for his compilation of cases of "close encounters" in France, including:
CE0
14021977 Mulhouse Bourtzwiller
68100 C5
L'Alsace for 2/15/1978
[Ref. aldl:] MRS. GUEUDELOT, "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" ARCHIVE:
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FEBRUARY 14, 1978.-
MULHOUSE - BOURTZWILLER. - (68)
Time: around 7 p.m.
Mr. Christian RUPP saw, about 5 meters above the roof of a house, a flat object with two headlights at its ends and a sort of triangle in the middle.
The two headlights came on and off alternately.
The craft, motionless for approximately ten seconds, then disappeared behind the roof.
Three years ago the witness made an observation in the same place around midnight.
L'ALSACE FOR FEBRUARY 15, 1978.
LDLN Nr 174 (APRIL 1978) P. 32
[Ref. mft1:] "FRANCAT" - MICHEL FIGUET:
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| CASE NR | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | TIME | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY | SOURCES |
| 843 | CE0 | 02/14/1978 | 7 p.m. | Mulhouse Bourtzwiller | 68100 C5 | NI | P L'Alsace 15 |
[Ref. mye1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LES MYSTERES DE L'EST":
Réf. F/87/68780214 (01)
Around 7:00 p.m., in Mulhouse, Mr. Rupp sees, about 5 m above the roof of a house, a flat object with two headlights at its ends and a sort of triangle in its middle. The two headlights turn on and off alternately. The craft, motionless for ten seconds, then disappears behind the roof. Three years ago the witness had made the same observation, in the same place, around midnight.
Source: L.D.L.N. nr 147, p. 32 - L'Alsace for 02/15/1978.
The breakdown of the case number goes like in this example: F/98/88781202 (01):
F = France
/98/ = group code ((87 = LDLN)
88 = department code
78 = year
12 = month (00 if unknown)
02 = day (00 if unknown)
(01) = numer of observation for that date, department and group considered.
Thus, for this case: France, LDLN, Haut-Rhin, February 14, 1978.
[Ref. cnu1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "CNEGU":
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Ref. F/87/68780214 (01)
Around 7:00 p.m., in Mulhouse, Mr. Rupp saw, about 5 m above the roof of a house, a flat object with two headlights at its ends and a kind of triangle in the middle. Both headlights turn on and off alternately. The craft, motionless for about ten seconds, then disappeared behind the roof. 3 years ago the witness had made the same observation, in the same place, around midnight.
Source: L.D.L.N. nr 147, p. 32 - L'Alsace for 02/15/1978.
[Ref. cvn2:] CHRISTIAN VALENTIN:
Former journalist Christian Valentin published in 2012 a very interesting book telling the story of UFO sightings, flying saucers sightings, in Alsace, from the beginning to 1980.
In this book, he reports that on Monday, February 13, 1978, there was an observation in Bourtzwiller, reported like this in the newspaper L'Alsace for Wednesday, February 15, 1978:
A young electrician of 17 years old, C. R., brings his stone to the building since last night around 7 p.m., while walking his dog near the small park in the street of Dieppe in Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller, he saw a flying object.
At first, the young man had noticed far off in the sky a presence that he initially attributed to the passage of an airplane. So he continued on his way without paying attention. However a few minutes later, the young electrician turned around to see, about 5 m above the roof of a house, a flat object with two headlights at its ends and a kind of triangle in the middle. Both headlights were providing a very white and very strong light (an "industry white" according to the expression of the professional young man) that was flickering on and off alternately. The UFO remained motionless for about ten seconds above the ridge of the roof before disappearing behind it.
Three years ago, in the same place already but that time around midnight, C. R. had already observed a UFO. He was then with his mother and neighbors in the street to follow the slow passage of a triangular shaped object that moved without light however.
[Sketch caption:] This is how C. R. saw the UFO.
P.L.C.
[Ref. isu1:] BLOG "ISUNDGAU":
After the appearance of UFOs during the 1950s, we tell you about some observations and testimonies during the period 1970 - 2000. The descriptions seem more detailed and the bizarre demonstrations are sometimes supported by the police or the army.
[... Other cases ...]
February 1978 in Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller (article published in the newspaper L'Alsace, February 25, 1978)
"A UFO last night in Bourtzwiller?
Strong emotion last night at 07:15 p.m., for four residents of a building in Kaysersberg street, Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller, who claim to have seen in the sky an unidentified flying object (UFO).
These four people were taking the (springtime) air at their balcony on the third floor when, according to their own description, appeared a kind of big ball. An orange luminous balloon, which turned on itself, sometimes very brilliant, sometimes dull. The object stopped above the cemetery, then suddenly, disappeared, very quickly, towards Illzach. The phenomenon would have lasted about five minutes. UFO (one more) or balloon illuminated by the setting sun and driven by the wind?"
[...Other cases...]
As often with cases only reported as a newspaper article, very essential information is omitted.
According to the sketch, we are dealing with a non-human flying machine, so, an alien craft.
But who made the sketch? Was it the witness, or is this a free interpretation of some draftsman who did not see the UFO? We are no told.
Actually the thing could have been a human machine, id we do not take the sketch for a reliable representation. For example, the machine could have been a helicopter.
To confirm or deny this, we should have at least two pieces of information: was the apparatus making noise, or was it silent, and how far from the witness was it?
Again, we are not told, although this information could have been easily collected, obviously.
Was this a phoned report? Did anyone meet the witness directly? What was his profile, his credibility? What was the total length of observation? Why don't we get to know whether people in the area saw or heard something? So many questions...
What a pity!
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Above: There are several areas that can be called a "small park" along rue de Dieppe in Mulhouse-Bourtzwiller (green line).
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Above: A daylight view in 2015 of that street.
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Above: Another daylight view in 2015 of that street.
Bourtzwiller was a town of its own in the Haut-Rhin, but was then incorporated into the town of Mulhouse; becoming its most populous district.
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Unidentified, but sparse information.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editeur: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | September 12, 2015 | Creation, [lae1], [ldl1], [mft1], [cvn2]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | September 12, 2015 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | February 14, 2018 | Addition [isu1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | May 21, 2021 | Addition [mye1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | May 29, 2021 | Addition [ldl2]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | January 17, 2023 | Addition [cnu1]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | September 8, 2023 | Addition [ald1]. |
