Most of Europe's UFO files remain secret

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Despite partial disclosure, Europe's UFO files remain mostly under wraps

SPACE | 13.10.2009

Germany among those remaining silent on UFO phenomena

"Germany has a high level of UFO sightings," Robert Fleischer, the coordinator for the German Initiative for Exopolitics, told Deutsche Welle.

He said that, since 1974, over 500 so-called "real" UFO cases - reported sightings that, after careful consideration by specialized experts, cannot be related to any conventional information - have been recorded.

"However, there has never been any official recognition by the German government relating to UFOs or UFO activity," Fleischer added. "So if the Germans were to open any files relating to UFOs, all we would find out is that they pass all their information to the Americans."

Most UFO cases reported over Germany were only revealed when US files were made public. Germany's lack of UFO research is possibly due to the fact that "the US assumed that role after the end of World War II, although the Germans have never officially acknowledged this or any interest in UFOs," he said.

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So what do the files made public by the likes of France and Britain actually tell the public about the UFO phenomenon in Europe?


The files don't claim to have proof of extra-terrestrial life

"What these files don't say is almost more important than what they do say," said Nick Pope. "What they don't say is that we have proof that any of these things are extra-terrestrial. What they do say is that European governments have consistently had these things reported to them, sometimes by reliable witnesses such as police officers and pilots."

Most of the sightings turn out to have conventional explanations, like the misidentification of all kinds of aeronautical and astronomical phenomena, but most European governments which have conducted investigations have found that about five percent of the cases cannot be explained, added Pope.

While neither Nick Pope nor Robert Fleischer could guarantee that the initial European declassifications would eventually pressure all EU governments into opening their files, they both agreed that the revelations made public by those countries willing to divulge information could only improve research into a phenomenon that they believe is an issue for every nation.

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