The Joy of Discovering Minor Historical Figures: Wernher von Braun

Some people really are strange

Many bizarre people achieve a shining moment or decade or three in the sun, then get forgotten or snubbed or both, which is sad from their point of view.

History when taught in schools can seem dull. Later in life, when one is boldly exploring this and that, history can blossom as a series of exciting tiny discoveries that pop up in unexpected places. Bizarre people (you might choose to call them instead "people who behave bizarrely", if that makes you feel kindly) live on in old comics and old songs.

Today's (re-)discovery is Wernher von Braun, who pops into view in an old comic AND in an old song.

Skim the Wikipedia page about von Braun for details about him. A tiny version of von Braun's biography would mention that he was the chief designer of two successful engineering programs. One launched rockets from the USA to land on the moon in the 1960's. the other launched rockets from Germany to land on London in the 1940's.

Or for fun, savor this old (2017) cartoon in the Joy of Tech series (written by Nitrozac & Snoggy). Wernher Von Braun makes an appearance, as does another minor figure from history:

For even more history fun, watch this mid-1960's video of Tom Lehrer performing his song about Wernher von Braun:

Here are the song lyrics:

WERNHER VON BRAUN

words & music by Tom Lehrer

Gather 'round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun

A man whose allegiance

Is ruled by expedience

Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown

"Nazi, Schmazi!" says Wernher von Braun.

Don't say that he's hypocritical

Say rather that he's apolitical

"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?

That's not my department!" says Wernher von Braun.

Some have harsh words for this man of renown

But some think our attitude

Should be one of gratitude

Like the widows and cripples in old London town

Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun.

You too may be a big hero

Once you've learned to count backwards to zero

"In German, oder Englisch, I know how to count down

Und I'm learning Chinese!" says Wernher von Braun.

Here is a photo of Wernher von Braun and some of his colleagues at NASA, in April 1970:

The caption reads "Dr. Donald K. Slayton (center foreground), MSC director of flight crew operations, talks with Dr. Wernher von Braun (right), famed rocket expert, at an Apollo 13 postflight debriefing session. Dr. von Braun was NASA’s deputy associate administrator for planning at the time."

UPDATE January 26, 2025: Don’t forget von Braun’s Book

A reader who requests anonymity writes; “The cartoon is uncannily spot-on. Don’t forget the speculative book Project Mars (written by Wernher von Braun in 1948), his vision for a Mars colony, in which in Chapter 24 he describes how Mars is Governed by ten men led by the ‘Elon’. And here is a video where his father Errol Musk admits this was the reason he named Elon thus, having been exposed to Wernher von Braun’s writings as a child”

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