Rudolf Nebel
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Nebel was a spaceflight advocate active in Germany
's amateur rocket group, the Verein für Raumschiffahrt
(VfR - "Spaceflight Society") in the 1930s and in rebuilding German rocketry following World War II
.
.
's failed publicity stunt
on behalf of the group to launch a rocket at the premiere of Fritz Lang
's film Frau im Mond
(Woman in the Moon). Despite this failure, Nebel continued to seek sponsorship from the Reichswehr
as well as individuals as diverse as Adolf Hitler
and Albert Einstein
.
Nebel acted very much as the group's spokesperson, organising the donation of materials from various local businesses, and negotiating with the Berlin
municipal council for the use of a disused ammunition dump for the VfR's launchsite or Raketenflugplatz. He later talked the Magdeburg
council into funding the launch of a rocket with a human passenger on board, a scheme that never materialised.
His right-wing politics and affiliation with the paramilitary veterans' organization Stahlhelm
fit easily with his promotion of the possible military uses of rockets. Despite this, he had a difficult relationship with
Karl Becker
of the Army Weapons Office
. Becker distrusted Nebel's showmanship and publicity seeking and by May 1931 had temporarily cut off official contact with him. In April 1932, Becker accepted a proposal from Nebel for army funding of a rocket launch on the condition that certain criteria were met. The launch on June 22 of that year was a failure and Nebel and his crew received no payment for the attempt. When Becker offered to bring the team into a strictly controlled army rocketry project, Nebel refused, saying that he and his colleagues had invented the technology and that the army would "choke us with their red tape". Conversely, Wernher von Braun
accepted the offer.
Von Braun later tried again during the war to have him join, but by now the SS regarded Nebel as untrustworthy and had von Braun cease his attempts.
, Nebel was quick to encourage Germany to recommence rocket research. He participated in the first meetings of the International Astronautical Federation
and held a public lecture in Cuxhaven in 1951 that set in motion a chain of events that led to the old military base being re-opened for rocket launching until the mid 1960s.
He died in Düsseldorf
.
Nebel, whose name means "fog" in German
, is often incorrectly named as the inventor of the Nebelwerfer
("fog launcher") system of rocket artillery used by the Wehrmacht
(German army) in World War II. This secret weapon was given its name as a disinformation
strategy designed to lead spies into thinking that it was merely a device for creating a smokescreen. He has also frequently been mistaken as the one who popularized the name Nebel (referring to 'nerd' and 'rebel') which has recently been attributed to Long John Nebel
.
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...
's amateur rocket group, the Verein für Raumschiffahrt
Verein für Raumschiffahrt
The Verein für Raumschiffahrt was a German amateur rocket association prior to World War II that included members outside of Germany...
(VfR - "Spaceflight Society") in the 1930s and in rebuilding German rocketry following 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...
.
Early life
Nebel was born in Weißenburg. During the First World War he served as a fighter pilot and following the war earned a degree in engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
.
Activities in rocketry and politics before the Second World War
He was an early member of the VfR and assisted with Hermann OberthHermann Oberth
Hermann Julius Oberth was an Austro-Hungarian-born German physicist and engineer. He is considered one of the founding fathers of rocketry and astronautics.- Early life :...
's failed publicity stunt
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
on behalf of the group to launch a rocket at the premiere of Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
's film Frau im Mond
Frau im Mond
Woman in the Moon is a science fiction silent film that premiered October 15, 1929. It is often considered to be one of the first "serious" science fiction films...
(Woman in the Moon). Despite this failure, Nebel continued to seek sponsorship from the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
as well as individuals as diverse as Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
.
Nebel acted very much as the group's spokesperson, organising the donation of materials from various local businesses, and negotiating with the Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
municipal council for the use of a disused ammunition dump for the VfR's launchsite or Raketenflugplatz. He later talked the Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
council into funding the launch of a rocket with a human passenger on board, a scheme that never materialised.
His right-wing politics and affiliation with the paramilitary veterans' organization Stahlhelm
Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten
The Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten also known in short form as Der Stahlhelm was one of the many paramilitary organizations that arose after the defeat of World War I in the Weimar Republic...
fit easily with his promotion of the possible military uses of rockets. Despite this, he had a difficult relationship with
Karl Becker
Karl Heinrich Emil Becker
Karl Heinrich Emil Becker was a German weapons engineer and artillery general. He advocated and implemented close ties of the military to science for purposes of advanced weapons development...
of the Army Weapons Office
Waffenamt
Waffenamt was the German Army Weapons Agency. It was the centre for research and development of Germany and also during the Third Reich for weapons, ammunition and army equipment to the German Reichswehr and later Wehrmacht...
. Becker distrusted Nebel's showmanship and publicity seeking and by May 1931 had temporarily cut off official contact with him. In April 1932, Becker accepted a proposal from Nebel for army funding of a rocket launch on the condition that certain criteria were met. The launch on June 22 of that year was a failure and Nebel and his crew received no payment for the attempt. When Becker offered to bring the team into a strictly controlled army rocketry project, Nebel refused, saying that he and his colleagues had invented the technology and that the army would "choke us with their red tape". Conversely, Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun was a German rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Nazi Germany during World War II and in the United States after that.A former member of the Nazi party,...
accepted the offer.
Von Braun later tried again during the war to have him join, but by now the SS regarded Nebel as untrustworthy and had von Braun cease his attempts.
Post-war career
After World War IIWorld 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...
, Nebel was quick to encourage Germany to recommence rocket research. He participated in the first meetings of the International Astronautical Federation
International Astronautical Federation
International Astronautical Federation , the world's foremost space advocacy organisation, is based in Paris. It was founded in 1951 as a non-governmental organization. It has 206 members from 58 countries across the world. They are drawn from space agencies, industry, professional associations,...
and held a public lecture in Cuxhaven in 1951 that set in motion a chain of events that led to the old military base being re-opened for rocket launching until the mid 1960s.
He died in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
.
Nebel, whose name means "fog" in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, is often incorrectly named as the inventor of the Nebelwerfer
Nebelwerfer
The Nebelwerfer was a World War II German series of weapons originally designed to deliver chemical weapons. They were initially developed by and assigned to the Wehrmacht's so-called Chemical Troops ...
("fog launcher") system of rocket artillery used by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
(German army) in World War II. This secret weapon was given its name as a disinformation
Disinformation
Disinformation is intentionally false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. For this reason, it is synonymous with and sometimes called black propaganda. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth...
strategy designed to lead spies into thinking that it was merely a device for creating a smokescreen. He has also frequently been mistaken as the one who popularized the name Nebel (referring to 'nerd' and 'rebel') which has recently been attributed to Long John Nebel
Long John Nebel
Long John Nebel was an influential New York City talk radio show host.From the mid 1950s until his death in 1978, Nebel was a hugely popular all-night radio host, with millions of regular listeners and what Donald Bain described as "a fanatically loyal following" to his syndicated program, which...
.