ALSACAT-1980-02-03-WECKOLSHEIM-1
A listing of UFO sightings by French ufologist Michel Figuet published in 1986 indicates that there was a close encounter of the first kind in February 1980 at 02:50 a.m. in "Weckelsheim", reported by the newspaper L'Alsace for 7 February 1980.
A recent website gives the date as February 3, 1980, speaks of one witness and then of three witnesses on a road, having observed an "object, about 80 feet across."
Ufologist Christian Macé, on the web, told it was a whitish flying saucer shape with a blue halo at the bottom, seen by three witnesses in the Haut-Rhin on February 3, 1980. The craft was posed on the road and blocked the way of the witnesses car. They were afraid and drove back.
He added that the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit published at the time an investigation into the matter, and it had also been told by a regional newspaper.
More information can be found in the newspaper L’Alsace for February 7, 1980.
It is said that A. S, 25 years old, textile worker employed in Guebwiller and resident of Rouffach, reported to this newspaper his observation of February 3, 1980, between Weckolsheim and Dessenheim:
"It was around 2:50 a.m., Sunday morning. In the car I was driving, my sister B. S., 20 years old, and a friend N. R., also 20 years old. We were returning from a ball in Neuf-Brisach (no, no , we remained sober). Leaving Weckolsheim, we saw a bright orange glow in the distance. I thought it was a car and I flashed the headlights a few times. When suddenly, at round a bend, we saw this... this saucer. At about thirty meters, it looked like an upturned plate which was suspended about 50 cm above the road, the entire width of which it occupied elsewhere. Around the edge of the craft, which was perhaps six feet tall, was a strip of blue light. Very intense."
"We had been there, completely prostrate, for perhaps thirty seconds (I remember now: we had heard nothing. On the car cassette recorder, a "slow" was playing. Atrocious!) when the saucer moved slowly, very slowly towards us. This was the beginning of a panic for us. I went back about a hundred meters; in my haste to turn around, I hit a kilometer marker. Once the maneuvers were done, I put my foot to the floor. Without looking in the rearview mirror. No, I didn't think about using the camera lying around on the back seat. Why?"
"The next day I returned to the scene with my father. Not a single trace. Since then, I haven't been sleeping well, Sir..."
The newspaper indicated that the story seemed coherent to them and communicated in good faith, that they consulted the Neuf-Brisach Gendarmerie who did not report any jamming of radio broadcasts during that night, and no rumors in the surrounding villages either.
| Date: | February 3, 1980 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 02:50 a.m. |
| Duration: | More than a minute? |
| First known report date: | February 7, 1980 |
| Reporting delay: | Hour. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Weckolsheim |
| Place: | From a car, UFO on the road. |
| Latitude: | 48.002 |
| Longitude: | 7.512 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 5 km. |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 to 3 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | ? |
| Witness(es) types: | ? |
| Reporting channel: | The regional Press. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | From a car, UFO on the road. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | ? |
| UFO departure observed: | ? |
| Entities: | No |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Frightened. |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Hynek: | CE1 |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Insufficient information. |
[Ref. lae1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ALSACE":
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"I can already imagine the sarcasm of some of your readers who will not fail to point out that we live in Rouffach. The psychiatric hospital is not far away, they might want to put us in there. Whatever, since I saw!"
Truly troubled, Mr. A. S., 25, a textile worker employed at Guebwiller, is nevertheless categorical: the flying object which he saw at length during the night from last Saturday to Sunday, between Weckolsheim and Dessenheim, was perfectly identifiable. It was, according to him, a flying saucer, no less.
From the account given to us by Mr. A. S, we draw two observations. It is consistent and appeared to have been communicated to us in good faith. Here it is:
"It was around 2:50 a.m. Sunday morning. In the car I was driving, my sister B.S., 20, and a female friend N.R., also 20. We were coming back from a ball in Neuf-Brisach (no, no, we had stayed sober). As we left Weckolsheim, we glimpsed in the distance, a bright orange glow. I thought it was a car and I made a few flashes of the headlights. Turning around a bend, we saw this... this saucer, about thirty meters away, it looked like an upturned plate which was hovering about 50 cm above the road, the width of which it occupied. Around the edge of the craft, which was perhaps 1.80 meters high, was a band of blue light. Very intense.
A bit like an electric arc.
We had been there, completely prostrate, for maybe thirty seconds (I remember now: we hadn't heard anything. On the car cassette player, a "slow" was playing. Atrocious!). The saucer slowly, very slowly advanced towards us. It was for us the beginning of a panic fear. I backed up a hundred meters; in my haste to turn around, I hit a milestone. The maneuver done, I put pressed the accelerator. Without looking in the rearview mirror. No, I didn't think of using the camera that was lying in the backseat. Why?
The next day I returned to the scene with my father. Not a single trace. Since then, I've been sleeping badly, Sir..."
Hallucination or start of an encounter of the third kind? At the Neuf-Brisach gendarmerie, no interference to radio broadcasts was reported during the night. No rumors either in the neighboring villages. For Charles Garreau on the other hand, one of the most eminent UFO specialists in France whom we contacted yesterday morning at his home in Talent (Côte-d'Or)., the story is plausible.
[Ref. lsr1:] NEWSPAPER "LE SOIR":
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Three young people from Rouffach (Haut-Rhin) claim to have seen "a flying saucer" on Sunday, shortly before 3 a.m., reports the regional daily "L'Alsace" in its Thursday edition. The three young people say they were driving home from a dance when they saw "a bright orange glow" in the distance.
The craft, they specify, was "approximately thirty meters away" and looked like "an upturned plate, approximately 1.80 m high, which occupied the entire width of the road". The saucer, the young people continue, "approached slowly, and this was the beginning of a panic for us. Then the craft disappeared, without leaving any trace."
[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":
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MULHOUSE. -- Three young people from Rouffach claim to have seen "a flying saucer" on Sunday shortly before 3 a.m.
The three young people say they were driving home from a ball when they saw a bright orange glow in the distance.
The craft, they specify, was "at about thirty meters" and looked like "an upturned plate, high about 1.80 m, which occupied the entire width of the road."
The saucer, the young men continue, "approached slowly, and this was the beginning of a panic fear for us.
Then the craft disappeared, leaving no trace."
[Ref. ufa1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "UFOLOGIE":
The magazine reproduced without comments od addition the full article [lae1].
[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
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(On the cover the assembly sketch of Mr. Philippe PLANARD, from a photo of the site - Free interpretation).
Witnesses: 3 witnesses (anonymity requested)
Age 25 boilermaker
Age 20, office worker
Age 20, office worker.
Date: Sunday, February 3, 1980
Time: 2:50 a.m.
Weather condition:
Cloudy periods Periods of rain
Temperature 5 to 6° - Moon visible (full moon on 1/2/80).
Location: County road lbis between Weckolsheim and Niederhergheim. (I.G.N. "Neuf-Brisach" map at 1/50 OOOth - sheet 37/19 Longitude 7 ° 30, latitude 48 ° or Michelin map n ° 87 Fold 8).
LOCATION AND POSITION OF WITNESSES
The facts:
The three witnesses were returning from a ball in a vehicle (Fiat 131 Super Mirafiori) Witness 1 was driving (owner of the vehicle for 2 years, new when purchased). Witness 2 (sister of the 1st witness) was seated in the front right. Witness 3 was seated in the back right.
Witness 1
"Around 2:50 a.m., we were returning from Neuf-Brisach where a ball was held on the occasion of the election of the Queen of the Lily of the Valley. On leaving Weckolsheim, we saw an orange light in the distance, very clear, lively, dazzling. We thought it was a car. We were traveling at around 90 km / h. Surprised not to pass this vehicle, I flashed the headlights. When I got to 30m from this light, I suddenly braked.
We then saw a saucer which took the whole width of the road. It was about 1.50 m high. It was 50cm above the road. It was white with a halo of blue light and white stripes in it; it seemed to me that this blue light was spinning counterclockwise.
We stopped. The saucer then moved slowly towards us. We were afraid. I backed up for a hundred yards. Quickly I made a U-turn, I hit a milestone. We left at full speed, without looking back, towards Weckolsheim.
My sister and our friend being very afraid, we went through Colmar to return to Rouffach via the national road."
Witness 2
Confirms his brother's statements without further details.
Witness 3
"It was 2:50 that night. I'm sure because I looked at the dashboard watch. As we left Weckolsheim, we saw an orange light that was surrounded by kinds of rays. We thought it was a car. It was raining very hard then. When we got to 30m, we stopped short, this object took the whole width of the road. We
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stayed, maybe 30 seconds like that.
Then the saucer moved very slowly towards us. I was very scared. I started to pray. When we had turned around, I didn't dare look behind. My eyes were crying. I had a headache. For three nights, I slept very badly.
Additional details:
1 a) View of the light at the exit of Weckolsheim (distance: l km 500)
- Comparator size: witness 1 between 6 and 7; witness 2: 9; witness 3: between 15 and 20.
Pantone color chart: witness 1: 151, witness 2: 151; witness 3: 165.
b) View of the saucer at "30m"
- Comparator size: the three witnesses are unanimous in defining it between the 15th and the 20th.
- Color in the color chart: witness 1: white lighter than a neon - halo 283; witness 2: ditto halo 283 "like a light emitted under the cover of a photocopier; witness 3: white yellow n ° 187 - halo 277.
Note: The vehicle's windshield is fitted with greenish-brown tinted glass.
2 Shape and color of the UFO seen up close: According to witnesses, the UFO had the shape of a saucer (see sketch). They are unanimous on the shape, but not on the colors (the cause may be the tinted windshield).
The saucer was not touching the road. Illuminated the grass on the road sides.
- Only took the paved width
No light, antenna, porthole, any growth whatsoever was discerned on this phenomenon by the three witnesses.
At night, it is difficult to approximate the distance. On the ground, the 30 meters look short. The close position of the witnesses in front of this saucer must have been (in our opinion) at about 100 m.
3 Effects on the witnesses: After the U-turn on the road, the witnesses had tears in their eyes and a headache.
a) Tears in the eyes: witnesses 1 and 2: for about 30 seconds; witness 3: to Colmar (approximately 15 minutes).
b) Headache: Witness 1 and 2: lasting approximately 15 minutes; witness 3: for about 20 minutes.
c) Prolonged effects: witness 1: none; witness 2: slept badly during the following week. Could not bear the light from outside entering his room. Was forced to put a curtain over her windows to sleep; witness 3: slept very badly for three nights "out of fear".
No effect on the watches worn by witnesses 2 and 3.
4 Effects on vehicles: None. At the time of the events, a cassette was engaged in the radio cassette player. No effect on the sound, on the engine, or on the lighting of the car. The on-board watch would "delay" by 2 minutes since this event.
[Photo caption 1:] 1 - Photo taken about 800 m from the place where the close phenomenon occurred. The arrow shows the red-orange light seen from the exit of the village of Weckolsheim (1.5 km approx.) Up to 30 m (100 m?)
[Photo caption 2:] 2 - UFO seen at 30 m (100 m?). Photo taken 100 m from the H.T line. The arrow indicates the UFO taking the width of the road "in suspension" of 50 cm above it.
Thoughts - Additional Notes from investigators.
The witnesses appear to be in very good faith. Upon returning home at around 3.30 a.m., the mother of Witnesses 1 and 2 as well as that of Witness 3 stood up. Excited, the witnesses told them what they had seen. A young sister of them recounts their adventure at school.
This is how a journalist was made aware of the facts, the witnesses nevertheless insisting on maintaining their anonymity.
There are some differences in size and colors. However this can be explained by
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a difficult appreciation at night.
It was raining quite hard (but the moon lit the landscape).
The windshield of the car is made of tinted glass, the position of the warning lights inside the vehicle
Fear
All three witnesses appear to have good eyesight and hearing. No sound was heard (the engine was never stopped, the cassette was playing music). No effect on the vehicle.
The saucer only advanced towards them, when stopped, the driver (witness 1) switched on the vehicle's lighting "Full Headlight".
The milestone struck during the U-turn maneuver was only slightly struck. The vehicle's bumper is barely marked (seen 15 days after the incident).
From the supposed place of the stop, there is about 200m, a high voltage line of 400,000 volts, put in place for a year and a half, supplied from the nuclear power station of Fessenheim. Was the saucer under this power line?...
In the field, nothing to report. The vegetation is the same everywhere. No trace of burns on it. No marks or traces on the asphalt.
Using two compasses, magnetic variation tests were carried out successively on February 16 and 25. At times, on the way to the H. T. line as on the way back, for about 400 meters, the needle has a strong tendency to move 60° to the east. Is it an effect of the power line, close? No variation is noticed by being under the power line or 20 meters below or beyond.
Miscellaneous remarks
The behavior of Witness 1, since this close encounter, has suddenly changed (according to the statements of his family and the 2 other witnesses). Only accompanying his sister and her friend to the ball where he sat at a table all evening, now he dances. From shy, he became very talkative and more open, astonishing himself at these surprising changes.
Witnesses 2 and 3 read "Intimity", "Nous Deux" ["girlie" romance magazines]. Witness 1 has no reading. They don't go to the cinema except to see comedy films. Their only hobbies are going to the ball and skiing.
During the outing to the ball, Witness 1 drank two beers, Witnesses 2 and 3 water.
The witnesses will never take this road alone at night again. They were too scared.
The landscape
Nothing in particular to report. The road is bordered by a few trees spaced towards the power line of about 30 m. A small canal passes nearby. The place is deserted if not a kilometer away, a building called "Le Moulin de Dessenheim". On the right are fields, and the wood of Weckolsheim in which is located a shooting range.
[Ref. mft1:] "FRANCAT" - MICHEL FIGUET:
| CASE NR | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | TIME | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY | SOURCES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 934 | CE1 | ..02.1980 | 02.50 | Weckolsheim [sic] | 68600 D3 | P. L'Alsace for 2/7/1980, Ufologia #26 |
[Ref. cme1:] CHRISTIAN MACE":
The same UFO (whitish flying saucer shape, with the same blue halo at its lower portion) was visually seen by 3 witnesses in the Haut-Rhin (Eastern France), on February 3, 1980!
This UFO had landed on the road and blocked the way of their car! They were afraid and turned around...
The French specialized magazine "Lumières dans la Nuit" published at the time an investigation into this affair. The case was also reported by a local newspaper...
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH:
13869: 1980/02/03 02:50 1 7:30:00 E 48:00:00 N 3333 WEU FRN HRH 7:8
nr WECKOLSHEIM,FR:3/CAR:18M SCR ^/ANGLE:NEARLY HITS ROAD:SLOWLY NEARS CAR..
Ref#194 LUMIERES dans la NUIT.(LDLN France) Issue No. 197 : ROAD+RAILS
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
3 February 1980 02:50
Weckolsheim, Alsace, France
An object was observed. It buzzed a witness. One object, about 80 feet across, was observed by three witnesses on a road for over one minute.
Hynek rating: CE1
Vallee rating: CE1
The sources are indicated as: "Lumieres dans la Nuit, Lumieres dans la Nuit; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002."
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The information available to me so far is obviously totally insufficient, so any explanation attempt would be pointless.
With the availability of the investigation report, the information is much more complete. First we have the places and positions:
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Or, "modernized", with the North at the top:
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The witnesses are in "T", 1 km before the Dessenheim mill, a few tens of meters before the power line which passes above the road.
The direction of observation is therefore clear: the "saucer is on the road in front of them, therefore at 247°.
There was a full moon, but the saucer cannot be the Moon, which was at 164° and a much too high elevation of 50°.
Insufficient information.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editeur: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | May 7, 2015 | Création, [mft1], [uda1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | May 7, 2015 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | July 7, 2015 | Addition [cme1]. In the Summary, addition of the two paragraphs from "Ufologist Christian Macé" on. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | June 1, 2021 | Additions [lae1], [ler1], [ufa1], [ldl1], [lhh1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | September 14, 2023 | Addition [lsr1]. |
