Walter Thiel (* March 3, 1910 in Breslau; † August 18, 1943 in Karlshagen near Peenemünde) was a German Chemist and Rocket Scientist.
Thiel delivered the major ideas for the A4 Rocket mechanism and made it with his research possible to fly a rocket into space. The A4 showed the basics for the later development of space rockets in the USA and also the Soviet Union. Regrettably the A4 was also used in the war as a weapon of terror and used in propoganda purposes under the model V2.
2023
80 years ago, the RAF flew its attack on Peenemünde and the scientists' settlement in Karlshagen. It was the operation Hydra. The aim was to kill the engineers and scientists who developed the rockets. However, the bombs unfortunately hit many forced laborers in the Trassenheide camp. Only a few of the important scientists were killed. However, one of the most important men in the research: Walter Thiel with his wife Magda and their children Sigrid and Siegfried.
2021
The very comprehensive and very well reviewed book "THE V2. Entwicklung - Technik - Einsatz" by Murray R. Barber, published by Motorbuch-Verlag (ISBN 978-3-613-04311-4) has arrived at my house. The book is fantastically illustrated and definitely a new standard work. Thanks go to the author for honouring my support with mentions.
2020
The Association of German Students Aachen-Breslau II was founded 100 years ago. A commemorative publication was published on this occasion. In Chapter 4 (from p. 198), Walter Thiel is frequently mentioned, who was active in the student fraternity Breslau II from July 1929 (admission as Fux) until the end of his studies. He presumably ended his active time when he went to Berlin in 1934 during his doctorate to finish it with his professor in Berlin. (Prof. Straus had to leave Breslau in 1934. He went to the University of Berlin, where he stayed until 1936. In 1939 he emigrated to the USA).
The reports on the individual semesters also show that Thiel was a member of the ASTA: SS 1930 (p. 220) to (or and) WS 1932/1933.
January 2019
Lecture about Walter Thiel at VDSt. Aachen Breslau II. Thank you very much for the invitation! Walter Thiel was a member of the student association VDSt. Breslau II. After the war the memberships were continued by the VDSt. Aachen.
September 2018
August 2018
On August 18, 2018 was the 75th anniversary of the death of family Thiel.
July 2018
Article about Walter Thiel was published in Raumfahrt Concret (Nr. 102, 2/2018)
October 2017
On October 3, 2012 was the 75th jubilee of the first successful start of an A4 rocket from test stand VII in Peenemünde.
March 2015
The film "Geheimnisvolle Orte. Kummersdorf - Waffenschmiede und Kriegslabor." from Marina Farschid was shown on rbb (Radio Berlin Brandenburg) on 26 May 2015 and on 26 September 2017. http://www.rbb-online.de/geheimnisvolle_orte/archiv/kummersdorf-kaisers-waffenschmiede-hitlers-kriegslabor.html
The film is only available for a short while in the media library. If you are interested in further information please contact rbb (Radio Berlin Brandenburg).
March/April 2014
In March 2014 a visit from Kummersdorf-Gut together with Hans Schumacher, the grandson of Heinz-Otto Glimm. Glimm was a colleague of Thiels in the research of HWA of Head of Division Prof. Dr. Karl Erich Schumann (experimental ort was Kummerdorf-Ost). Glimm was also the Godfather of Sigrid(daughter). The tour through Kummersdorf was accompanied by journalists. In April 2014 an article about the visit was printed.
September 2013
At the 62nd German Aerospace Congress 2013 in Stuttgart, the paper by K. Thiel and O. Przybilski was presented again in detail.
At the 63rd IAC (International Astronautical Congress) 2012 in Neapel the paper with the title "Walter Thiel - Short Life of a Rocket Scientist" from K. Thiel and Dr.-Ing. O. Przybilski appeared. The Paper was presented by K. Thiel.
Presentation of the paper by K. Thiel at the 63rd IAC 2012 in Naples on October 4, 2012. (Source: private photo)
If you do have further interest on the paper please send an email to mail@walter-thiel.de. You will receive then the original paper IAC-12-E4-3B in English. If you wish, you can also get an authorized translation in German. ("Walter Thiel – Das kurze Leben eines Raketenwissenschaftlers").
March 2012
On March 23, 2012 the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, and the University of Alabama, Huntsville (UAH) celebrated the 100th birthday of Wernher von Braun. We also participated in this event.
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Festive ceremonies at Wernher von Braun’s 100th birthday on March 23, 2012 at Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama, USA. At the top you see a model of the Saturn 5 rocket, the moon rocket. (Source: private photo) |
Unveiling of a plaque of Wernher von Braun at the Salmon Library; von Braun initiated and co-founded the University of Huntsville, Alabama. Next to the representative of the university are Charles Lundquist (former colleague of von Braun), Dave Christensen (also a member of von Braun’s team), and Frederick Ordway (a well-known author of books about space aviation). (Source: private photo) |
September 2011
In 2011 we visited the Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA. All celebrities from space aviation as well as research and development, who had contributed significantly to space exploration, have been inducted there. One of the first to be inducted in the Space hall of Fame in 1976 was Walter Thiel.
Thiel in the "Space Hall of Fame", Alamogordo, New Mexico
(source: private photo)
In the year 2010 we commemorated the 100th anniversary of Walter Thiel. In compliment to Thiel, the rocket engineering department of the TU Dresden, headed by Dr.-Ing. O. Przybilski, laid down a floral wreath at the War Cemetery in Karlshagen (see photo).
At the same time the group
was able to admire the new tombstone for his wife Martha and their children
Sigrid and Siegfried. For a long time the Christian names and the birthdates of
the family were not engraved. Thanks to the War Cemetery of Karlshagen! Above
the wreath you can see the original tombstone of Walter Thiel.
(Source of the photo: Dr.-Ing. O. Przybilski)