Interview with Josef F. Blumrich

Keywords: UFO, unidentified flying objects, Bible, flying saucers, prophecy, Paleo-SETI, ancient astronauts, Erich von Däniken, Josef F. Blumrich, Zecharia Sitchin, Ezekiel, biblical prophecy, spacecraft, spaceship, NASA, Roswell, aircraft, propellant, extraterrestrial hypothesis, Jacques Vallee, interdimensional hypothesis, Project Blue Book, Condon Report, ancient history, Jesus, Judaism, Christianity, Middle East, end times, engines, rockets, helicopters, space travel, aliens, abductions, alien abductions, crop circles, extraterrestrials, astronomy, economics, biology, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Space Shuttle, Apollo, stars, planets, solar system, scriptures, design, fuel tank, aerodynamics, fuels, hydrogen, oxygen, wheels

Interview with Josef F. Blumrich

Prä-Astronautik online, Vol. 1, Num., 2, 2000
conducted by Lars A. Fischinger
(translated from German)

LAF: Mr. Blumrich, when you wanted to examine the thesis of Mr. von Däniken regarding the writings of Ezekiel with your knowledge, when did you notice that the "vision" of Ezekiel seems to possess a material basis? Was there a kind of "key indicator" in the text, which encouraged you to further work?

JFB: There was no "conclusive indicator". After initial reluctance, what caused me  to examine the Bible text more closely regarding von Däniken's claims was verse seven of the first chapter with the description of the legs of those living beings, which came down from the sky, because that was an appropriate description of landing aids, which, years earlier, I myself had designed with my people for a lunar excursion module. That changed my complete rejection and I began to read the Ezekiel text slowly and carefully, in order, so to speak, to give this von Däniken, who I had never heard of, at least a chance. The more I read the Bible text, the more I found descriptions of a technical nature that I was familiar with from my own professional experience. After extensive work, this fact, in combination with the computations that finally had become possible, changed my assumption [against von  Däniken] to being convinced [he is correct].

LAF: Your attention-getting analysis of the Ezekiel text is considered today as a master achievement in favor of the Paleo SETI hypothesis. Are you of the opinion that the similar-sounding descriptions in books such as perhaps Isaiah likewise are traceable back to the flying machine described by Ezekiel?

JFB: I have never read Isaiah. In general it should be said that descriptions which give the impression: "This sounds as if…" or "this appears to be like …" should be treated with great caution. Because without concrete additional data they are completely worthless.

LAF: After you published your detailed analysis of the text, did you receive more of a positive or more of a negative reaction in your circles of colleagues and acquaintances?

JFB: At the time when my book appeared I worked in the G. C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama. I had been intensively occupied with my department in the development and completion of the first stage (of the so-called "boosters") of the Saturn V—the moon rocket, which, even to the present day is the largest rocket that has ever been successfully built by man. I say that only to make the necessary critical and cautious attitudes of all involved understandable at least to some extent. From this circle of experienced engineers and scientists I received only positive evaluations.

LAF: German engineer Hans Herbert Beier has, as you know, reconstructed the temple of the prophet. Do you see in the future, insofar as the work of Beier is correct, the possibility that this building can be found?

JFB: Why not?

LAF: Finally, still the question: Over the course of the years, did doubts come to you about the soundness of your own work regarding the book of Ezekiel, or has the course of the time strengthened your opinion?

JFB: My opinion is unchanged.

LAF: Thank you Mr. Blumrich!

German version © Fischinger/Blumrich

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