CENAP Report - No 040

Magazine Overview

Title: CENAP-REPORT
Issue: Nr. 40
Date: June 1979
Publisher: CENAP (centrales erforschungsnetz außergewöhnlicher phänomene)
Country: Germany
Language: German

This issue of the CENAP-REPORT focuses primarily on the investigation of a purported UFO sighting in Oberthal, Saarland, Germany, on April 29, 1979. It also includes a section on UFO news from Gran Canaria, Spain, and other related incidents.

DD über Oberthal/Saarland?

The central article details the investigation of a UFO sighting by 12-year-old Ralf Klotak in Oberthal/Saarland on April 5, 1979. CENAP investigators Michael Schneider, Werner Walter, and Hansjürgen Köhler were alerted via CB radio. Schneider, the primary investigator on-site, reported that Klotak had taken three instant photos of the object, which he described as having a bluish sheen and emitting a faint humming sound before disappearing within a 20-30 second sighting.

Further witness accounts were gathered. Two girls reported their horses becoming restless and agitated due to a humming sound near a horse pasture adjacent to a small forest. Another boy, Frank Schu, reported finding fine red dust on the ground and plants below the object's flight path, which appeared 'burned in.' He also noted broken branches on trees, approximately 2-3 meters high. Schu also observed that horses refused to go near the affected plants and would back away.

Additional witness statements indicated that local dogs acted erratically when the object appeared. A radio report mentioned a simultaneous sighting in Southern France.

Werner Walter conducted further research, contacting local newspapers and the Saarländischer Rundfunk (Regional Broadcasting). He learned that only the regional radio station had reported the incident. Police confirmed the broadcast. Walter also contacted a local UFOlogist, Herr Lunow, and the air traffic control at Saarbrücken-Ensheim airport. The air traffic controller suggested it might have been a weather balloon, noting that radar might not pick up objects at lower altitudes.

The CENAP team, including Schneider, Walter, and Köhler, traveled to Oberthal on May 1, 1979, to investigate. They attempted to meet with Ralf Klotak but found he was not at home. They then spoke with his friend, Frank Schu, who corroborated the timeline of the photos being taken around 12:00-12:30 PM on April 5th. Schu described the sky as clearer than during the interview, with the sun shining.

Schu led the investigators to a hill with a wooded plateau where the UFO was reportedly seen. He pointed out a cluster of buildings, including a doctor's practice belonging to Dr. Stephens. Schu reported smelling metal on the ground and seeing round tracks, though he was unsure if they were related to the UFO. He also noted broken branches, but these appeared to be from weathering rather than an object passing overhead. The red dust was no longer present, likely washed away by weather. A compass reportedly behaved erratically in the area, though a second test showed normal magnetism.

Peter Boulin joined the investigation after hearing about it via CB radio. He initially doubted the UFO sighting but was convinced after seeing the tracks. Boulin and Schu contacted the Saarländischer Rundfunk to report the incident. Boulin also mentioned his dog being restless at the time of the sighting.

The investigators then visited Dr. Stephens' practice. Frau Dr. Stephens stated that the incident was known to her, but neither she nor her patients had noticed anything unusual at the time. She dismissed the boys' claims, stating, "The boys are high-grade crazy!"

Upon reviewing copies of Ralf Klotak's photos, the CENAP investigators began to suspect a hoax, noting the object's appearance and size suggested it might be a "paper UFO" taped to a window.

They eventually met with Ralf's sister, Ivone, who confirmed she had the photos. She stated the photos were "correct" and showed a UFO, but couldn't explain its origin. The CENAP team's suspicion of a hoax was confirmed, concluding that the "secondary effects" were fabricated by the boys.

The case was filed in the CENAP archive as HOA X/Oberthal-Saarland.

Gran Canaria - News

This section reports on a UFO investigation initiated by the Air Force staff regarding a sighting over the Canary Islands. Military radar did not detect the object, but it was localized by aircraft radar. The lights associated with the object reportedly turned on and off as it appeared and disappeared. Rumors circulated about an underwater UFO base and a military cover-up.

A commander from the Air Force staff stated that an investigation was launched to identify the object, which was witnessed by thousands. He noted that military radar showed nothing, and that the investigation would cover Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and La Gomera. He estimated the investigation would take 15-20 days.

Sources at the Madrid Air Force base stated that investigations would focus on the areas of observation, and any findings would be made public unless they needed to remain classified.

The newspaper "Eco de Canarias" reported statements from two civilian pilots who sighted the UFO, claiming it traveled at 21,000 km/h.

Contact with the Naval Command of Las Palmas and the General Command of the Canary Islands revealed no military exercises were conducted at the time of the sighting.

Photographer Don Vincente Selles examined the published photos and confirmed the negatives were genuine and had not been manipulated.

• Reports from the Spanish Air Force mentioned other incidents:
• December 1, 1977: A presumably extraterrestrial being in human form was seen in San Miguel, Santander.
• June 22, 1976: Mysterious beings approximately 3 meters tall were observed on the Canary Islands.
• February 2, 1979: A series of lights moving skyward were observed in the waters of Cartagena over a 6-hour period.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The CENAP-REPORT consistently investigates UFO sightings, meticulously documenting witness testimonies, physical evidence, and the investigative process. This issue highlights the critical approach taken by CENAP, which includes thorough research, on-site investigation, and a willingness to consider and ultimately confirm potential hoaxes. The magazine appears to maintain a stance of open inquiry while prioritizing factual analysis and evidence-based conclusions. The inclusion of multiple reports, from a detailed local investigation to broader international news, suggests an aim to provide comprehensive coverage of the UFO phenomenon.

This issue of UFO-Report from 1979 focuses on significant UFO sightings, primarily detailing events from Gran Canaria and Mainz, Germany. The magazine presents photographic evidence and witness testimonies, alongside expert analysis and investigative efforts by organizations like CENAP.

UFOs von Gran Canaria

The issue prominently features photographs of UFOs from Gran Canaria, presented as 'Original Color-Bilder'. These images are accompanied by an analysis by Mariano Medina, a meteorologist. Medina dismisses the possibility of the sightings being meteorological phenomena, including Venus or Northern Lights. He highlights that the photos show two distinct elements: a twilight and an object emitting its own light. Medina states that the object meeting the twilight on the horizon is not a meteorological event and that the Venus sighting, if it were that, would not have been visible at the time.

Accompanying the text are images of a Poseidon missile being launched from a submarine, presented as a comparison. The article explicitly states there is 'no similarity' between the missile launch and the UFO observed over the Canary Islands.

Journalist Juan José Benitez is quoted as believing there might be an underwater UFO base in the Canary Islands. He recounts speaking with IBERIA pilot Eugenio Jaudenes, who described seeing a 'color mushroom' and a white flash emanating from the sea, which turned out to be a bright, fast-moving object that hovered and then ascended vertically at high speed.

Benitez also references Spanish Air Force documents from November 19, 1976, involving a military aircraft, a Span-tax machine, and the 'Juan Sebastian Elcano' ship, all of which simultaneously observed an object. The conclusion from these documents was that a spacecraft of unknown origin and propulsion had flown over the Canary Islands.

UFO über Mainz

This section details an investigation into UFO sightings over Mainz, Germany, initiated by an article in the ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG. The report covers multiple witness accounts, including that of architect Hermann Mosler, who initially mistook the object for an airplane due to its lights but then realized it was a disc-shaped object moving in a right angle to his position. Mosler and his wife observed the object for a period, noting its slow movement and its eventual disappearance over the horizon. Mosler described the object as silvery, with constantly moving tones and colored reflexes, changing from green to blue to orange, and estimated its size to be about a third to half the size of the moon.

Other witnesses from Mainz include Frau Konradi, who described seeing flames and red and green lights, attributing the latter to light advertising, but also noting a strange rotation of an object. Frau Stosseck reported seeing a blinking light high in the sky that moved towards Mainz and then disappeared. Gudrun Wegener, a 16-year-old, described a roundish, greenish object that did not resemble a flying saucer but moved slowly and made a bow-shaped movement towards the Taunus region.

Frau Lenski offered an alternative explanation, suggesting the sightings might have been related to balloons sold at a Rhine embankment fair during carnival season, describing them as silvery and shiny like aluminum foil.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation of UFO sightings, the analysis of photographic evidence, and the comparison of observed phenomena with known objects and meteorological events. The magazine appears to lean towards the possibility of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) being more than just misidentified conventional objects or natural occurrences, as evidenced by the expert opinions and the detailed witness testimonies. The editorial stance, as suggested by the CENAP's involvement and the detailed reporting, is one of serious inquiry into these unexplained events, while also maintaining a degree of caution, as noted by Werner Walter's comment that the conclusion of 'extraterrestrial spacecraft' might be premature.

Title: UFO-Report
Issue: 1980/3
Volume: 12
Date: March 1980
Publisher: UFO-Report
Country: Germany
Language: German
ISSN: 0170-4971
Price: DM 7,50

This issue of UFO-Report focuses on sightings in the Mainz area, particularly an event on February 25, 1979, under the headline "UFO über Mainz." The magazine presents witness testimonies and an investigative analysis, suggesting that some sightings may have been misidentified balloons.

Witness Testimonies

Maria Malerwein-Wörrstadt:

Maria Malerwein recounts an experience around 7 PM. While sitting on her couch, she saw something through the window that her husband then went to look at. By the time he returned, it was gone. She described it as very bright, round, and luminous, but couldn't discern colors. She estimated its size as about 10 centimeters when viewed from arm's length. She later called Mr. Mosler to support his account after reading about it in the newspaper, stating, "I saw it too, and what I saw, I saw."

Erna Chrisst-Alzey:

Erna Chrisst shared her experience, which began after reading about an Indian sect that advised looking at a large star as a meditation exercise. On a Sunday evening, she went outside and noticed a star-like object. Initially thinking it was a shooting star, she then observed it moving strangely, not like a plane, and without any engine noise. She described it as oblong, not round, and about the width of her hand between her thumb and index finger. She stated that she had not spoken of a UFO, only that she couldn't explain what it was.

Investigation and Analysis

Official Inquiries:

The Mainz police headquarters received no reports. Mr. Foggendorf from Frankfurt Air Traffic Control stated he knew nothing about the case. It was mentioned that a Mr. Freitagsabends had a phone conversation with a colleague about it.

Hermann Mosler's Sighting and Klaus Webner's Analysis:

Hermann Mosler, the main observer, reported seeing an object south of Frankfurt that he believed could be a UFO. Klaus Webner, an investigator from Wiesbaden, analyzed the case. Mosler's sketch (Skizze I) shows the object and the observer's position relative to a building and wind direction. Mosler observed the object against the wind. Webner consulted the Trier Weather Office, which reported east or northeast winds on February 25, 1979. Skizze II maps out observation points around Mainz, showing the object's flight path in relation to wind direction.

Webner's conclusion is that multiple objects in balloon-like shapes were drifting with the wind. He notes that on the previous Fastnacht (Carnival) Sunday, a large number of typical aluminum foil UFO balloons were released. He personally witnessed these balloon clusters in Mainz on that day. Webner dismisses the explanation of a silver balloon from a fair as "nonsense," but criticizes claims that are "unscientific, ufological, and ideologically driven."

Klaus Webner's Comments:

Webner thanks the investigator for their work, including the tape recording and on-site photos. He suggests that the main witness, Mosler, might have felt pressured to maintain a UFO theory to avoid admitting he was fooled by a balloon. He criticizes Karl Veit for dismissing Michael Gammersbach's identification of a balloon as "nonsense," implying Veit was determined to find a UFO.

CENAP's Notes and Conclusion

CENAP acknowledges Klaus Webner's investigation and the witness accounts. They note that the main witness, Mosler, may have been under "pressure to succeed" and insisted on a UFO explanation. They also criticize Karl Veit for his dismissal of the balloon identification. CENAP plans to report more on "Identified Flying Objects" of this class in a future issue, especially after this case where balloons apparently deceived observers.

Short Conclusion

Werner Walter of CENAP-Staff writes that due to current reports, a report from their Belgian UFO investigation colleagues (GESAG) and a series on the "Australian Scene" have been postponed. He mentions that since balloons have once again deceived observers in the "UFO over Mainz" case, they intend to cover this class of identified flying objects in a future report.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme in this issue is the potential for misidentification of UFOs, particularly with balloons, which were prevalent during the Fastnacht period. The editorial stance, as expressed by Klaus Webner and CENAP, is critical of unsubstantiated UFO claims and emphasizes scientific investigation and logical explanations. There is a clear skepticism towards those who rigidly adhere to UFO theories without considering simpler explanations like balloons. The magazine aims to provide factual reporting and analysis, encouraging readers to critically evaluate sightings.