The truth about Nazi 'weapons of death'

During World War II, Nazi Germany demonstrated its determination to create weapons superiority. They built fighter planes, bombers, ballistic missiles (V-2) and cruise missiles (V-1).

Especially at the end of the war, with defeat near, German scientists were ordered to urgently work on the Wunderwaffe project, or 'Extraordinary Weapon', one of which was the 'death ray' attack. attack the enemy from space. 

From the idea of ​​peace to the weapon of death

An article about a German "weapon of death" was published in Life in 1945.

Many of the Nazi superweapon plans were not revealed until they surrendered in 1945. Before that, the Allied Forces tried to hunt down weapons manufacturing facilities on German soil. In particular, the raid on the experimental sites of the German Army Artillery Force, in the town of Hillersleben, Germany, discovered many strange things.

Nestled in the hills near the town, during the war, this vast facility was home to more than 150 engineers and physicists who worked day and night to find new ways to make weapons.

Among the many plans discovered, notably the idea of ​​​​stealth bombers, the first giant armored tanks, flying saucers that can take off and land vertically, infrared devices . along with many other bold designs. All are in prototype form, not yet in actual production. However, one of the plans that received special attention was the blueprint for a space station in Earth orbit and the 'death ray'.

Called the Sonnengewehr, or 'Sun Gun', the weapon was originally the brainchild of German rocket scientist Hermann Oberth dating back to 1923. His idea was to invent in the service of peace.

It consists of a giant 'space mirror' that can light harbors, melt frozen rivers, generate electricity, place on a manned space station or satellite, in an altitude of one thousand kilometers, called Raumstations.

He not only devised the layout of these space stations, but also detailed plans for the engineering and construction materials needed, and even the ways in which the station could be refueled with rockets.

All were ahead of their time, at a time when space travel was still a fantasy. However, the Nazis soon realized the destructive potential of this idea and began implementing plans to create their own Death Star project.

German scientists think of building a space station for war purposes. Set to be located 8,200 kilometers from Earth, the station will come with solar-powered devices, as well as hydroponic gardens containing thousands of pumpkin plants for oxygen production, the crew will live on for a long time. specially built living quarters.

This is an era where humanity has yet to put anything in orbit, let alone a giant manned space station. However, the Nazis claimed that they could have the station fully operational within 15 to 25 years. At that time, it will become a military base with 'weapons of death', collectively known as 'Sun Gun'.

The 'Sun Gun' is envisioned as a giant mirror made of metallic sodium, covering an area of ​​9 square kilometers, that will be mounted on the space station. Basically, this mirror will work by focusing the sun's rays into a powerful beam that hits the Earth with great heat.

In theory, it could boil oceans, vaporize reservoirs, burn fields and wipe out entire cities. With an inexhaustible supply of 'ammunition' thanks to the sunlight, there was no way the enemy could counter it.

German scientist, Hermann Oberth, with the idea of ​​​​using "space mirrors" to serve humanity.

Unsuccessful project

This is not the first time the Sun has been 'weaponized' with high destructive potential. From the 3rd century BC, the ancient Greek engineer, the mathematician Archimedes, in the city-state of Syracuse is known to have built a variety of machines for war, against the Romans, such as catapults and even a giant metal claw, blocking and sinking ships.

Among these complex weapons, the 'Archimedes Death Ray' is considered highly effective. It consisted of a series of giant mirrors arranged to receive and focus intense sunlight, which was then directed towards the Roman ships and incinerated them at a distance of 300 meters.

However, over the centuries, all documents about the weapon and its construction have been lost. It is a fact that the 'Archimedes Death Ray' is not considered a common or widely used weapon, and is only mentioned a few times in a few documents.

It seems the Nazis didn't have much luck with their plans to turn the sun's rays into a weapon of destruction, as the war ended before it was even built.

After the war, Hermann Oberth moved to the US, continuing his rocket research work, contributing to the launch of the US space program in the 1950s. Oberth also did not give up on his intention to harness power. of the Sun, and in late 1961 he proposed a huge-diameter mirror that used material mined from the Moon and could theoretically help bring back normal life to icy regions. . However, his ideas were not interested.

Did the Nazis really pursue such an ominous plan? Just looking at information about 'Sun Rays' from Life magazine published in 1945, with an article called The German Space Mirror, it is impossible to determine for sure.

However, there is no denying that the Nazis had groundbreaking research during the war. Thus, this plan is not exactly paranoid, but it adds to the mystery of Nazi science during the Second World War.