Nexus - 0304 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Schauberger's life, a chapter that started with much hope for the final realisation of all that he had striven for in his life. Having had no appreciation or support from the government or anyone else in Austria, when he was eventually approached by the Americans—who expressed an enthusiastic interest in developing his theories on implosion—Viktor felt that at last something posi- tive would happen as America was such a powerful country with tremendous entrepreneurial energy. He was by this time quite exasperated at the behaviour of Europeans and what he had suf- fered at their hands, and in a conversation with Aloys Kokaly, Viktor somewhat embitteredly declared: An American aircraft consortium offered me 3.5 million dollars; a similar offer was made by Canadian interests." You didn't want it in Europe, so now you'll have to get it back from America expensively!” This all came to pass, but, as we shall see, nothing ever came back to Europe, nor to the rest of the world for that matter, which has been the greatest loss and misfortune for humanity at large. Schauberger's life, a chapter that started with much hope for the —_ understanding of Nature, of the importance and function of trees final realisation of all that he had striven for in his life. Having and water, very similar to that of Viktor Schauberger. In this par- had no appreciation or support from the government or anyone _ ticular area both Gerchsheimer and Viktor seem to have had a else in Austria, when he was eventually approached by the great deal in common. Leaving Germany in 1922, Gerchsheimer's Americans—who expressed an enthusiastic interest in developing __life followed an eventful path. Under contract to the Mexican his theories on implosion—Viktor felt that at last something posi- | Government from 1926 to 1935, he reformed Mexican agriculture tive would happen as America was such a powerful country with and introduced the pineapple and banana. He also installed the tremendous entrepreneurial energy. He was by this time quite potable water supply system for the whole of Mexico City and set exasperated at the behaviour of Europeans and what he had suf- up the Mexican Highway Police which, under his stewardship, fered at their hands, and in a conversation with Aloys Kokaly, became renowned for its incorruptibility. Moving in 1937 to Viktor somewhat embitteredly declared: Texas where he married his present wife, it would appear that he An American aircraft consortium offered me 3.5 million dollars; _ \ater became involved in US counter-espionage activities during a similar offer was made by Canadian interests.” World War II, the most likely agency being the CIC (Counter- You didn't want it in Europe, so now you'll have to get it back —_ Intelligence Corps). From war's end in 1945 to 1950 he was the from America expensively!” US Civilian Property Administrator-in-Chief in charge of all civil This all came to pass, but, as we shall see, nothing ever came administration, logistics, transport and accommodation under the back to Europe, nor to the rest of the world for that matter, which © American Army of Occupation, and in this role was the most pow- has been the greatest loss and misfortune for humanity at large. erful non-military individual in the American zone. Returning to the United States in 1950, he set up his own metal fabrication business which manufactured a large number of compo- nents under contract to NASA and from which he retired at age eighty-one. In the years immediately following his return to America in 1950, Gerchsheimer gradually developed a close friendship with Robert Donner who was the former owner of the Donner Steelworks of Philadelphia, a large and prosperous company. Very much a patriot who waged constant war against subversive activity in the United States, Donner eventually retired to Colorado Springs, Colorado, an extremely wealthy man. (Gerchsheimer placed his personal fortune in 1958 at about US$400 million.) He was also the chief executive of the Donner Foundation, a philanthropic organisation set up by his father in Philadelphia in the mid-1940s to fund cancer research, which in the 1950s and 1960s awarded grants for educational and other charita- WHAT HAPPENED IN AMERICA Before embarking on this last and lam- entable chapter in Viktor Schauberger's life, I would like to state at the outset that significant and verifiable detail about it is extremely difficult to ascertain, mainly because all those involved, with the exception of Karl Gerchsheimer with whom I spent two days, have passed away in the interim. In whatever information is available concerming this tragedy, there is a profu- sion of conflicting statements, interpreta- tions and timetables which, thirty-seven years after the event, makes the unravel- ling of what precisely took place in this (for all concerned) abortive endeavour rather problematic. That nothing eventu- ally came of this unfortunate affair is, in my view, due largely to cumulative mis- understandings, misapprehensions and inadequate clarification on both sides, which finally culminated in a complete breakdown not only in communication but in mutual trust. The three principal ble ventures. factors that brought this about were, g if ee Over the years Gerchsheimer had firstly, the difficulty Viktor Schauberger Viktor Schauberger, photographed with his become increasingly disenchanted with had in describing accurately, in language Home Power Generator. technology's use of explosive forces to that others could understand, exactly what forces, motion and generate power and motion. Viewing with disdain Werner von energies were involved in the processes of implosion. His demon- _ Braun's efforts to conquer space with rockets powered by explo- stration of their most elementary form—the centripetal inwinding sion—a matter he discussed with von Braun himself at NASA— vortex that forms over a waste pipe—was deemed far too simple | Gerchsheimer gradually became convinced that some other anti- and too familiar a phenomenon to be of any consequence, This thetical system of propulsion would solve the problems of pow- provoked a rising scepticism and dwindling belief in the validity ered flight and open the way towards a safe and effective explo- of Viktor's theories. The second factor relates to Viktor's and ration of space. During the course of their rising friendship, Walter's nervousness about possible theft and exploitation of the | Gerchsheimer had often expressed these views to Robert Donner, implosion idea, the result of the many misfortunes experienced by _ engaging the latter's interest in the potential of these other forces Viktor, as told to "Mr R.” in the above letter. The third factor was _if they could be harnessed. In late 1957, Gerchsheimer's convic- the absence of a working prototype. tions became more concretised upon his reading about Viktor While earlier accounts of this 1958 venture infer the involve- | Schauberger and implosion in a German publication—most proba- ment of the United States Government, the initiative actually came bly Leopold Brandstatter's booklet, Implosion statt Explosion, from Karl Gerchsheimer. Born in 1903 to a well-connected fami- —_ published in 1956, although Gerchsheimer does not confirm this— ly in Wiirzburg, Bavaria, in his youth Gerchsheimer spent a great in which Viktor's theories were elaborated. deal of time in the surrounding forests and had developed an With this more definite information to hand, Gerchsheimer then JUNE-JULY 1996 NEXUS ¢ 35