Reinhold O. Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Reinhold Schmidt was one of the late-comers of the 1950s UFO "contactee" era that began with George Adamski
in 1953. Schmidt was born and grew up in Nebraska, where he worked for most of his adult life as a grain buyer and dealer. He entered the contactee ranks after telling of his adventures on November 5, 1957, when while driving through a rural area near Kearney, Nebraska
, he noticed a large, cigar-shaped object resting in a field. He was soon escorted inside the space ship, which turned out to be crewed by completely human-looking space aliens, four male and two female, who apparently spoke German as their "native" language, but claimed to be from the planet Saturn
. "The Saturnians" also claimed to be extremely interested in the recently launched Russian sputniks, and the satellite-launching plans of the US.
Later Schmidt brought local police to view the "landing site," where they found only Schmidt's footprints and some "mysterious green residue" which matched the contents of a nearly-empty can of motor oil in Schmidt's car. Police also found Schmidt had a record of conviction and prison time for embezzlement. Like almost every 1950s contactee, Schmidt became a "repeater," claiming many visits to the alien space ship and many friendly conversations with its crew. Schmidt noticed they drank MJB brand coffee, and also carried in their cigar-shaped craft an ordinary terrestrial MG
sports car, which they used for running errands and buying groceries. (A schematic drawing of the ship's interior in Schmidt's later booklet depicts a Volkswagen Beetle
, not an MG sports car.) Unlike most space ships the Saturn
ian ship had large propellers at both ends. Eventually Schmidt got the ride up to earth orbit, and tour of the Mother Ship, that almost all 1950s contactees report.
Schmidt had joined up with Wayne Sulo Aho
and John Otto on their lecture circuit across the US, within two months of his reported "first contact." Unlike the majority of contactees, Schmidt did not seem interested in forming a religious cult, although the Saturnians had the usual Space-Brotherly religious message and revealed that they had been around to help Jesus, a Venusian, in his mission to earth. Schmidt relocated to Bakersfield
, California
, where he continued to present lectures for the next few years, recounting his other-worldly experiences and later sought out elderly women who had been in his audiences and whose addresses he had obtained. He told them that in his rides in the space ship he had observed the location of valuable mineral deposits, including a unique form of quartz crystal which could cure cancer. Having exhausted his funds in purchasing the site, he now needed quick cash to begin mining the crystals and demonstrating their healing properties. Most of the ladies he approached quickly came up with several thousand dollars a piece to aid his "space-directed" mission. He collected sums approaching $30,000 before his arrest and conviction on charges of grand theft. Little is known about his later career, except
that after his release from prison, he returned to Nebraska.
In 1963, before his legal troubles began, he self-published a booklet, My Contact With the Spacepeople. He also
promoted the making of a short, low-budget film which dramatizes his supposed visits to the Saturnian space ship. The film, Edge of Tomorrow, begins with Schmidt being interviewed by an actor resembling Long John Nebel
. In flashback we see his visit to the space ship and his chats with the Saturnians, including the ship's captain, "Mr. X," and two very fetching Space Girls dressed much like Carol and Tonga of Space Patrol. Schmidt's booklet was retitled Edge of Tomorrow to match the film, illustrated with stills from the film, and was clearly intended to be sold to audience members before or after showings of the film. The booklet is still in print. According to the booklet, while in the space cigar Schmidt had looked at some notebooks which contained prophecies for our earth covering the period 1958 to 1998, "the end of the present Earth Cycle." No details are given and Schmidt did not launch a new career as prophet. Schmidt had clearly also just been reading George Hunt Williamson
's Secret Places of the Lion (1958), because he recounts how "Mr. X" once took him to the Great Pyramid, and to a secret underground chamber where he got a look at the small flying saucer Jesus
had used to come to Earth from his native Venus
2000 years ago and later used to return to Venus. "Mr. X" himself had brought the saucer back to store in the Pyramid.
George Adamski
George Adamski was a Polish-born American citizen who became widely known in ufology circles, and to some degree in popular culture, after he claimed to have photographed ships from other planets, met with friendly Nordic alien "Space Brothers", and to have taken flights with them...
in 1953. Schmidt was born and grew up in Nebraska, where he worked for most of his adult life as a grain buyer and dealer. He entered the contactee ranks after telling of his adventures on November 5, 1957, when while driving through a rural area near Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney is a city in and the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 30,787 at the 2010 census. It is home to the University of Nebraska-Kearney....
, he noticed a large, cigar-shaped object resting in a field. He was soon escorted inside the space ship, which turned out to be crewed by completely human-looking space aliens, four male and two female, who apparently spoke German as their "native" language, but claimed to be from the planet Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. "The Saturnians" also claimed to be extremely interested in the recently launched Russian sputniks, and the satellite-launching plans of the US.
Later Schmidt brought local police to view the "landing site," where they found only Schmidt's footprints and some "mysterious green residue" which matched the contents of a nearly-empty can of motor oil in Schmidt's car. Police also found Schmidt had a record of conviction and prison time for embezzlement. Like almost every 1950s contactee, Schmidt became a "repeater," claiming many visits to the alien space ship and many friendly conversations with its crew. Schmidt noticed they drank MJB brand coffee, and also carried in their cigar-shaped craft an ordinary terrestrial MG
MG (car)
The MG Car Company is a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés....
sports car, which they used for running errands and buying groceries. (A schematic drawing of the ship's interior in Schmidt's later booklet depicts a Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
, not an MG sports car.) Unlike most space ships the Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
ian ship had large propellers at both ends. Eventually Schmidt got the ride up to earth orbit, and tour of the Mother Ship, that almost all 1950s contactees report.
Schmidt had joined up with Wayne Sulo Aho
Wayne Sulo Aho
Wayne Sulo Aho was an American contactee who claimed contact with extraterrestrial beings. He was one of the more obscure members of the 1950s wave of contactees who followed George Adamski.-Early life:...
and John Otto on their lecture circuit across the US, within two months of his reported "first contact." Unlike the majority of contactees, Schmidt did not seem interested in forming a religious cult, although the Saturnians had the usual Space-Brotherly religious message and revealed that they had been around to help Jesus, a Venusian, in his mission to earth. Schmidt relocated to Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he continued to present lectures for the next few years, recounting his other-worldly experiences and later sought out elderly women who had been in his audiences and whose addresses he had obtained. He told them that in his rides in the space ship he had observed the location of valuable mineral deposits, including a unique form of quartz crystal which could cure cancer. Having exhausted his funds in purchasing the site, he now needed quick cash to begin mining the crystals and demonstrating their healing properties. Most of the ladies he approached quickly came up with several thousand dollars a piece to aid his "space-directed" mission. He collected sums approaching $30,000 before his arrest and conviction on charges of grand theft. Little is known about his later career, except
that after his release from prison, he returned to Nebraska.
In 1963, before his legal troubles began, he self-published a booklet, My Contact With the Spacepeople. He also
promoted the making of a short, low-budget film which dramatizes his supposed visits to the Saturnian space ship. The film, Edge of Tomorrow, begins with Schmidt being interviewed by an actor resembling Long John Nebel
Long John Nebel
Long John Nebel was an influential New York City talk radio show host.From the mid 1950s until his death in 1978, Nebel was a hugely popular all-night radio host, with millions of regular listeners and what Donald Bain described as "a fanatically loyal following" to his syndicated program, which...
. In flashback we see his visit to the space ship and his chats with the Saturnians, including the ship's captain, "Mr. X," and two very fetching Space Girls dressed much like Carol and Tonga of Space Patrol. Schmidt's booklet was retitled Edge of Tomorrow to match the film, illustrated with stills from the film, and was clearly intended to be sold to audience members before or after showings of the film. The booklet is still in print. According to the booklet, while in the space cigar Schmidt had looked at some notebooks which contained prophecies for our earth covering the period 1958 to 1998, "the end of the present Earth Cycle." No details are given and Schmidt did not launch a new career as prophet. Schmidt had clearly also just been reading George Hunt Williamson
George Hunt Williamson
George Hunt Williamson , aka Michael d'Obrenovic and Brother Philip,was one of the "four guys named George" among the mid-1950s contactees...
's Secret Places of the Lion (1958), because he recounts how "Mr. X" once took him to the Great Pyramid, and to a secret underground chamber where he got a look at the small flying saucer Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
had used to come to Earth from his native Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
2000 years ago and later used to return to Venus. "Mr. X" himself had brought the saucer back to store in the Pyramid.
External links
- A page uncritically recounting Schmidt's contactee tales; contains the complete text of his original booklet
- Overview of 1950s contactees; Schmidt is not mentioned in detail