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ALSACAT:

ALSACAT is my comprehensive catalog of UFO sighting reports in Alsace, the region is the North-East of France, whether they are "explained" or "unexplained".

The ALSACAT catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file. A general index and thematic sub-catalogs give access to these Alsatian case files.

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Case of Haguenau, on November 18, 1975:

Case number:

ALSACAT-1975-11-18-HAGUENAU-1

Summary:

In the 1970s, Mrs. Gueudeulot, archivist of the French ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit, noted observation reports sent by the magazine's correspondents. This archive surfaced in the 2020's through the work of the "Sceau" association which aims at the preservation of UFO archives.

Among the apparently so forth unpublished cases found there, there is an observation dated around November 18 or 19, 1975 in Haguenau, according to an investigation by a Mr. Rohan.

The witness is described as "Jean Claude L.", who requested anonymity, and enlisted men doing their military service.

This would have taken place during a night exercise outdoors on the edge of the Haguenau Forest between Hotten (actually Hatten) and Betschdorf, between 03:30 a.m. and 04:30 a.m., in cool weather, with a starry sky, and the visible moon.

It is then said there was an "observation made with the naked eye": the witness reported an anomaly at the radio station which no longer ensured the connection, the headlights of the jeep no longer lit, the beam was absorbed.

Jean-Claude L. is then quoted as saying:

"I was preoccupied with my exercise when I was attracted and surprised by the sudden arrival of a beam of light in the middle of a track crossing the fir forest. Believing that it could be soldiers with a lamp, I took my jeep and went to meet them but immediately I realized that this beam had a curious appearance, because it seemed very distant and it had a certain importance. It was a very bright light, shaped like a star that had no branch at the bottom. Suspended above the track 10 meters or so. Color bright white."

We are then given a dimension that "covered a whole track about 4m wide, about 3m high?"

There is also a mention a feeling of anxiety of the witness, an observation duration of approximately 30 minutes, and a report which would have been made to the Soultz gendarmerie, which would have to be verified, according to the investigator.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date: November 18, 1975
Time: 03:30 a.m.
Duration: 30 minutes.
First known report date: In the 1970's.
Reporting delay: 1 day, years.

Geographical data:

Department: Bas-Rhin
City: Haguenau
Place: Edge of the forest of Haguenau between Hatten and Betschdorf.
Latitude: 48.889
Longitude: 7.939
Uncertainty radius: 2 km.

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses: 1 or more.
Number of known witnesses: 1
Number of named witnesses: 0
Witness(es) ages: Young adults or adults.
Witness(es) types: Enlisted military men.

Ufology data:

Reporting channel: Ufologist from the Tarn-et-Garonne department.
Type of location: In a Jeep on path at edge of the wood.
Visibility conditions: Night.
UFO observed: Yes.
UFO arrival observed: Yes.
UFO departure observed: ?
Entities: No
Photographs: No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es): No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): No.
Witness(es) feelings: Surprized.
Witnesses interpretation: ?

Classifications:

Hynek: NL or CE2
ALSACAT: Insufficient information.

Sources:

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

Scan.

around NOVEMBER 18 or 19, 1975.-

HAGUENAU. - (67)

Time: between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m.

WITNESS: Jean Claude L. (anonymity requested) and enlisted men doing their national duty.

LOCATION: outside on the edge of the Haguenau Forest between Hotten and Betschdorf.

WEATHER: cool weather, starry sky, one is visible.

OBSERVATION MADE WITH THE NAKED EYE. The witness reported an anomaly of the radio station which no longer ensured the connection, the jeep's headlights no longer lit, the beam was absorbed. The witnesses were on exercise at night in the Haguenau forest.

"I was preoccupied with my exercise when I was attracted and surprised by the sudden arrival of a beam of light in the middle of a track crossing the fir forest. Believing that it could be soldiers with a lamp, I took my jeep and went to meet them but immediately I realized that this beam had a curious appearance, because it seemed very distant and it had a certain importance. It was a very bright light, in the shape of a star which had no downward branch. Suspended above the track approximately 10 meters. Bright white color.

DIMENSION: covered an entire track approximately 4 m wide, approximately 3 meters high? Feeling of anxiety in the witness.

DURATION OF OBSERVATION: approximately 30 minutes. Report made to the SOULTZ gendarmerie (to be verified).

INVESTIGATION OF MR. ROHAN (Léojac - 82)

Discussion:

Map.

Map.

The report seems very interesting, but the writing is more than chaotic.

Mention is made of the effects on a radio set, and the jeep's headlights which no longer illuminated, "the beam was absorbed"; but how this fits into the witness's account is unclear.

We also cannot understand whether the witness was the only witness or not, and what the other enlisted soldiers would have seen.

We understand, as the ufologist who collected the case is at the other end of France, that he must have heard only Jean-Claude L., once his military service in Alsace was completed.

Everything would undoubtedly be clearer if the Gendarmerie report actually surfaced, which is not the case in 2023.

Evaluation:

Insufficient information.

Sources references:

* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.

File history:

Authoring:

Main author: Patrick Gross
Contributors: None
Reviewers: None
Editor: Patrick Gross

Changes history:

Version: Create/changed by: Date: Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross September 13, 2023 Creation, [ald1].
1.0 Patrick Gross September 13, 2023 First published.

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This page was last updated on September 13, 2023.