Gerhard Zucker
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Zucker was a German
businessman and rocket engineer. However, none of his machinations proved to be operational, ranging from outright fraud to total failure.
Born in Hasselfelde
, he first came to public notice in 1931, when he began to work on the problem of transporting mail by rocket
. In 1933 he performed several experiments in the Harz
and at Cuxhaven. In 1934, he emigrated to the UK
, where he attempted to interest the British government in his rocket.
After a failed rocket demonstration for officials of the British Royal Mail
on July 31, 1934, he was deported to Germany, where he was arrested on suspicion of cooperating with the British. During World War II
he served in the Luftwaffe
.
After World War II, he moved across the border to West Germany
, to the part of the Harz
in Lower Saxony
, where he became a furniture dealer. He continued his rocket experiments until, at a rocket demonstration on May 7, 1964 on the Hasselkopf
Mountain near Braunlage
, an accident occurred which killed three people. This accident led to a ban on civilian rocket research in West Germany
, ending the rocket experiments of the Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft
(Hermann Oberth Society) and the Berthold Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Berhold Seliger Research and Development Society).
In the 1970s Gerhard Zucker once again began launching mail rockets.
A movie based on Zucker's attempts with mail rockets at Scarp was made 2004, called The Rocket Post
, starring Ulrich Thomsen
as Zucker.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
businessman and rocket engineer. However, none of his machinations proved to be operational, ranging from outright fraud to total failure.
Born in Hasselfelde
Hasselfelde
Hasselfelde is a town in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated in the eastern Harz, approximately 17 km south of Wernigerode. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Oberharz am Brocken...
, he first came to public notice in 1931, when he began to work on the problem of transporting mail by rocket
Rocket mail
Rocket mail is the delivery of mail by rocket or missile. The rocket would land by deploying an internal parachute upon arrival. It has been attempted by various organizations in many different countries, with varying levels of success...
. In 1933 he performed several experiments in the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
and at Cuxhaven. In 1934, he emigrated to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where he attempted to interest the British government in his rocket.
After a failed rocket demonstration for officials of the British Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
on July 31, 1934, he was deported to Germany, where he was arrested on suspicion of cooperating with the British. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served in the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
After World War II, he moved across the border to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, to the part of the Harz
Harz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
in Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, where he became a furniture dealer. He continued his rocket experiments until, at a rocket demonstration on May 7, 1964 on the Hasselkopf
Hasselkopf
Hasselkopf is a mountain on the southern periphery of Braunlage, Germany. It is 612 m high.The hill is mostly covered in grass and undeveloped, but its northern slope has a short ski lift and can be used for downhill skiing in the winter months....
Mountain near Braunlage
Braunlage
Braunlage is a town and health resort in the Goslar district in Lower Saxony in Germany. It lies within the Harz mountain range, south of the Brocken.Nowadays Braunlage's main business is tourism, particularly ski tourists...
, an accident occurred which killed three people. This accident led to a ban on civilian rocket research in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, ending the rocket experiments of the Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft
Hermann-Oberth-Gesellschaft
The Hermann Oberth society is an association named after Hermann Oberth, the German astronautics pioneer, which develops and builds rockets and trains engineers in space technology....
(Hermann Oberth Society) and the Berthold Seliger Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Berhold Seliger Research and Development Society).
In the 1970s Gerhard Zucker once again began launching mail rockets.
A movie based on Zucker's attempts with mail rockets at Scarp was made 2004, called The Rocket Post
The Rocket Post
The Rocket Post is a 2006 British drama film directed by Stephen Whittaker and starring Ulrich Thomsen, Shauna Macdonald, Kevin McKidd and Patrick Malahide. It is set on a remote Scottish island during the late 1930s...
, starring Ulrich Thomsen
Ulrich Thomsen
Ulrich Thomsen is a Danish actor.Thomsen was born in Fyn, Denmark and graduated from the Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance in 1993, after which playing on several theatres in Copenhagen, such as Dr. Dantes Aveny, Mungo Park and Østre Gasværks Teater.His film debut was in...
as Zucker.