Stralsund 1665 UFO Sighting: Was It an Alien Air Battle?

UFO Sightings Before Airplanes: Ancient UFO Encounter in Stralsund, Germany (1665): Was It an Extraterrestrial Dogfight or a Natural Sky Event?

Did the fisherman above the Baltic Sea really see the battle of flying ships as described below?

In the year 1665, near Stralsund in Pomerania, several fishermen witnessed a battle of ships in the air. Six of them, who were together on one ship, set sail on the eighth of April at two o'clock in the afternoon for the Baltic Sea. 

There, they first saw, coming from the north, a large number of big black birds flying, which soon spun around in a circle, merged into a lump, and finally transformed into a warship. This ship sailed from the north, accompanied by several similar vessels.

After these ships drifted here and there for a while, an equal number of other warships appeared to come from the west and headed towards the first fleet. The two groups soon engaged in a great battle, from which so much fire and steam emanated that the fishermen could scarcely see anything, except for the two largest ships.

In the end, the fleet from the north was forced to retreat and disappeared, while the fleet from the west remained in place. Shortly thereafter, two other fleets appeared, one from the east and the other from the south, though each had fewer and smaller ships.

The two new fleets clashed again with such ferocity that the immense smoke darkened the air and obscured the battle, as they exchanged so many shots and unleashed such a barrage of explosions, rumbles, and roars that it was impossible to count them.

When the fighting subsided slightly, it became clear that the fleet from the south had lost its mast and sails. On the deck of one of the ships stood (towered) a man dressed in black, holding his hat under his right arm, while his left hand was severely injured, shot to bits by gunfire. All around him, smaller figures moved like ants, hurrying up and down in a frenzy.

At last, the eastern fleet vanished, while the southern fleet remained in place—until, suddenly, something like a round button fell from the sky. It had the shape of a common hat, and its colors resembled those of the moon, though it soon waned. This hat appeared to be aiming for the city's main church.

Finally, the fishermen, overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, and continuous shocks, could no longer endure it. Unable to watch any longer, they left, but soon after, back at the shore, they were afflicted by a mysterious malady, suffering from trembling, headaches, and pain throughout their limbs that left them bedridden for several weeks.

Translated from the original medieval German and Latin by Matus Taratuta ©

Our Evaluation of the Alleged UFO Sighting

This extraordinary account presents a perplexing eyewitness account that straddles the line between folklore and early documentation of an unidentified flying object (UFos and UAPs) as we know them.

The emergence of fleets from multiple directions and the appearance of an object resembling the hat evoke imagery far ahead of its time, yet they were witnessed in a pre-industrial world with no known means to produce such displays.

Noticing the similarity in shape between a hat and a disc, it can be said that what we now call a flying disc may have been described as a flying hat by people in the past— probably referring to the same phenomenon.

 Perhaps most unsettling is the physical aftermath experienced by the witnesses, whose mysterious illness hints at possible radiation exposure or psychological trauma, not uncommon in contemporary UFO encounters. While the story may reflect purely symbolic, or even religious interpretations rooted in the 17th century, it remains a fascinating case within the context of modern UFO phenomena that is very relevant even today.

Reference:

Der Wunder-reiche Uberzug unserer Nider-Welt, Oder Erd-umgebende Lufft-Kreys, Nach seinem natürlichen Wesen, manchfaltigen Eigenschafften, Nutzen, und Würckungen, natür- und unnatürlichen, feuer- und wässerigen Erscheinungen, … erklärt. Nürnberg 1680; Digitalisat