Historical FiguresAerospace Engineer
Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun
1912 - 1977
Rocket engineer who led Nazi V‑_2 program and later NASA's Saturn V to the Moon
Quick Facts
Born
1912
Died
1977
Profession
Aerospace Engineer
Nationality
German‑born / American
Biography
A passion for space propelled von Braun to engineer Germany's V‑_2 ballistic missile at Peenemünde, using forced labour. Surrendering to U.S. forces, he became chief architect of Redstone, Jupiter‑_C and Saturn V, instrumental in Apollo 11.
Historical Significance
Von Braun bridged wartime rocketry and peaceful space exploration, embodying ethical complexities of Cold War science
Related Historical Figures
Helmut Josef Michael Kohl
1930 - 2017Chancellor who presided over German reunification and EU founding treaties
PoliticianOtto von Bismarck
1815 - 1898German statesman who unified Germany and served as its first chancellor
Statesman, Diplomat, ChancellorMarie Magdalene Dietrich
1901 - 1992German-American actress and singer who became a Hollywood icon.
Actress, Singer