Rockenhausen

U-2 Crash of 17 September 1956 – Assorted Sources

Dear Mr. Sperl:

I hope I was helpful with my information concerning your questions about the plane crash of 17 September 1956 near Schönborn (Rockenhausen)

Number 1: Against expectation I could receive at the municipality the report of the fire brigade. Enclosed map as well as the aerial photograph of the crash area should be helpful for you.

My personal observation: In said morning I was during the break with the pupils and colleagues on the schoolyard when from the sky a bang was to be heard. We saw at approximately 4000-meter height (roughly estimated) above the city an aeroplane, where at this moment the left wing broke off. The aeroplane looked strange to me, body and wings in cross form. A shape of an aeroplane which we did not know at that time. The plane came from northwest direction and spun in south-eastern direction further on, until it disappeared behind the mountain chain, named the saddle, which separates the city from the farm. I do not know whether other planes were in the region. It was a sunny day with good farsightedness. In the afternoon I was in my garden and picked plums. I saw from my ladder active helicopter traffic of the Americans. The whole afternoon there flew two helicopters over the city, the mountain chain, and the site of the crash.

At the following day I was told by Mr. Kurt Janz what happened. (Mr. Janz was the leader of the fire fighters). He told me, that the dead pilot was a Colonel. The fire fighters were chased away by US soldiers who were at the scene meanwhile. One fire fighter was able to make a picture of the wreckage before they were sent off the scene. This picture was shown in the news paper with a report on March 08, 2005. However there was an error in the paper. It was written that the crash happened in March 1955 instead of September 1956. One sees, the remembrance of contemporary witnesses shows gaps. Is this report the one you mentioned at the telephone?

Number 2: The missile site at Eisenhut near Schönborn was already there late in the 50s. The area was totally guarded against the public. The attached copies were made in the years after withdrawal of the Americans. The Americans were very welcomed guests in our village, particularly in the guesthouses. Never have we had any problems with them.

Number 3: Many thanks Mr. Sperl for the book you sent me. I read it on one day with great interest and concussion. I told you already that I was at the same time in the area too and had experienced this time even if the circumstances were different. I am surprised that you, at that time 10 years old, today still have such a good memory on details. Never the less I will congratulate you for your second birthday, which means you were able to manage your escape after all those adventures. I am able to recall what my brother, he is 17 years older as I am, said when he came back home luckily from the campaign in Russia. “Who was able to survive, has won in the lottery, he is new born”!

Dear Mr. Sperl, I will close the letter with wishes for a good time. If you have more questions, please feel free. Best regards A Engel.