The Battle of Nuremberg

On April 14, 1561, the citizens of Nuremberg, Germany witnessed an extraordinary aerial display at dawn. Hundreds of spheres, cylinders, and cross-shaped objects filled the sky in what appeared to be a celestial battle.

The Witnesses

Thousands saw the event across all classes of society throughout the entire city during this dawn observation that lasted an extended duration, making it a true mass event.

The Objects

Hans Glaser recorded spheres in blood red, black, and blue colors, cylinders with spheres inside, crosses, arrow shapes, and a large black spear among the aerial objects.

The Event

Witnesses saw objects “fighting” and moving aggressively, with some falling and smoke rising during a spectacle that lasted an hour.

The Woodcut

Hans Glaser, a local artist, created the famous image and published it in 1561 as a primary document that serves as an important historical record.

Contemporary Interpretation

People believed this was a divine warning, a religious omen and call to repentance, interpreting it as a sign from God through their 16th century worldview.

Modern Views

Researchers suggest sun dogs and parhelion phenomena are possible explanations, but the complexity is unusual with structured objects described that are not fully explained by natural causes.

The Basel Connection

In 1566, a similar event occurred in Basel five years later in the same region, creating an emerging pattern documented in a second woodcut.

Significance

One of the earliest documented mass UFO sightings, with contemporary artistic documentation.

Legacy

The 1561 Nuremberg celestial event remains one of history’s most dramatic documented UFO cases, preserved in Hans Glaser’s famous woodcut.