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October 8, 1954, Jettingen, Haut-Rhin:

Reference for this case: 8-oct-54-Jettingen.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The primary source for this case is an article in the regional newspaper L'Alsace, by its newsroom in Mulhouse, on October 9, 1954 (Many "ufological versions" exist, but with very meager information and a date error).

The witness is Mr. René Ott, 35, residing in Berentzwiller, an official at the SNCF (National Society of French Railways), working in Mulhouse, 16 km in a straight line from his home.

At about 5:30 a.m. on October 8, 1954, he left his home in Berentzwiller, to go, like every morning, by "scooter", to Altkirch (11 km from his home), where used to take the train to Mulhouse.

He told the newspaper:

"It was about 5:30 of the morning and I had just left my home in Berentzwiller, to go, like every morning, to Altkirch, where I take the train for Mulhouse. I drove by scooter when at this precise place, at the exit of the village towards Jettingen, approximately 3 m on the left of the road, in the meadow, I clearly saw in the beam of my headlight, a craft, mushroom-shape, in the medium of which a door was opened...

I was seized by fright and accelerated, but I had not made 50 m that I was taken, from behind, in the beam of a powerful headlight, whose white light carried well at two hundred meters. A few seconds later, I suddenly saw in front of me, approximately three meters away and at a 6 m height above the road, a craft of conical shape whose rainbow gleams dazzled me and lit as in full day...

Instinctively, I put the headlight of my scooter in low mode. At the moment when it me exceeded me I clearly felt the breath of the machine. It then preceded me, always at the same distance and the same height and this, on several hundreds of meters, to the first house of Jettingen.

There, I stopped, feeling more reassured. It is at this time that the "luminous mushroom" went up vertically and an unbelievable speed behind the first houses of Jettingen to quickly disappear in the sky.

It made absolutely no noise, at least, I did not hear anything, owing to the fact that the engine of my scooter was running and that I wore a helmet.

At no time have I seen men or living beings around or in the machine, not even moving shadows. The mushroom was opaque when it was on the side of the road and completely luminous, even blinding, when it preceded me at 6 m from the ground".

The newspaper explains that the fright was still visible on his face, when, for the fifteenth time, he repeated in the morning of October 8, 1954, what he had experienced.

One or more journalists from L'Alsace went on site at the exact place, three meters from the D16 road, where the craft had been hovering initially. They did not find anything there, neither grass stride nor any engine oil stain, but understood it: according to Mr. Ott, the craft was not directly posed on the ground, but hovering at about 50 cm above it.

He told them that the craft was shaped like a "mushroom" or "hut", about 3 meters long, it was rounded at the top like a dome, in the middle of which was a door, lit from the inside, 1.50 meters high and about 60 centimeters wide.

The newspaper explains that everyone in the SNCF service, Bld of the Chemin de Fer in Mulhouse, had listened with interest tinged with more or less skepticism, the story of their office colleague. He was considered a serious person, and his bosses confirmed this to the journalists who comment that it is unthinkable that he invented this adventure and that the emotion that still gripped him was not fake.

Curiosity had prevailed, and his bosses, two SNCF inspectors, had decided to bring him back to the place so that he could explain in detail what he had seen.

A car with a driver was ordered and one rushed to Berentzwiller. The journalists were the first there, and soon after, they say, came a commissioner of the General Intelligence of Saint-Louis, an inspector of the General Intelligence at the airfield of Blotzheim, the lieutenant of the Gendarmerie of Altkirch and four Gendarmerie officers - they can be seen in a photograph published in the newspaper.

The newspaper concluded:

"Anyway, nobody could find the least contradiction in this testimony which corroborates as a whole all those already provided on the saucers: total silence, high speed, dazzling multicolored lights."

Reports:

[Ref. lae1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ALSACE":

Scan.

"UNIDENTIFIED APPARATUSES" IN THE SUNDGAU SKY

"I felt the breath of the "saucer" which passed above me"
told us Mr. RENE OTT, who was witness yesterday morning of an amazing adventure

[Captioned picture:] "The machine was this close from the ground," states Mr. Ott by accompanying his words by hand indication.

More perhaps that the emotion, fright was still readable on his face, when, for the fifteenth time, Mr. Rene Ott repeated yesterday morning the amazing adventure of which he had just been the witness. What happened to him? Well, a thing altogether extremely banal for some time: he had seen a "flying saucer. Extremely ordinary in truth, for hardly days go by any more without one announcing under all the latitudes the presence of these machines. But what is much less ordinary, are the circumstances in which Mr. Ott was put.

For this time the first saucer landed - or almost landed (to 50 cm near) -- in a field of the Sundgau.

It is between Berentzwiller and Jettingen, in the valley of Hundsbach, at three meters of the secondary road No 16, that the exact place is. We saw it... or more exactly, we did not see anything at all (not even pressed grass or the least motor oil stain!...

And that is understandable: according to the testimony of Mr. Ott, the machine was not directly posed on the ground, but stood motionless at approximately 50 cm above the latter. It had the shape of a "mushroom" or of a hut, was approximately 3 meters long, was rounded at the top like a cupola, in the middle of which was a door opened towards the interior of a height of 1 m 50 and broad of 60 cm approximately.

Needless to add that everyone at the SNCF [national railway co] district, bld du Chemin de Fer in Mulhouse listened with interest - and more or less skepticism - to the adventure which had just lived, yesterday morning, René, the office boy.

Mr. Rene OTT, 35 years old, domiciled in Berentzwiller, is a civil servant, considered serious, his chiefs confirmed it to us. It is unthinkable that he invented this adventure and the emotion which still held him was not pretended.

In short, curiosity prevailed and his chiefs, two inspectors of the SNCF, decided to bring back on the spot our man so that he explained in detail what he had seen.

Driver and car were ordered, which rushed at full speed towards Berentzwiller. We were the first at the rendezvous, and, a little later also arrived, a chief officer of the General Intelligence of Saint-Louis, an inspector of the General Intelligence, Blotzheim airfield, the lieutenant of the gendarmerie of Altkirch and four gendarmes...

Here is verbatim what he stated.

"It was about 5:30 of the morning and I had just left my home in Berentzwiller, to go, like every morning, to Altkirch, where I take the train for Mulhouse. I drove by scooter when at this precise place, at the exit of the village towards Jettingen, approximately 3 m on the left of the road, in the meadow, I clearly saw in the beam of my headlight, a craft, mushroom-shape, in the medium of which a door was opened...

I was seized by fright and accelerated, but I had not made 50 m that I was taken, from behind, in the beam of a powerful headlight, whose white light carried well at two hundred meters. A few seconds later, I suddenly saw in front of me, approximately three meters away and at a 6 m height above the road, a craft of conical shape whose rainbow gleams dazzled me and lit as in full day...

Instinctively, I put the headlight of my scooter in low mode. At the moment when it me exceeded me I clearly felt the breath of the machine. It then preceded me, always at the same distance and the same height and this, on several hundreds of meters, to the first house of Jettingen.

There, I stopped, feeling more reassured. It is at this time that the "luminous mushroom" went up vertically and an unbelievable speed behind the first houses of Jettingen to quickly disappear in the sky.

It made absolutely no noise, at least, I did not hear anything, owing to the fact that the engine of my scooter was running and that I wore a helmet.

At no time have I seen men or living beings around or in the machine, not even moving shadows. The mushroom was opaque when it was on the side of the road and completely luminous, even blinding, when it preceded me at 6 m from the ground".

Such are the statements made by Mr. René Ott to the investigators who could absolutely not a thing which could deny of confirm them, for the moment.

We have, as for us, the feeling that the report by Mr. Ott was sincere and that in any event one can grant credit to his statements. It is not excluded that in two or three days from now, Mr. Ott remembers this or that detail which could have a cardinal importance. Anyway, nobody could find the least contradiction in this testimony which corroborates as a whole all those already provided on the saucers: total silence, high speed, dazzling multicolored lights.

Here thus one more testimony to pour into the bulky file of the saucers whose mystery - is necessary it to say alas or so much better - remains nevertheless whole.

[Photo caption:] Mr. Ott (indicated by a cross) shows to the representatives of the railroad company and public authorities the place, at the edge of the road, where he saw the saucer hovering sixty centimeters above ground-level.
("L'Alsace" picture)

[Ref. lcx1:] NEWSPAPER "LA CROIX":

Scan.

Saucers, cigars, etc.

- Mr. René Hott, 35, from Jettingen (Haut-Rhin), an S.N.C.F. employee, claimed to have seen in a field, while going to work, a semi-spherical aluminum-colored dome, illuminated inside, which was about three meters from the road.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. However, he had time to notice that a door opened in the apparatus. It moved above him for a distance of 800 meters, before disappearing.

- Mr. Alexandre Tremblais, milk collector, said the truck he was driving suddenly stopped for an unknown reason at 6:20 a.m. on Friday on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean-d'Asse (Sarthe), that its headlights went off. Coming down from his cabin, he saw a luminous red and blue flying cigar pass above him. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later. The truck's engine then started to run again and the headlights came back on.

- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozévet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw a bright light in the sky which appeared to be surrounded by dense smoke. This glow, at first motionless, moved towards them, at an altitude of about 10 meters. It looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned into the house. Several fishermen who were preparing to go to sea at the same hour confirmed these statements.

[Ref. ner1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-ECLAIR":

Scan.

THE "SAUCERS"
continue their dance in the sky of France

No "Martian" put his nose in the window of his craft yesterday to greet passersby. But other witnesses add to the long list of those who have had the chance to see with their eyes "luminous" and mysterious "objects" in our sky.

Mr. Alfred Rabany, a resident of Chasseneuil, in the Indre, while he was on the road, heard a whistling sound. He looked up and saw a gray object immobilized about 100 meters above the ground. The craft left at high speed, leaving a sort of fog behind it.

Also, Mr. Julien Soulas, 25, from the same town, saw an orange-colored luminous object moving in a north-south direction.

- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozévet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw a bright glow in the sky which seemed to be surrounded by dense smoke. This glow, at first motionless, came towards them, at an altitude of about ten meters; it looked like an orange sphere. Frightened, the Cariou family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were preparing to go to sea at the same time confirmed these statements.

- René Ott, 35, from Jettingen (Haut-Rhin), employee of the S.N.C.F., said he had seen in a field a aluminum-colored semi-spherical dome, lit inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground. Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. However, he said he had time to notice that a door opened in the craft.

- Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason, on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean-d'Asse, near Le Mans and that his headlights had gone out. He got out of his cabin and saw a glowing red and blue flying cigar pass over him, about a meter long; which disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later. The truck's engine started to function again and the headlights came back on.

- M. Maurice Crestey, of Octeville (Manche), and several of his neighbors saw in the sky, at a fairly high altitude, a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above Cherbourg, disappeared towards the south.

[Ref. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":

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THE 'FLYING SAUCERS'
CHANGE TO BALLS...

Cherbourg, 9. -- Thursday evening, around 9 p.m., a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Crestey, designer at the Arsenal, and several of his neighbors saw, in the sky, at a fairly high altitude, a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the South.

Quimper, 9. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchants [sic] in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw a bright glow in the sky which seemed to be surrounded by dense smoke. This glow, initially motionless, directed towards them, at an altitude of about ten meters it had the appearance of an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

... to half ball...

Mulhouse, 9. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, from Jettingen, an SNCF employee, said he saw in a field on his way to work, an aluminum-colored semi-spherical dome, lit from the inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, he said, time to notice that a door opened in the craft. The latter moved above him on a distance of 800 meters before disappearing the gendarmes did not detect any trace.

... and stop the cars

Le Mans, 9. - Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason yesterday morning, on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean d'Asse and that its headlights had gone out. He got out of his cabin and saw a luminous red and blue flying cigar pass over him, about a meter long.

The machine disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the truck's engine started to function again and the headlights came on. Isn't that somewhat... chilling? [untranslatable joke about the witness name]

[Ref. fso1:] NEWSPAPER "FRANCE-SOIR":

[... other cases ... ]

7 October, at sunrise, in Jettingen (France):

An employee of the railway, René Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object, 3 meters in diameter, in a field, three meters away from national road 16 and hovering 1 meter above the ground. A luminous rectangle, looking like a kind of doortrap, was seen on the side. The object raised and went 5 meters above the observer's head, following him until the witness reached the nearby village.

[... other cases ... ]

[Ref. afp1:] USAF PROJECT BLUE BOOK / AFP:

US Air Force Project Blue Book was in charge of studying UFO sighting reports, and thus collected media information about it. The text below is their translation into English of an Agence France Presse (AFP) news release for October 9, 1954.

Scan.

Mans, Cherbourg, Finistere, Indre & Mulhouse, France, October 8, 1954

Paris, Oct. 9 (AFP) -- On Friday, several mysterious craft were once more seen in the sky of France.

1. Near Mans, a milk collector declared that his truck stopped for an unknown reason and that, when he got out, he saw a luminous red and blue flying cigar, about a meter long, pass over him. When the machine had disappeared, the truck motor began again to operate.

2. At Cherbourg, several people saw a "luminous sphere" at a rather high altitude. After hovering over the town, this disappeared toward the south.

3. In Finistere, many people were alarmed by a luminous sphere maneuvering only about a dozen meters from the ground, which seemed to move toward them.

4. A resident of the Indre observed a gray-colored object motionless at about 100 meters of altitude. That craft then departed at a very brisk pace, leaving a sort of fog behind it. Another resident of this department declared that he saw a luminous pale red-orange object moving along a north-south axis.

5. Finally, a road-mender of the Mulhouse region says that he saw a hemi-spherical, internally illuminated cupola in a field. Before taking to his heels he had time to notice that a door was opening on the craft. The object maneuvered above him before disappearing.

[Ref. nmn1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-MATIN":

Scan.

STILL STRANGE
APPEARANCES IN
THE SKY OF FRANCE

Mulhouse. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, from Jettingen, employed at the S.N.C.F., said that he had seen in a field an aluminum-colored hemispherical saucer, lit inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, he said, time to notice that a door opened in the craft. It moved above him over a distance of 800 meters before disappearing.

Le Mans. -- Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason, on a small provincial road near St. Jean d'Asse and that his headlights went off. He got out of his cabin, and saw passing over him a flying red and blue cigar, about one meter long. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the engine of the truck started to run again and the headlights turned on again.

Cherbourg. -- Around 9 p.m., a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Grestey, designer at the Arsenal, and several of his neighbors saw in the sky, at a high altitude asset, a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the South.

Quimper. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw, in the sky, a bright gleam which seemed surrounded by dense smoke, this glow, at first motionless, came towards them at an altitude of about ten meters, it looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

[Ref. cpd1:] NEWSPAPER "LE COURRIER PICARD":

Scan.

The Martians have not been idle
during the weekend

Many saucers and cigars have still been seen in various regions

From all the regions of France still arrived, during the weekend, a lot of information signaling the "passage" of saucers, domes, spheres, cigars or other flying machines.

We learn from Mulhouse that Mr. René Ott, 35, from Jettingen, an S.N.C.F. employee, claimed to have seen, in a field, on his way to work, a semi-spherical, aluminum-colored dome illuminated from the inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, he said, time to notice that a door opened in the craft. It moved above him for a distance of 800 meters, before disappearing.

Continued on 2nd page, under the title

THE SAUCERS

Scan.

THE SAUCERS

(Continuation of the 1st page)

Near Le Mans, a bizarre phenomenon has been observed. Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason, on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean-d'Asse and that his headlights had gone out. He got out of his cabin, and saw passing over him, a luminous flying cigar, red and blue, about a meter long. The machine disappeared on the horizon for a few minutes, the headlights turned on again and the engine could be started again.

Also, a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Crestey, draftsman at the arsenal, and several of his neighbors, saw in the sky, at a fairly high altitude, a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the south.

***

CHATEAUROUX, October 10. -- Mr. Alfred Rabany, 62, resident of Chasseneuil, who had stopped at the side of the road, heard a whistling sound: looking up, he saw a gray machine immobilized about 100 meters above of the ground. The craft left at a very fast pace, leaving a sort of fog behind it.

Also, Mr. Julien Soulas, 25, from the same commune, said that on returning from the village of Ligeaud, he had seen a luminous pale orange-red machine moving in a north-south direction.

[Ref. jps1:] NEWSPAPER "LE JOURNAL DU PAS-DE-CALAIS ET DE LA SOMME":

Scan.

And here is the flying cigar which
shuts down auto engines

Le Mans. -- Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped for an unknown reason, on a small departmental road in Saint-Jean-d'Asse, and that his headlights went off.

He got out of his cabin, and saw passing over him a red and blue luminous flying cigar about a meter long. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the engine of the truck started to run again and the headlights came on.

Mulhouse. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, from Jettingen, an S.N.C.F. employee, said he saw in a field on his way to work, an aluminum-colored semi-spherical dome, lit inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, he said, time to notice that a door opened in the craft. The latter moved above him for a distance of 800 meters before disappearing. The gendarmes did not find any trace.

Quimper. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw, in the sky, a bright gleam which seemed surrounded by dense smoke, this glow, at first motionless, moved towards them, at an altitude of about ten meters, it looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

Châteauroux. - Mr. Alfred Rabanne, 62, resident of Chasseneuil, who had stopped at the side of the road, heard a whistling sound; looking up, he saw a gray machine stationary about 100 meters above the ground. The craft left at a very high speed, leaving a sort of fog behind it.

Also, Mr. Julien Soulas, 23 years old, from the same town, saw on his way back from the village of Ligeaud, a luminous craft of pale orange red color moving in a North-South direction.

[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":

Scan.

THE "FLYING BELL" OF PONCEY

Three hypotheses:
saucer, hoax or
natural phenomenon

"We will have to clear up this matter..." said the gendarmerie commander

(From our special envoy Charles DAUZATS.)

DIJON, October 9.

"SEND the minutes relating to the mysterious traces of the Poncey-sur-l'Ignon phenomenon to Dijon, as a matter of urgency": such is the order sent yesterday by Major Viala to the investigators responsible for clarifying the enigma of the Côte-d'Or "flying bell".

- We need to clear this up, says the commander. Brigade reports will be forwarded to various authorities, the solution may depend on them. If one considers the facts reasonably, if one refers to the testimony of good people who, unfortunately, sin by their imprecision, or who, on the contrary, have formed an opinion after the fact, and mistook bladders from lanterns, we must, indeed, consider three possibilities:

"The first is this: one actually saw objects in the sky, but they could be helicopters. In our region, movements of such craft are not uncommon.

"Second possibility: the flying bell of Poncey, and its traces, are the work of pranksters. This hypothesis, I admit, hardly satisfies me.

"Finally, we must consider the hypothesis of an appearance of an extraterrestrial object."

At the Dijon Weather station, the technicians saw nothing but very normal in the sky during the nights of Saturday and Monday.

Negative scientific reviews

At the Faculty of Science in Dijon, one submitted to Jaeger [sic, Geiger] a clod of grass taken from the meadow of Poncey-sur-l'Ignon where the bell-saucer was posed. No trace of radioactivity. No trace of metals either in another clod entrusted to the Institute of Geophysics.

The last word could remain with the airmen. General de Chassey, who commands the base in Dijon, received us.

"I have never seen a flying saucer, he tells us. But I know, from having tried the experiment, that it is possible to make very trained men believe in the presence of mysterious celestial things. One day, returning from Paris by plane, I saw under my aircraft a very curious optical phenomenon, due to the refraction of a pond on a cloud of mist. This mirage looked so much like a saucer turning in the atmosphere at 400 meters high that I alerted my mechanic who had not seen anything yet: "Look, slightly below us..." He remained dumbfounded for a moment, but, the plane passing vertically of it, he realized that he had been the toy of an illusion...

"Let's go back to the facts. Are these extraterrestrial craft? If they are piloted by beings from another world, these individuals are very little interested in knowing what is happening with us: each time we arrive, they leave. Their journey, then, is no longer understandable!

"New craft?... I affirm that if engineers had succeeded in developing them, that would be known in certain spheres at least.

Saucer psychosis

"Regarding the strange objects reported these days, I don't want to make any final judgment.

"I believe that in Côte-d'Or today there is a saucer psychosis, as in 39-40 there was, in France, a rocket psychosis.

"Certainly, there are some rather disturbing facts, in particular the case of three aviators from the 5th brigade, in Orange, who all saw a saucer, chased it until it disappeared behind the mountain.

*

Near Mulhouse, an SNCF employee, Mr. René Ott, who went to work early in the morning, said he had seen in a field a hemispherical dome lit inside. It was three meters from the road and one meter from the ground, Mr. Ott, going away - he was only half reassured - had time to see a door open in the "bell" that followed him for eight hundred meters.

The gendarmes did not find any traces in the field. They discovered, on the other hand, near Reims where a mechanic, Mr. Joseph Roi, saw a "cigar" or a flying gun shell. He was going home on the night of Wednesday to Thursday when he saw a bright gleam before him; he thought they were car headlights. Suddenly, the light went out and at the spot where he had seen it Mr. Roi distinguished at the edge of the road an odd object more than 3 meters long having the shape of a large gun shell pierced by portholes; at the front stood a vague silhouette which he could not define. The traces noted by the gendarmes will be examined.

Luminous globes were seen yesterday in Bournel (Lot-et-Garonne), in Montpezat-d'Agenais, in Cherbourg, in Orthez. A baker from Marcillac-de-Blaye saw a reversed funnel that flew at 70 meters.

[Ref. nll1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD LITTORAL":

Scan.

The chronicle
of the sky

Mulhouse, October 9. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, of Jettingen, an S.N.C.F. employee, said he saw in a field, on his way to work, an aluminum-colored semi-spherical dome, lit inside; which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had time, however, he said, to notice that a door opened in the craft. The latter moved above him on a distance of 800 meters before disappearing, the gendarmes did not detect any trace.

***

Le Mans, October 9. -- Mr. Alexandre Trembaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason yesterday morning on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean d'Asse and that his headlights went off. He got out of his cabin and saw passing over him a flying red and blue cigar, about a meter long. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the engine of the truck started to run again and the headlights went on again.

***

Cherbourg, October 9. -- Thursday evening, around 9 p.m., a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Grestey, designer at the Arsenal, and several of his neighbors saw in the sky at a fairly high altitude a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the South.

***

Châteauroux, October 9. -- Mr. Alfred Ramany, 62, resident of Chasseneuil, who had stopped at the side of the road, heard a whistling sound; looking up, he saw a gray machine immobilized about 100 meters above the ground. The craft left at a very fast pace, leaving a sort of fog behind it.

Also, Mr. Lucien Soulas, 25, of the same commune, declared that on returning from the village of Ligeaud, he had seen a luminous craft of pale orange-red color moving in a north-south direction.

***

Quimper, October 9. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw, in the sky, a bright gleam which seemed surrounded by dense smoke, this glow, at first motionless, moved towards them at an altitude of about ten meters, it looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Carion family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

[Ref. lln1:] NEWSPAPER "LE LORRAIN":

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THE "FLYING SAUCERS"

Pose many puzzles

NOW, CARS STOP

PARIS. - The "flying saucers" continue.

They are reported everywhere. And now, they are mingling to stop the engines.

In Le Mans a milk collector, Mr. Alexandre Tremblais, who was riding his truck on the small road near Saint-Jean-d'Assé (the Sarthe), suddenly noticed that the engine of his vehicle stopped and that the headlights extinguished.

M. Tremblais got out of his truck to see a red and blue luminous cigar, one meter long, disappearing on the horizon. A few minutes later, the engine started again and the headlights functioned again.

In Nancy, a true skeptic, Mr. Georges Bou, a 30-year-old driver at Sarrebruk [sic, Sarrebourg], was traveling on National Road 3 between Morsbach and Forbach when he saw a thick wide shadow blocking the road. He stopped, got out of his cabin, thinking of an accident. But he realized that he was stopped by a saucer. It was nine meters in diameter and about four meters high. It was illuminated by several light beams directed towards the ground.

The driver approached the strange device. Suddenly, the latter took off vertically, marked a pause at ten meters, then moved away very quickly.

The gendarmerie Captain Bohler went to the scene today with Mr. Bou. But he could not find any traces.

In the Island of Ré, Mr. Simonnetti said he saw a luminous sphere about 12 meters in diameter, which oscillated about fifty meters from the ground.

The sphere, he said, became red, turned blue and rose very quickly vertically.

Two other residents and two Parisians on vacation have confirmed.

At Duclair (Seine-Inf.), Mr. Landrin, a water attendant who was walking with his wife, was blinded by a light beam. When he opened his eyes, he said, he saw a ball disappear a few minutes later.

- Near Reims, a mechanic of the Panhard factories, Mr. Joseph Roy, 30, saw near the Isles-sur-Suippe a cigar posed on the ground, resembling according to his description to that of Marignane. Witnesses around have confirmed.

At la Montagne-de-Béruges (the Vienne), a farmer, Mr. Edouard Thébault, observed in his field an enormous luminous machine.

A few minutes later the craft was extinguished and a huge headlight swept the road, and when the witness returned with his father he had fetched, everything had disappeared.

- Several fishermen and the whole family of a fish dealer saw in the sky, in Plozevet (Finistère), a bright glow surrounded by dense smoke. This gleam, at first motionless, came towards them at an altitude of about ten meters. It had the appearance of an orange sphere.

- A whistling machine, gray in color, stood for a moment about 100 meters from Chassevreuil (Indre). The craft went off at a brisk pace, leaving behind it like a fog.

In the same commune, a young man saw a luminous red-orange machine that moved in a north-south direction.

- An aluminum half-spherical dome, illuminated inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground, was seen in Jettingen (Haut-Rhin) by Mr. René Ott, an employee of the S.N.C.F. [national railyway company]. Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, had the time to notice that a door was opening in the apparatus. The latter moved above him for a distance of 800 meters before disappearing. The gendarmes found no trace.

- A silent machine, moving like a spinning top, was seen in Calais, above the municipal theater, by a peacekeeper, a hairdresser, a taxi driver and a butcher. It moved away towards the sea.

- A flying saucer rising noiselessly vertically was seen at Vigneux (Seine-et-Oise) by Mr. Marais yesterday at 9 p.m.. It was luminous and had portholes.

THE EXPLODED SAUCER OF SAINT-VALERY-SUR-SOMME WAS ONLY A SOUNDING-BALLOON OF THE R.A.F.

ABBEVILLE. "Another false saucer!" The mysterious craft which broke out in the Picardy sky, and whose debris was scattered in a pasture at Boismont, near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, was but a balloon.

The inhabitants of the region, fearing the famous "paralyzing" green ray, dared not approach the debris. Only Mr. Raymond Boucher, a sugar worker, had the courage to come and contemplate the saucer. It was more simply a balloon used by the meteorological services of the Royal Air Force which, by touching the ground, had burst noisily.

VIENNA. - Thousands of people saw yesterday a formation of flying saucers above Ried, flying from east to west.

THE OPINION OF A SCIENTIST

Asked about cars that stop, said:

- saucers or not saucers, it is necessary to consider as true the information that arrives at this moment. With regard to the sudden stop of engines at the passage of these craft, we must admit the presence and action of unknown rays. This does not mean that these rays have an extraterrestrial origin. Do you remember that famous Z ray, which was talked about so much before the last war? During the hostilities, the belligerents further perfected the process. I saw personally, some fifteen years ago, experiments in laboratories where electric rays ignited at distances of a few meters paper or other combustible materials.

[Ref. ner2:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-ECLAIR":

Scan.

FOR THREE HOURS IN METZ
military specialists
observed
50 meters diameter globe

During the Metz fair-exhibition, the army stand installed a radar device and a powerful projector for visitors; which works non-stop after dark. Sunday, around 8:10 p.m., the projector spotted, in its beam, the presence of a motionless globe in the sky: "It looked like a Christmas tree ball," said the head of the radar station, Commander Cotel, who was soon surrounded by fifteen military specialists.

It was first believed that it was a sounding balloon, then all kinds of assumptions were made. The servants of the projector, at first incredulous, cleaned the windows then even changed the coals of the device. But immediately when turned on again, the projector found the luminous globe whose altitude was evaluated at more than 10,000 meters. This globe had a diameter of 50 meters and remained visible for three hours. It was impossible, on radar, to detect the mysterious craft, since it was not sensitive to metallic waves. Finally, at 11:00 p.m., the strange globe moved east and disappeared. The General Governor of Metz asked Commander Cottel for a full report.

SYMPATHETIC
"MARTIANS GIRLS"

Near Albi, a technical agent from a company exhibiting in the Household Arts of Toulouse, Mr. Jean-Pierre Mitto, returned to his home at the end of the working day. Suddenly, he saw in the beam of his headlights, and the two parents who accompanied him also affirm it, little figures crossing the road. He stopped immediately and saw a large red disc with a diameter of about six meters rising vertically from a neighboring meadow.

A colonial teacher on leave on the island of Oléron does not hesitate to associate his name with an incredible adventure. Mr. Martin was walking on the island when he encountered pretty "Martian" girls, measuring about 1.70 m., booted, gloved and with leather helmets. The two "Martians" grabbed Mr. Martin's pen and traced incomprehensible signs on his notebook, trying to make themselves understood.

The teacher keeps the manuscript preciously.

At Riom, peacekeepers who were doing a round saw in the sky a cigar going up to the north. Three fireballs detached themselves and lit up part of the sky for a few moments. Similar phenomena were seen in Bompas, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, in Quimper (Finistère), in Limoges, in Fontainebleau, in Melun and Mulhouse while in Moncourt (Meurthe-et-Moselle) the inhabitants of a farm were dazzled by a blinding light passing through their shutters. The light disappeared vertically.

[Ref. jgu1:] JIMMY GUIEU:

The author indicates that the newspaper L'Alsace for October 9, 1954 reports "an interesting observation made the day before, close to Berentzwiller, is a S.N.C.F. civil servant considered serious, his chiefs confirmed it to us."

Jimmy Guieu states that it is unthinkable that he invented this observation and that the emotion which still grabbed him is not falsified.

Guieu indicates that the witness told:

"It was about 05:30 in the morning and I had just left my home in Berentzwiller to go, like every morning, in Altkirch where I take the train for Mulhouse. I drove by scooter when at the exit of the village towards Jettingen, approximately 3 meters from the road D16, in a meadow, I clearly saw, in the beam of my headlight, a craft in the shape of a mushroom or a hut. It was approximately three meters high and three meters long and was rounded at the top like a cupola in the middle of which was an opened door, opened to the inside, of a height of 1 m 50 and 60 centimeters large approximately."

"I was seized by fright and accelerated, but I hardly drove fifty meters when I was taken, from behind, in the beam of a powerful headlight whose white light lit a good 200 meters. A few seconds later, I suddenly saw in front of me, approximately three away meters, and six meters height above the road, a craft of conical shape whose rainbow gleams dazzled me and lit as in broad daylight. Instinctively I put the headlight of my scooter in low mode. At the time when it passed me by, I clearly felt the blow of the craft. It preceded me then, to the first house of Jettingen. "

"There, I stopped, feeling more reassured. It is at this time that the luminous "mushroom" went up vertically at an incredible speed behind the first houses of Jettingen to disappear quickly in the sky. It did not make any noise at all, at least I did not hear anything owing to the fact that the engine of my scooter was on and that I wore a helmet. At no time did I saw men or living beings around or inside the craft, not even moving shades. The "mushroom" was opaque when it was near the roadside, and completely luminous, even dazzling, as soon as it preceded me six meters above the ground."

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel indicates that in Jettingen, near Mulhouse, a rather spectacular landing took place during the night of the 7th to the 8th of October 1954. He gives the account of the witness, René Ott, a civil servant of the national railroads:

"I was riding my scooter between Berentzwiller and Altkirch on the secondary road 16, when a little before the village of Jettingen, I clearly saw in the ray of my headlight, at about 3 meters of the road on the left, in a meadow, a machine in the shape of a mushroom or a hut. It could be measuring 3 meters in span, and in his silhouette in the shape of cupola I distinguished a luminous rectangle, like a door, of a height of 1.50 meter and broad of 60 centimeters approximately. Seized be fear, I accelerated. But a few tens of meters further, I was taken by behind in an intense white light increasing to at least 200 meters, and whose source seemed to approach very fast. The machine indeed exceeded me at a height of 5 or 6 meters above the road, and I very clearly felt a very strong air volume displacement. It then preceded me above me by the road to the village, during several hundreds of meters. At the first house, it went up almost vertically and disappeared behind the village. But I had the time to observe it. It was extremely luminous in flight, with gleams of rainbow. I did not understand anything, but on the other end I was wearing a helmet."

[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:

Claimining an aligement of sightings for October 7, 1954, Aimé Michel lists:

20. JETTINGEN: ...a half-sphere cupola. (France-Soir for 10-10-54).

[Ref. aml3:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel explained that since December 1957, he was convinced that the "alignments" of cases on straight lines, such as those of October 7, 1954, are inexplicable, or more exactly, that they can only be explained "by the reality of the flying saucers", and that his opinion "is also that of a large number of scientists, among whom several are world-renowned."

He published a map of these alignments for this date, indicating that all the observations of October 7, 1954, are reported there:

For the case of this file, he noted:

20. JETTINGEN: ..a half-spherical cupolla.. (France-Soir for 10-10-54).

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 8 [,1954]

05:30 a.m.: Jettingen (I0 km ESE.Altkirch--Haut-Rhin):landing of half-spherical cupola with door + projector

[Ref. mcs1:] MICHEL CARROUGES:

Michel Carrouges reports that René Ott, aged 35, employee of S.N.C.F. (the national railroad company), travelling by scooter on October 8, 1954, at 05:30 a.m. on a road near Jettingen in the department of the Haut-Rhin, suddenly saw in the light of his headlight, within 3 meters of the road in a nearby meadow, a kind of large "mushroom" with an hemispherical cupola, of aluminum color.

He also noticed a luminous rectangular cut out like a door, in the cupola.

Frightened, he accelerated, but a few tens of meters further, he is caught in an intense white light which seemed to chase him. The craft caught up with him, flew above him at a height from 5 to 6 meters above the road, exceeded him during several hundreds of meters up to the village of Jettingen, where it flew away almost vertically.

Michel Carrouges tells of the mystifications of two journalists of the Samedi-Soir weekly newspaper, according to their articles in this newspaper from October 21 to 27, 1954: these journalists left Paris by car, and went in the South, the areas of Cahors, Montauban and Toulouse, equipped with accessories such as diving suits, fireworks and various products of pyrotechnics, to play Martians.

The journalists concluded that all testimonies of flying saucers are stupidities and especially the testimonies of October 13, 1954, one by "Mr. Ott in Toulouse", another by Mr. Carcenac in Graulhet, in the Tarn and also that of Mr. Mitto on October 9 in the Tarn, but without naming him.

Carrouges considers it regrettable that what could have been an interesting experiment on the psychology of perception turned into a joke, and that the roads that they followed was given only very partially, the journalists not having specified any date. He also specifies that they actually did not give any proof of their effective passage in the localities they claim to have been in and, ultimately, it is not so outrageous to even wonder whether their reports were not completely made up.

He notes all the same that there are some photographs of witnesses whose good faith was fooled by the journalists in the articles and that it seems difficult that they were invented; that it can thus be admitted these journalists actually operated a round of hoaxes, but that its importance, the precise places and the exact hours are so lacunar that nothing certain can be concluded form the whole.

Michel Carrouges reconstitutes that they have apparently followed the road of Brive, Cahors, Montauban, Toulouse, stopping their car and putting on their disguise and shooting earthly fireworks from time to time at the following places: Pouzergues (in the south of Cahors), Varreye (on the road of Montpezat de Quercy), Montalzet (on main road 20), Saint-Gomhiez (between Fronton and Bouloc, on secondary road 4), from there, or from near there, they made a turn towards Graulhet, then returned at the entry of Toulouse, near the Blagnac airfield, and that thus any testimony on this route, and at this time, is suspect to be illusory.

[Ref. lcp1:] LEONARD G. CRAMP:

The author indicates that "beyond Montlevic, at Jettingen, near Mulhouse (Haut Rhin), "a landing case was reported during the night of 7-8 October 1954, and witness M. Rene Ott, a railway official, told:

"I was riding a motor scooter along Route D-16, between Beeantzwiller [sic] and Altkirch, when just this side of the village of Jettingen I saw in my headlight, very clearly, an object in the meadow to the left of the road, only nine or ten feet away. It was shaped like the top of a mushroom, or a low hut, and it might have been ten feet from tip to tip. In the cupola-shaped silhouette I could see a lighted rectangle, like a door, about four and half feet high by two feet wide."

"The thing frightened me and I speeded up. But maybe 60 feet farther along, I was caught in a fierce white light from behind me, that shone at least 200 yards ahead and that seemed to be coming closer at terrific speed. In fact, the machine or whatever it was passed over my head no more than 15 or 20 feet above the road, and I distinctly felt a very strong current of air."

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

268 -007.36371 47.59740 07 10 1954 24 00 1 JETTINGEN-HT RHIN F 0011 1C 250

[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

In an article about the alleged UFO trace case of Marliens in 1967, the magazine noted:

[... other cases...], on October 7 [1954], Jettingen (near Mulhouse); [... other case...].

[Ref. fle1:] FERNAND LAGARDE:

This ufologist believed there is a connection between UFOs, earthquakes and geological fault lines. He listed "Jettingen", without precision on the geology, indicating that is was a "Mysterious Celestial Object" reported on the gound or near the ground by Aimé Michel at page 181.

[Note: the entire plain of Alsace as well as the German side of the Rhine river there is a geological fault and a seismic area!]

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

206) October 7, 1954, dawn. Jettingen (France):

A railroad employee, Rene Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object 3 m in diameter, in a field 3 m away from Route N16 and 1 m above ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. It took off and flew about 5 m above the witness, following him to the next village. (P. 41, M. 143)

[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The author indicates that on October 7, 1954, in Jettingen in the Haut-Rhin, a railwayman saw an object in a field, within 3 meters of the road and 1 meter above ground-level. It had the shape of a mushroom of approximately 3 meters in diameter. A luminous rectangle, like a door opening, was observed on one of the sides. It took off and flew at approximately 5 meters above the witness, following him to the village.

[Ref. pis1:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:

This ufology bulletin published a map supposed to show alignments of cases of October 7, 1954, and it included a case in Jettingen:

[Ref. cgu1:] CHARLES GARREAU:

Charles Garreau mentions that there was an observation on 7 October 1954 in Mulhouse.

[Ref. ous1:] "OURANOS" UFOLOGY MAGAZINE:

About cases with very close observation distances, this magazine lists:

"10/07/1954 in Jettingen - Mr. René Ott at less than 5 m."

[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:

The two authors and ufologists report on the case of Schwoben in the Haut-Rhin, on October 8, 1954, at 05:35, indicating that the references are personal files and newspaper clipping.

They report that Mr. Ott, an S.N.C.F employee [Société National des Chemin de Fer is France's state railway service], resident of Berentzwiller, left his home to go to the station of Altkirch. At the exit of Jettingen, in a field, on the side of the road, he sees a strange object thanks to the light of his headlight.

Garreau and Lavier provide Mr. Ott's account:

"It had the shape of a mushroom, or a hut. It was a kind of semi-spherical cupola, approximately 3 meters in diameter. It seemed to me that I distinguished a door or an enlightened trap door from the interior. I became frightened. I made a full-turn. But I had not made 50 meters that I was in the beam of a powerful projector. A few seconds later, I was overflown by a machine which flew at 5 or 6 meters above the road. It was conical, with rainbow gleams, which lit as in full day, and which dazzled me. Instinctively, I put the headlight of my scooter in code. When the machine buzzed me, I clearly felt a flow of air. It preceded me while maintaining the same distance and the same height, to the first houses of Jettingen, i.e. during 800 meters approximately. There, I stopped. I was a bit reassured. The machine then rose vertically, at a fantastic speed. I quickly lost it from sight."

[Ref. jve4:] JACQUES VALLEE:

October 7, 1954, dawn, Jettingen (France):

A railroad employee, Rene Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object 3 m in diameter, in a field 3 m away from Route N16 and 1 m above ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. It took off and flew about 5 m above the witness, following him to the next village. (France-Soir, Oct. 10, 1954).

[Ref. aldl:] MRS. GUEUDELOT, "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" ARCHIVE:

Scan.

OCTOBER 7, 1954.-

JETTINGEN. - (68)

At Dawn

A railway employee, Mr. René OTT saw an object in the shape of a mushroom 3 meters in diameter, in a field 3 m from the N. 16 road and 1 meter from the ground.

A luminous rectangle, a kind of foor [sic], could be seen on the side.

It took off and rose about 5 meters above the witness, following him to the nearby village.

(P. 4I. M. 143) VALLEE CATALOGUE Nr 206

CONTACT Nr 101 bis (NOV. 1969)

[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON:

381 7 October 1954 Dawn

JETTINGEN (FRANCE) A railway employee, Rene Ott, was riding his motor scooter when he saw a mushroom shaped object, 3m in diameter, in a field 3m away from Rd Nl6 and 1m above the ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. As the witness rode away, he was caught in a brilliant light as the machine flew about 5 m above him, following him to the next village. (M206, France­Soir, 10 Oct 1954; Michel II, 144)

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

October 7, 1954, dawn. Jettingen (Haut-Rhin).

A railroad employee, Rene Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object 3 m in diameter, in a field 3 m away from Route N16 and 1 m above ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. It took off and flew about 5 m above the witness, following him to the next village.

[Ref. gab1:] "G.A.B.R.I.E.L" UFOLOGY GROUP:

10/07/1954 Jettingen

Around 5:30 am, the witness discovered in a field three meters along the road a hut shaped craft of three meters in diameter. In the dome-shaped silhouette, Mr. Ott distinguished a luminous rectangle of 1.50m high and 0.60m wide, like an open port to the interior. (A. Michel)

[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/7/54 Night Jettingen-Mulhouse .003XC1 A 3m

[Ref. gep2:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/8/54 Dawn Jettingen (5 a.m.) Seen on 7.10. 100XC1

[Ref. gep3:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/8/54 ( ) Berentzwiller (Ht-Rhin) L 000V2

[Ref. jge11:] JEAN-FRANCOIS GILLE:

ICOD DESIGNATION (57) DATE JV4 JV1 COMMENTS
051 1060 JETTINGEN RF68 541008 206 268

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list Nr of Francat list Localization Date Class Credibility Sources Number of W
051 148 Jettingen 08/10 CE2 NI [Not identified] P [Press] J.V. [Jacques Vallée] 2-p. 134 1 T

[Ref. mft2:] MICHEL FIGUET:

CASE Nr CLASSIFICATION DATE HOUR PLACE ZIP CODE CREDIBILITY SOURCE
148 CE2 08 10 1954 05.35 Jettingen 68130 D6 NI - 2 version OVNI: p. 134

[Ref. tbw1:] TED BLOECHER AND DAVID WEBB:

Note: I did not expect to find this case with no occupant in a catalog of encounters with UFO occupans reports. But there it was.

Scan.

54-55 October 8, 1954 0530 Jettingen, France

René Ott, motorcycling to work, saw a "mushroom-shaped" object about 10 ft wide and 10 high, with an open door 2 ft x 5 ft. He saw no occupant. After passing it, he was struck by a powerful searchlight beam.

Investigator:

Source: Mulhouse L'Alsace, 10/9/54.

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that on October 8, 1954 at 05:35, in Jettingen, in the department of Haut-Rhin, the witness left his residence in Berentzwiller, to go to his work by scooter, at the railway station of Altkirch. Right before entering in Jettingen, he sees, in a field, within 3 meters of the road, and at approximately 1 meter above ground-level, an object in the shape of a mushroom, like a half-spherical cupola, approximately 3 m in diameter, a door or a trapdoor illuminated from within is visible on the side of the apparatus. It could have had a height of 1 m 50 and a width of 1 m 60 cm. Seized by fear, the witness accelerates (A. Michel), or made a U-turn (Garreau). He is then taken in an intense light, from behind, light which illuminates at 200 meters, and whose source seems to approach at full speed. The witness is exceeded by the machine which flies at approximately 5 to 6 meters of altitude, and is preceded by this one during a few hundreds of meters, to the village of Jettingen. At the first houses, it goes up vertically and disappears behind the village in the direction to Altkirch.

The authors indicate that the sources are case 206 of the Vallée Catalogue with the date October 7, 1954; Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier in "Face aux ET" pages 110-111 with the date October 8, 1954; Jimmy Guieu in "Black-out sur les S.V. pages 202-203 with the date October 8, 1954; Quincy with the date 8 October 1954; Aimé Michel in "A propos des S.V." pages 181 with the date October 7, 1954; and L'Alsace for October 9, 1954 indicating it occurred the previous day thus on October 8, 1954.

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 7th. Jettinggen [sic], France. (Sunrise)

Speeding along on Rt N16 near Jettingen on his motor scooter, M. Rene Ott passed a field where a mushroom-shaped object was hover just above the ground. Visible on the side of the nine foot wide object was a luminous rectangle(a door?0. M. Ott raced away on his scooter but the object took up the chase, the UFO flying just above the scooter(15 feet or so) and staying in that position until the nearest town was reached. 66.

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider indicates that on October 8, 1954, at 05:35, in Jettingen, France, René Ott, then aged 35, drove on a scooter and sees in a field, 3 meters from the road, an object approximately 3 meters in diameter, mushroom shaped. He is frightened, made a half-turn, and is suddenly taken in an intense light from behind, whose source approaches more and more. He is passed by the flying object at 5 or 6 meters of altitude and feels at its passage an effect of air volume displacement.

Jean Sider indicates that the source is Michel, pages 180,181.

[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

4015: 1954/10/08 05:40 20 7:22:00 E 47:35:00 N 3332 WEU FRN HRH 7:6

D16 nr JETTINGEN,FR:3M MUSHROOM-CAP FOLOS MAN > TOWN/5M alt:OPEN DOOR:/r138#9

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 134 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates in her chronology that in 1954, on October 7, in France, in Jettingen, at dawn, at 05:35, Rene Ott, SNCF employee, saw an object having the shape of a mushroom 3 m in diameter in a field at 3 m from the road and 1 m of the ground. It took off and rose at approximately 5 m above the witness, following him to the nearby village.

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that the sources are "France-Soir, 10 oct 1954; Jacques Vallée: "Chronique des apparitions ET" - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 270, 271 "which dates October 8" [no true, but it is actually the correct date.].

She adds that he also notes a luminous rectangle cut like a door in the cupola. Frightened he accelerates but several dozens of meters further he is taken in an intense white light that seemed to chase him. The craft catches up with him, flies over him at 5 or 6 m above the road, flies in front of him like that on several hundred meters until the village of Jettingen there it flies away almost vertically. She says the source for this is "Michel Carrouges: 'Les apparitions de Martiens' Fayard pub., 1963, p. 91".

[Ref. uwb2:] "UFOWEB" WEBSITE:

CITIES DEPT LATITUDES LONGITUDES YEARS
Berentzwiller 68 47.583 7.383 1954

[Ref. uwb3:] "UFOWEB" WEBSITE:

CITIES DEPT LATITUDES LONGITUDES YEARS
Jettingen 68 47.600 7.367 1954

[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

1954 October 8 - Jettingen, France. A railroad employee, Rene Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object three meters in diameter, in a field three meters away from Route N16 and one meter above the ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. It took off and flew about five meters over the head of the witness, following him to the next village. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 143; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 219).

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Thursday, October 7, 1954

[...]

At twilight in Jettingen (France), Rene Ott (railroad employee) sees an object of the form of a mushroom 3 m in diameter, in a field at 3 m from the N16 and 1 m of the ground. A luminous rectangle, a kind of door, is seen on the side. It takes off and rose to approximately 5 m above the witness, following him to the nearby village.

[...]

Jérôme Beau indicates that his source is "France-Soir, 10 October 1954".

[Ref. cvn1:] CHRISTIAN VALENTIN, "LES SAISONS D'ALSACE":

Christian Valentin indicates among the many observations in Alsace in 1954, that on October 8, quoting from the newspaper L'Alsace for October 9, 1954.

He indicates that Rene Ott was aged 35, that he was an office clerk at SNCF, France's National Railway company, that he lived in Berentzwiller and was, according to the journalists of L'Alsace, "a civil servant considered serious, his chiefs confirmed it to us. It is impossible that it invented this adventure, and the emotion which still gripped him was not made-up."

Valentin gives the account of the witness as published in the newspaper L'Alsace:

"It was about 5:30 in the morning and I had just left my residence in Berentzwiller, to return like each morning in Altkirch where I took the train for Mulhouse; I drove by scooter when at this precise spot, at the exit of the village, towards Jettingen, at approximately 3 meters on the left of the road, in a meadow, I clearly saw in a ray of my headlight a machine in the shape of a mushroom, in the middle of which a door was opened... I was seized by fright and accelerated, but I had not made 50 meters that I was taken, from behind, in the beam of a powerful headlight, whose white light ranged well 200 meters. A few seconds later, I suddenly stand in front of me, approximately 3 away m and 6 m height above the road, a machine of conical shape whose rainbow gleams dazzled me and lit as in broad daylight... Instinctively, I put the headlights of my scooter in low mode... At the time when it exceeded me, I clearly felt the breath of the machine. It then preceded me, always at the same distance and the same height, and this on several hundreds of meters, to the first house of Jettingen."

"There, I stopped, feeling more reassured. It is at this time that the luminous mushroom went up vertically and at an incredible speed behind the first houses of Jettingen, to quickly disappear in the sky. It made absolutely no noise, at least I did not hear anything owing to the fact that the engine of my scooter was running and that I wore a helmet."

"At no time I saw men or living beings around the machine or inside, not even moving shadows. The mushroom was opaque when it was beside the road, and completely luminous, even blinding, when it preceded me within 6 meters above the ground."

[Ref. spi6:] "SPICA" UFOLOGY ASSOCIATION:

Fifty years ago
"The ufos in Alsace"

[... Other cases...]

On October 08 takes place the first close encounter in Jettingen. At 05:30 of the morning, the witness observes in a meadow a machine in the shape of a mushroom in the center of which a door was opened, the witness seized by panic leaves the place with his Mobylette, and was caught up by the craft. The witness: "I have feld [sic] the breath of the saucer which had just passed me"

[... Other cases...]

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Haut-Rhin in Jettingen on October 8, 1954 at 05:35 hours, "the witness had just left his home in Barentzwiller [sic], to go, by scooter, to his work, at the train station of Altkirch. Right before entering in Jettingen, he sees, in a field, 3 meters from the road, and approximately 1 meter above ground-level, an object in the shape of a mushroom, like a half-spherical cupola, approximately 3 m in diameter, a door or a trapdoor enlightened from the inside is visible on the side of the apparatus. It can have a height of 1 m 50 and a width of 60 cm. Frightened, the witness accelerates (A. Michel), or make a half-turn (Garreau). He is then taken in an intense light, from behind, a light which lit on 200 meters, and which source seems to approach at high speed. The witness is passed by the craft which flies at approximately 5 to 6 meters of altitude, and is preceded by the latter during a few hundreds of meters, to the village of Jettingen. At the first houses, it goes up vertically and disappears behind the village in the direction of Altkirch.

Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 7 October 1954 at 06:00, in Jettingen, France, a railroad employee, Rene Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object three meters in diameter, in a field three meters away from Route N16 and one meter above ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. It took off and flew about five meters above the witness, following him to the next village.

The source is indicated as "Vallee Magonia Database".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 8 October 1954 at 05:30 in Jettingen, France, a motorcyclist "saw mushroom-shaped object, 10 feet wide, with open door 2'x5'. Saw no occupant. After driving past was struck by a powerful beam of light. An object was observed. Gravity effects were noted. One domed disc, about 10 feet across, was observed by one experienced male witness on a farm (Ott, R)."

The sources are indicated as "Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports; Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Cramp, Leonard G., Piece for a Jig-Saw, Somerton, Isle of Wight, 1966; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Newspaper Clippings; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".

[Ref. dfk1:] FABRICE AND DANIEL KIRCHER:

The authors indicate that on October 8, 1954 in Jettingen in the Haut-Rhin, Rene Ott drove by scooter on a countryside road at approximately 5:30 a.m. when he spotted in a field within three meters of the road an object in the shape of a mushroom approximately three meters in diameter, where one distinguished an enlightened door from 1.50 meters by 60 centimeters.

The witness prudently made a half turn and suddenly he was caught in an intense light, before being exceeded by the flying object at 5 or 6 meters of altitude, and feeling at its passage an effect of air volume displacement.

The authors indicate that the source is Jean Sider in "La Vague de 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste".

[Ref. cvn2:] CHRISTIAN VALENTIN:

Christian Valentin, former journalist in Alsace, give in his book about the UFO sighting reports in that region, the text and reference of the article of the time in the newspaper L'Alsace [lae1]. And the case, for the first time, is noted at the correct date.

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 7, 1954 - Jettingen, France. At dawn a railroad employee, Rene Ott, saw a mushroom-shaped object three meters in diameter, in a field three meters away from Route N16 and one meter above the ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door, was seen on the side. It took off and flew about five meters over the head of the witness, following him to the next village. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 143; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 219, case # 206).

[Ref. spi4:] SPICA UFOLOGY GROUP:

City Date and hour of observation General shape
Identification
General color
Hypothesis
Conclusion
JETTINGEN Thursday 7 October 1954 at 05h35 saucer, rugby balloon (3D)
Unidentified
information not communicated
None
Unsolved -lack of info

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

This database recorded this case 10 times:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France 24.00
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France Night CE III
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France Dawn CE II
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France CE II
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France Night CE II
19541007 07.10.1954 Jettingen France
19541008 08.10.1954 Jettingen France CE III
19541008 08.10.1954 Jettingen France CE III
19541008 08.10.1954 Berentzwiller France 17.00

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 7 1954. Dawn.

JETTINGEN (HAUT-RHIN : FRANCE)

Railway official Rene Ott was riding his motor scooter when his headlights caught a mushrooms shaped object, 3m in diameter, in a field 3m from Rte-D16 and 1m above the ground. A luminous rectangle, like a door 1.35m high, 60cm wide, was seen in the side. As Ott drove away, after 20m he was caught in a terrific light, which illuminated the area for at least 200m. The machine passed over him at about 5m altitude, giving off a bright light that contained all the colours of the rainbow. It carried on ahead of him to the first house a few hundred metres further along, where it went straight up.

Explanations:

Map.

Mr. Ott and the Samedi-Soir pranks operation

In these days, in the South of France, two journalists of the weekly Samedi-Soir had played the "Martians" by disguising themselves with diving suits and by launching firecrackers. They intended to demonstrate that the witnesses of the flying saucers and Martians were deluding themselves.

It turns out that in their affirmations is at least a proof that they have invented at least one of their mystifications; which makes it possible to doubt everything.

Indeed, they claimed to have pranked Mr. Ott, in Toulouse. However, if Toulouse would be well on their route, the observation of Mr. Ott did not take place at Toulouse in the South, but Mulhouse, in the East, in Alsace, practically at the other end of France!

The mistrust of Michel Carrouges and other ufologists with regard to these claims of hoax by these journalists is not entirely unfounded.

The location:

Above: René Ott (under the crossmark) indicates the place where the object hovered to the Gendarmes and two Home Intelligence officers.

Mr. Ott had just left his home in Berentzwiller, and was driving on the D16 road aka "Rue de Berentzwiller" at this location, to drive towards Altkirch (to the northwest). The route, its surrounding, did not change since 1954, but for a few trees that were replaced.

It seems that the encounter took place after the exit of Berentzwiller and started several hundred meters to the first houses of Jettingen where is ended (red line on the map). The place is a road surrounded by fields, without particular visual obstacles. The terrain is slightly sloping, a descent from the left side to the right side of the witness, with a row of trees along the small river Hundsbach at 170 meters on the right of the road relative to the direction of travel of the witness.

Map.

The alleged UFO was on the left side of the road relative to the witness, 3 meters from the road, 50 centimeters above the ground. It took off, overtook Mr. Ott, remained several hundred meters above the road in front of him, then at the first houses of Jettingen, it flew away vertically.

What I heard:

A local ufologist in 2005 who knew about this case told me that he had discussed the matter with Mr. Ott's son, who told him that his father had always maintained his story, and had never explained to himself what the thing was.

The officials:

We note that the newspaper L'Alsace indicated an impressive official presence, at least partially proven (gendarmes in uniforms) by the photo above:

"... a commissioner of the General Intelligence of Saint-Louis, an inspector of the General Intelligence at the airfield of Blotzheim, the lieutenant of the Gendarmerie of Altkirch and four Gendarmerie officers..."

As for Renseignements Généraux (Homeland Intelligence), no document on UFO cases has ever been made public on their side.

The Gendarmes being present, there was necessarily a written report of their findings. But it has not been declassified yet. On this matter, my idea is that for every case in which the identity of the witness(es) is publicly known (by press reports for example), "one" refrains from publishing the documents. This is in any case what I see for the cases of 1954 in France. Documents were released from 2014 on, but only for cases where the witness(es) name is (are) not known.

Explanation?

The moon had set at 01:43 a.m. in the night and place of the observation.

Mr. Ott told that the craft was absolutely silent, although he felt the movement of air. Mr. Ott stopped his scooter when the object was still in front of him. True, he was wearing his helmet, but it is out of the question that the sound of a helicopter was attenuated enough to become silent. The object blinded him with rainbow-colored lights. It hovered 3 meters from the edge of the road, lined with trees, practically in the ditch, its rotor would have endangered any truck driver passing there - so this is a quite absurd landing spot, if only for that. We have a General Intelligence agent at Blotzheim Airport involved, who was certainly unlikely to ignore helicopters, or perhaps unlikely to ignore a helicopter night flight in his area. I think this cannot have been a helicopter. Mr. Ott is not a prankster, say his bosses; which nothing has come to deny. It could have been an extraterrestrial craft.

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Schwoben, Jettingen, Haut-Rhin, René Ott, object, mushroom, landing, door, luminous, beam, gleam, dazzling, road, field, motorbike

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross April 5, 2005 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross January 26, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [lcn1], [goe1], [jsr1], [jbu1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2].
1.1 Patrick Gross March 24, 2009 Addition [dfk1].
1.2 Patrick Gross June 4, 2010 [lae1] article, previously incomplete, is now complete.
1.3 Patrick Gross June 25, 2010 Addition [afp1].
1.4 Patrick Gross June 28, 2010 Addition [jve1].
1.5 Patrick Gross July 7, 2010 Addition [cgu1].
1.7 Patrick Gross January 25, 2014 Addition [fso1].
1.8 Patrick Gross October 7, 2014 Addition [nip1].
3.0 Patrick Gross May 11, 2015 Addition [spi4].
3.1 Patrick Gross August 28, 2015 Addition [gab1].
3.2 Patrick Gross October 25, 2016 Addition [spi6].
3.3 Patrick Gross December 18, 2016 Additions [lgs1], [ubk1].
3.4 Patrick Gross January 23, 2017 Additions [lln1].
3.5 Patrick Gross August 16, 2019 Additions [aml2], [fle1], [prn1], [jve5], [mft1], [mft2], [lhh1], [prn2], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet."
3.6 Patrick Gross October 31, 2019 Additions [aml3], [pis1], [jge1].
3.7 Patrick Gross February 15, 2020 Addition [nnm1].
3.8 Patrick Gross March 3, 2020 Additions [cpd1], [ppe1].
3.9 Patrick Gross April 7, 2020 Addition [nmn1].
4.0 Patrick Gross May 1, 2020 Addition [nll1].
4.1 Patrick Gross May 22, 2020 Addition [jps1].
4.2 Patrick Gross June 16, 2020 Additions [ner1], [ner2].
4.4 Patrick Gross January 12, 2021 Addition [lcx1].
4.5 Patrick Gross September 3, 2021 Additions [gqy1], [tbw1].
4.6 Patrick Gross November 24, 2021 Addition [ldl1].
4.7 Patrick Gross May 1, 2022 Additions [gep1], [gep2], [gep3].
4.8 Patrick Gross August 6, 2023 Addition [ald1].

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