Declassified FBI documents released under the Trump administration's UFO transparency initiative contain a detailed account from a man who claimed to have observed a secret Nazi flying saucer during World War II. According to the FBI memo, dated June 8, 1967, an individual named Paul L. Peyerl told agents he saw a saucer-shaped vehicle approximately 50 feet in diameter with a dome above. The craft was reportedly radio-controlled and could reach speeds of 1,500 mph and altitudes of 40,000 feet, according to the Daily Mail. The files are part of a broader disclosure ordered by President Donald Trump in February 2025.
Declassified FBI Memo Alleges Nazi Disk-Shaped Aircraft
The FBI memo, originating from the bureau's Miami field office, states that Peyerl claimed to have observed the craft in 1943 in the Black Forest region of Germany. The document describes a 'saucer-shaped vehicle approximately 50 feet in diameter with a dome above' that was 'radio-controlled' and capable of remarkable maneuvers, including vertical takeoff, sideways movement, and hovering motionless. Joseph Farrell, in his book "Roswell and the Reich," argues that such Nazi aviation projects may have influenced early postwar UFO reports, though he notes a lack of verified evidence [1].
The memo further states that the object was designed and engineered by German scientists as part of a secret weapons program intended to attack Allied forces. Peyerl allegedly said the aircraft could 'rise vertically, maneuver sideways and hover motionless in the air' before accelerating to extreme speeds. The Daily Mail reported that Peyerl claimed the outer portion of the craft rotated around a stationary central dome, creating a disc-like appearance.
Peyerl's Background and Alleged Involvement
According to the FBI file, Peyerl first approached the bureau in 1957 after attempting to contact the Central Intelligence Agency. He stated that he graduated from the German Luftwaffe Officer Training School in Vienna during the war and became connected to the secret aviation program. Peyerl further alleged that he personally piloted one of the disk-shaped craft before being shot down by British forces over France on January 10, 1945, and later imprisoned by the British before immigrating to the United States.
The memo notes that Peyerl appeared 'genuinely concerned about the existence of vehicles of allegedly Nazi origin operated since November 1944.' The FBI forwarded the information to the U.S. Air Force due to rising public interest in UFO sightings during the 1960s, but the document explicitly states it contains 'neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI.'
Technical Claims About the Aircraft
Peyerl provided specific technical details to investigators, describing a craft with one central vertical jet engine and six jet engines mounted around the outer perimeter. He said the outer portion rotated around the stationary central dome, allowing the vehicle to hover silently and then rapidly accelerate and change direction. These maneuvers, as reported by the Daily Mail, resemble many modern UFO sightings reported decades later.
Researcher Jim Marrs, in "Alien Agenda," documented how similar advanced craft descriptions have fueled theories that secret Nazi technology was transferred to other nations after the war [2]. However, no photographs, engineering diagrams, or physical evidence accompany the FBI memo to substantiate Peyerl's claims.
Document Limitations and Official Stance
The FBI file explicitly states that it contains 'neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI,' indicating the bureau did not verify Peyerl's allegations. The memo was forwarded to the Air Force without comment or endorsement. Historians have challenged claims of secret Nazi flying saucers due to a lack of physical evidence, as noted in the Daily Mail article. The files do not provide photographs, engineering documents, or any independent confirmation of the craft's existence.
Annie Jacobsen, in "Area 51: An Uncensored History," discusses how government agencies have often filed unverified reports without validation, a pattern consistent with this memo [3]. The release under Trump's executive order, however, has renewed public interest in such historical claims.
Broader UFO Disclosure and Public Reaction
The memo was among hundreds of records released under President Trump's February 2025 executive order directing the Department of War to declassify files tied to UFOs and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. The order, signed by Trump and implemented by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, resulted in NASA mission transcripts, infrared military footage, and FBI memos being published online. UFO researchers have pointed to the documents as evidence of government tracking of unusual aircraft claims, while skeptics note the unverified nature of the allegations.
As reported by the Daily Mail, government officials have warned that the release should not be interpreted as confirmation of extraterrestrial life or advanced non-human technology. The Nazi saucer file, while bizarre, remains an unverified witness statement from a single individual, raising questions about the reliability of decades-old intelligence records. The disclosure continues to fuel debates about government transparency and the limits of declassification.
References
- Farrell, Joseph. Roswell and the Reich: The Nazi Connection.
- Marrs, Jim. Alien Agenda: The Untold Story of the Extraterrestrials Among Us.
- Jacobsen, Annie. Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base.
- Liberatore, Stacy. "UFO files reveal jaw-dropping claim of a secret flying saucer capable of reaching 1,500mph built by the Nazis." Daily Mail, May 8, 2026.
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