Wernher Von Braun

Wernher Magnus Maximilian Frieherr Von Braun was born on March 23, 1912 in Wirsitz, Prussia(now Poland). Upon his Lutheran Confirmation his mother gave him a telescope for his birthday. He discovered that he had an extreme attraction to the night sky. After the Treaty of Versailles he and his family moved to Berlin. When he entered school he didn't do very well in Physics or Mathematics, until he realized that if he wanted to pursue the night sky he must do well in these subjects. From then on he applied himself 110% to his studies in Physics and Mathematics. He received his doctorate after his group launched two model rocket up about 2 miles into the sky. Von Braun became a member of the SS from 1940 to the end of the war. He however did not want to join but he had no choice. If he hadn't he would have had to give up his life's work. In 1942 Hitler commanded the production of the V2 missile. Von Braun had to help design it. On September 7, 1944 Hitler launched the first missile towards England. More people died during construction of the rocket than when it was used as a weapon. In 1945 Von Braun called in his planning staff and they all discussed how they would surrender to the rapidly appoaching Americans. They also had to evade their own army because the SS had received orders to kill all German engineers. In 1947 Von Braun Married his first cousin, and in 1948 their daughter, Iris, was born at a naval hospital in Fort Bliss. Von Braun also became the first director at NASA from 1960 to 1970. Living an extremely full life Von Braun died on June 16, 1977.