ALSACAT-1990-09-19-THANN-1
On Wednesday, September 19, 1990, at 10:19 p.m., local gendarmes were on usual patrol in the Thann area, when the duty constable of their unit gave them an address to go to because the residents, the O. family, were just observing a UFO.
The gendarmes set off immediately, observing the sky without seeing anything unusual.
Their report indicates what follows. The O. family resides in a detached house north of Thann, which is accessed from the city center by a Departmental Road taking the direction of a village. The house is on the right side of the street, surrounded by other houses, with an unoccupied area in front until the edge of the forest.
The weather was then overcast, the temperature was cold, it was not raining, there was no moon.
Mrs. O., 39, is an assistant teacher in a college. Her husband, 39, is a technical agent at the Chamber of Commerce, and he had been a radar operator in the Air Forces. Their children are 12 and 9 years old.
When the gendarmes arrive, the couple and their children explain that they saw around 10:00 p.m. or 10:10 p.m. a UFO, from the east side of the house, from the window of one of the children's bedrooms. They saw an ovoid shape, rather large, whitish or light-colored, without shine, which moved by making round-robbing movements over the Vosges massif which overhangs their home. The movement went to one end to a spot where there is a statue of the Virgin to the north.
After several of these moves, the phenomenon was gone. The witnesses, the couple and the two oldest children, were certain of what they saw. They had not thought of taking pictures or calling on other adults.
After an extended interview with the couple, the Gendarmes noted that they maintained their story and found no explanation for this phenomenon.
On September 20, 1990, the Company's Commander read their report also sent to GEPAN and requested an investigation. The Gendarmes first conducted a neighborhood investigation that made them write that the family is honorably known there, and that there is no reason to question their truthfulness. The family had not dealt with them before. No known neighbors who would have seen the phenomenon were found.
They informed the local press of the affair, calling for possible witnesses. Following this, five people contacted the Gendarmes saying they had seen a UFO, but the dates were 19, 20 and 21 September 1990 - only one observation being on the correct date and time, and none was at the matching location. All these witnesses lived in another Gendarmerie district, south-east of Thann, so the Gendarmes did not interrogate these people.
The Gendarmes checked the places where the UFO had been seen, noting that an exact location can not be determined since the UFO was above a large forested mound, culminating at 742 meters. All this moutain is uninhabited, with forest trails where traffic is prohibited at night. They took photographs of the place from the window where the UFO was observed.
They found that no demonstration or aerial maneuver took place on the night of the events in this area. They note that 20 minutes before their visit to the O's., they were on the scene of an accidental fire in a laundry in the center of Thann, but exclude a link with the UFO: no flame had been visible from outside the laundry, the firefighters' beacon were blue, the fire had occurred before the observation, and its place was distant and in the opposite direction of that of the UFO observation.
On September 26, 1990, the Gendarmes again heard Ms. O. She told them that on the 19th at 8 pm, she had put to bed her three children, M. 12, A., 9, and J., 5, on the first floor, mountain side, east side. She was on the ground floor with her husband, they were watching TV, when at about 9:45 p.m., the daughter came back down and told them that M. saw a light from his window. The husband went up to see what was happening and a few moments later, he called her to see the phenomenon. Mrs. O. joined her husband and the two eldest children in A.'s bedroom, and all four observed for a good 5 minutes an ovoid shape, opaque, milky, having the top up. This form grazed the top of the fir trees of the forest. It did not emit a lightning. It was moving to the right, to the left, making a gyratory movement. There were several such moves, 4 or 5. She estimated the size of the thing at 2 meters while noting that this is uncertain.
She specified on request that the sky was cloudy, with no visible stars or moon. The UFO was rather dull, or white, the light did not radiate, illuminating neither the forest nor the surroundings. She had never seen anything like this.
Her husband went down to call the Gendarmes but before their arrival, the phenomenon had disappeared. She estimates that in all the observation lasted 10 to 15 minutes. The phenomenon was not seen again later.
The husband stated to the Gendarmes that on Wednesday, September 19, 1990, at around 10 p.m. or 10:10 p.m., his son M. called him to report a bizarre phenomenon on the mountain, on the east side. The husband went to the first floor and saw through the window a rather large ovoid shape, light-colored, without shine, which passed several times over the mountain. This then disappeared behind the mountain, and came back. The thing was clearly above the mountain top. It did not throw light, it was like a diffuse, opaque light. The sky was overcast and not starred.
Because of the distance, he could not give the dimension of the object but it seemed big to him, egg-shaped, something he had never seen before. He is convinced that it was not an atmospheric phenomenon, and notes that there was no noise. He went downstairs to phone to the gendarmerie, and when he came back upstairs, the phenomenon was gone.
The Gendarmes add that they showed the couple a GEPAN leaflet of February 1979 distributed in the gendarmerie brigades. There were photographic plates in the last pages, but no image could be pointed by the witnesses as showing a phenomenon similar to the one they had seen.
| Date: | September 19, 1990 |
|---|---|
| Time: | ~09:45 p.m. |
| Duration: | 10 to 15 minutes. |
| First known report date: | September 19, 1990 |
| Reporting delay: | None. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Thann |
| Place: | From a windows on the 2nd floor of their house, UFO in the sky. |
| Latitude: | 47.813 |
| Longitude: | 7.104 |
| Uncertainty ratio: | 1 km |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 4 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 4 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | 39, 39, 12, 9 |
| Witness(es) types: | Maried couple and 2 of their children. |
| Reporting channel: | Phoned to the local Gedarmerie Nationale during the sighting. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | From a windows on the 2nd floor of their house, UFO in the sky. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | ? |
| UFO departure observed: | ? |
| Entities: | No |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Puzzled. |
| Witnesses interpretation: | Not a weather phenomenon. |
| Hynek: | ? |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Unidentified. |
[Ref. gen1:] GENDARMERIE NATIONALE:
This report by the Gendarmerie Nationale was published circa 2010 by the GEIPAN - see next source).
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GENDARMERIE NATIONALE
REPORT #811/90
REPORT OF PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
Judicial Information
SUBJECT: NIGHT OBSERVATION OF A U.F.O.
Witnesses: Family O[-] J[-] of[-]
WE UNDERSIGNING C[-] Y[-], Maréchal des Logis-Chief, Officer of Judicial Police and S[-] E[-], gendarme, Officer of Judicial Police of the [-] company in residence at [-] in conformity with articles 16 to 20 and 75 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, report the following operations we performed, acting in uniform and in accordance with the orders of our chiefs.
PREAMBLE
On Wednesday, September 19, 1990 at 10:19 p.m., being on general surveillance patrol at [-], are informed by the duty constable of the Unit that our intervention is requested at [-], [-].
According to the explanations given, the family O[-] J[-] was observing at that timement a U.F.O. (unidentified flying object), from their home.
We immediately transport ourselves to the indicated address, observing the sky ourselves without noticing such a phenomenon.
FINDINGS AND ACTIONS TAKEN
The O[-] family lives in a detached house in [-], in the urban area, north of the town.
From the city center, access to it is by the C.D. [Departmental Road] [-], taking the direction of [-].
The house, surrounded by other dwellings and an unoccupied area to the edge of the forest, is located on the right side of the street.
During our intervention, the weather conditions are as follows: overcast, cold temperature, no rain, no moon.
Upon arrival, we are welcomed by the couple O[-] and their three children. They explain that they saw, towards 10 p.m. - 10:10 p.m., a U.F.O. phenomenon. Their observation location is on the east side of the house, from the window of one of the children's bedrooms. They saw an ovoid shape, quite large, light-colored, without shine, whitish, it moved while following circling movements, above the Vosges mountains overlooking the town, from a fixed point materialized by a Virgin to the north, substantially at the height of the place called [-]. After several rotations, the phenomenon disappeared. The witnesses, the couple and the two oldest children, are convinced of what they saw. They did not have the reflex to take photographs or to call other adults.
From this point of observation, we see the communal forest of [-], the mountain, and on the right, the Virgin.
After a prolonged interview with the couple, it turns out that they maintain their words, finding no explanation for this phenomenon.
Mrs O[-], 39, is assistant professor at the College of [-]. Her husband, 39, is a technical facilitator with the Chamber of Commerce
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Document 511/1
Written in [-]
merce at [-]. In the past, he worked as a radar operator in the Air Force. Their children are 12 and 9 years old.
Unknown to our services, the O[-] family is honorably known in [Thann]. They is comfortably set, owning a beautiful detached house. The couple seemed honest, sensible and certainly not in a state of confusion at the time of the facts. There is no reason to question their word, which seems sincere to us.
On September 20, 1990, we reported this occurrence to our Company Commander at [-] and were ordered to establish this proceeding. The regulatory message was distributed under the usual conditions, in particular for the Group of Study of Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (GEPAN) in TOULOUSE, following the instructions given by the Commander of the Logis de Gendarmerie from [-] to [ -], the local press was informed of the facts, with call to possible witnesses.
INVESTIGATION
We listened to the couple O[-] and their son M[-]. They maintain their explanations and provide a detailed description of the phenomenon.
We examined the places where the U.F.O. would have been seen. The exact location can not be determined, as it is an important forested moutnain with a peak at 742 m (see location map and geographical map). We made a photographic page with a panoramic view from the observation point.
Note that the entire area is uninhabited and includes only forest trails prohibited at night.
After verifications carried out locally, it appears that no demonstration was organized in the night of the facts and in this region. The nearest agglomeration is 3 km south-east. In addition, no aerial maneuver was announced.
Twenty minutes before our intervention at Mr. O[-]'s, we were at the place of an accidental fire in a laundry at [-] on R.N. [-], in the center of the city. No flames were visible from outside the store. No link seems possible, the beacons used by local firefighters emitting blue lights. In addition, the site of the incident is located opposite the house [-], on the West side. The hypothesis of a reflection emitted on the monument of the Virgin is hasardous considering the distance and the time of observation which corresponds to the end of the intervention of the firemen.
A neighborhood investigation was conducted in vain. We did not find any other witnesses at [-]. However, following the press article, five people came forward, claiming to have seen one or more UFOs on September 19, 20 and 21, 1990. All remain in the [-] region southeast of [-].
For information, we have established the list of these people:
- Mr K [-] His neighbor reportedly took pictures.
- Mr R [-]. Would have seen a U.F.O. at the same time as the O[-] family.
- G [-] C [-]
- G [-]. W [-]. Same observations as Mr. R.
- S [-] B [-], Same observations as M[-] and G[-].
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Sheet 3
These people residing outside our constituency have not been interviewed.
CLOSURE
Given the local verifications and the explanations provided by the O[-] family, it seems that these witnesses observed a phenomenon of type B or C, characterized by a diffusion of nocturnal lights of undetermined origin.
We were unable to establish a plausible explanation for this case.
Let us add that we helped ourselves with the LE GEPAN leaflet of February 1979, distributed in the gendarmerie brigades. We showed it to the O[-] family, including the photographic plates of the last pages. No photo could be pointed at by the witnesses as showing a similar phenomenon.
Done and closed at [-] December 01, 1990
Investigators:
[-]
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REPORT OF WITNESS INTERVIEW
811/90
DOCUMENT 2
SHEET 1
"""On wednesday 9/19/90 at 8 p.m., I put our children in bed, including M[-] 12 years old A[-] 9 years old and J[-] 5 years old. I was on the 1st floor with my husband and watched the TV. The children sleep on the second floor, mountain side east side.
--- At 9:45 p.m., the girl came down telling us that M[-] saw a light from his window. Hearing this, given the hour, my husband went up to see what was happening and a few moments later, my husband called me to come see this phenomenon. I went to join them in the room of A[-] and all four, we observed for 5 minutes a strange phenomenon. It was an ovoid, opaque, milky, top-up shape. This form grazed the top of the fir trees of [-]. It did not emit light. It was moving to the right, to the left, making a gyratory movement. There were several circling, 4 or 5. Its size, from our observation point, was 2 meters, given tis cannot be certain. ----
--- SI [Upon interrogation]: The weather was cloudy. We did not see stars, nor the moon. We saw this form which was rather dull, not emitting light, nor lighting the forest or the surroundings. ---
--- This is the first time I've seen this. My husband came down to call you but then, before your arrival, the phenomenon disappeared. We did not think about taking pictures and no neighbors witnessed it. In my opinion, it lasted 10 to 15 minutes. ---
--- SI: It was a white light and not a reflection of color. There was no glare or light rays. ---
--- The whole family, except J[-] who was sleeping, witnessed this phenomenon. It has not reappeared since. This shape looked like an egg pretty much. """
The 26/9/90 at 06:40 p.m.
Having read the statement above, I persist and have nothing to change, add or remove.
Signed in the statement book.
The O.P.J .: [-]
|
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REPORT OF WITNESS INTERVIEW
03560 / PV 811/90
DOCUMENT 3
SHEET 1
That day, 09/26/1990 at 7 p.m., at [-] the undersigned C[-] Y[-], MdL-Chef, Officer of Judicial Police of the company of [-], in residence at [-] in accordance with articles 16 to 19 and 75 of the Criminal Procedure Code report the following operations that we performed, acting in uniform and in accordance with the orders of our chiefs.
O [-] J [-], technical animator, [-] [-] [-] [-] who states to us:
""" On Wednesday 8/19/90 at about 10 pm to 10:10 pm, my son M[-] called me to report a weird phenomenon on the mountain, east side, and I went up to the first floor. I saw through the window an ovoid shape quite enough, light-colored, without shine. It passed several times over the mountain, then it disappeared behind, to come back. It was clearly above the top. It did not illuminate, like a diffused, opaque light ---
--- Given the distance, I can not give the dimension of the object but it seemed big, egg-shaped. I had never seen that. I do not think of an atmospheric phenomenon. There was no noise. ---
--- The time to call you and go back, the phenomenon was gone. ---
--- The weather was overcast, not starred. "" "
The 26/9/90 at 19 h 20
Having read the statement above, I persist and have nothing to change, add or remove.
Signed in the statement book.
The O.P.J .: [-]
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PHOTOGRAPHIC PAGE
Panoramic view from the bedroom of O[-] A[-] and on the places where the phenomenon was seen by the interested and her brother M[-] and her parents.
The U.F.O circled above this ridge. The red arrow indicates the location of the Virgin and beyond the locality of [-].
(See the attached site plan)
East View
West View
[Ref. gei1:] GROUPE D'ETUDES ET D'INFORMATIONS SUR LES PHENOMENES AEROSPATIAUX NON IDENTIFIES (G.E.I.P.A.N.):
| THANN (68) 1990 | |
| Observed on: | 09/19/1990 |
| Region: | Alsace |
| Departement: | Rhin (Haut) |
| Class: | D |
| Summary: | Observation by a couple of witnesses and their children about 09:45 p.m. of an ovoid shape of milky color above the trees |
| Description: | On September 19, 1990, observation by a couple of witnesses and their children around 9:45 p.m. of an ovoid shape of milky color above the trees. This shape made a gyratory movement during abour fifteen minutes before disappearing. A neighborhood investigation found four other witnesses who saw similar phenomena on September 19, 20 and 21. No other information could be collected and the phenomenon could not be explained. |
| Report: | None. |
| Details of the testimony | |
| Witness | |
| Date of the observation | 09/19/1990 |
| Document number | |
| Age | Adult (more than 18) |
| Profession | Employees, Workers |
| Sex | Female |
| Reaction | Actibe Curiosity |
| Credibility | Normal Credibility |
| Conditions | |
| Environment | Home |
| Weather conditions | Cloudy |
| Hour of the observation | Numbered: 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. |
| Reference frame | Sky or clouds |
| Distance between phenomenon and witness | Not-specified |
| Start of the observation | Start of the observation by witness |
| End of the observation | End of the observation by phenomenon |
| Localization | |
| Angle of site | Not-specified |
| Direction of observation | Geographic landmarks (Name of city, village, numbered, etc.) |
| Heading | Not-specified |
| Trajectory | Others |
| Nature of the observation | Phenomenon;descriptive terms (lights, etc) |
| Characteristic of the observation | Unique |
| Global shape | Oval, football |
| Color | White (light colored) |
| Apparent size | Others (comparison landmarks, etc.) |
| Apparent speed | Not-specified |
| Noise | Not-specified |
| Effext on the environnement | Not-specified |
| Number | 1 |
| Details of the testimony | |
| Witness | |
| Date of the observation | 09/19/1990 |
| Document number | |
| Age | Adult (more than 18) |
| Profession | Employees, Workers |
| Sex | Male |
| Reaction | Active Curiosity |
| Credibility | Normal Credibility |
| Conditions | |
| Environment | Home |
| Weather conditions | Clouded |
| Hour of the observation | Numbered : 10 p.m. - 00 p.m. |
| Reference frame | Sky or clouds |
| Distance between phnomenon and witness | Not-specified |
| Start of the observation | Start of the observation by witness |
| End of the observation | End of the observation by phenomenon |
| Localization | |
| Angle of the site | Not-specified |
| Direction of observation | East |
| Heading | Not-specified |
| Trajectory | Others |
| Nature of the observation | Phenomenon |
| Characteristic of the observation | Unique |
| Global shape | Oval, foorball |
| Color | White (light colored) |
| Apparent size | Others (comparison landmarks, etc.) |
| Apparent speed | Not-specified |
| Noise | No noise |
| Effect on the environment | Not-specified |
| Number | 1 |
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
19 September 1990 :
Thann, Alsace, France
GEPAIN THANN (68)1990
Hynek rating: DD
The sources are indicated by a link to the GEIPAN home page at http://www.cnes-geipan.fr/geipan/index.html
[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:
19
At 9:45 p.m. in Thann (Haut Rhin), a couple and their children observe an ovoid shape of milky color above the trees. This form performed a whirl move for 15 mins before disappearing. A neighborhood investigation found four other witnesses who saw similar phenomena on September 19, 20 and 21.
The source is indicated as "GEPAN: Case of D type".
[Ref. spa1:] "SPICA" UFOLOGY ASSOCIATION:
| City | Date and hour of observation | General shape Identification |
General color Hypothesis |
Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THANN | Wednesday 19 September 1990 at 09:45 p.m. | elliptical (2D) Unidentified |
white None |
Unsolved -lack of info |
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The Gendarmerie report is not totally detailed (angular sizes, etc.?) but informative enough. The laterr summaries introduce the idea that there would have been 5 other witnesses or witnesses of "similar phenomena", but in view of the Gendarmes report, there is no reason to say so, no description of any of these witnesses being recorded.
The places are quite familiar to me, but I do not want to give more details than what was left visible in the Gendarmes' report.
To sum up, the object is an ovoid shape, standing upright, of a white or milky color, without any visible details. It is luminescent, it is seen in the night; but it does not illuminate anything around. It moves several times from left to right and from right to left, passes behind the mountain at a time to be seen again, and this lasts about fifteen minutes including 5 minutes seen by the O. spouse.
It is not useless to check the possibility that it was the moon, more or less masked by clouds: it is not the moon, because it is below the horizon since 06:20 p.m.
To me, what has been observed has no prosaic explanation, it is "unidentified" at least and possibly something from another world. Unfortunately, if we seem to have "good witnesses", there is no "hard evidence."
Unidentified.
* = 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 | January 16, 2018 | Creation, [gen1], [gei1], [uda1], [jbu1], [spa1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | January 16, 2018 | First published. |
