Tuesday, 05 May 2009

Linkage

The mystery would be: How to pay for it

If-I-only-had-the-cash... Dept.
This highly important three-rotor Enigma deciphering machine was liberated from the Nazi SS headquarters in Prague II, Czechoslovakia in May 1945.  It is one of only two used in the whole Czech Republic by the Nazis during World War II.  According to the military museum in Prague, a Czech citizen who lived two blocks away from the SS headquarters “rescued” this machine and other electronic equipment towards the end of the war.  When the freedom fighters arrived shortly after, they assumed the Nazis had taken it with them when they rushed out of town...  Examples of the Enigma machines are exceptionally rare and almost all known models are in museums.
Nifty slide show and Antiques World article at the seller’s site.

The bidding starts at $98,500.

Posted by: Old Grouch in Linkage at 15:12:39 GMT | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 The last time I was in the National Cryptology Museum (located in a former motel just beyond the gates of the NSA) they had a fully-functioning Enigma housed under a plexiglass cover in such a way that you could operate it.

Funny thing, though: no matter how many times I pressed the "M" key, the "M" lamp never lit up. Same with the other letters. Obviously something broken there....

Posted by: Turk Turon at 05/05/09 15:33:14 (d5jgN)

2 Not only that, but I'd bet that each time you pushed the "M" key, a different lamp lit up.  WTF with that, eh?

Posted by: Old Grouch at 05/05/09 16:37:47 (jctYK)

3 ...Y'know, Tom Perera usually brings a couple of Enigma machines to the Dayton Hamvention and usually has 'em up and running at his spot in the flea market.  Darnedest gadgets!  Dr. Perera has a whole lecture on them.

Posted by: Roberta X at 05/10/09 14:29:24 (yt4RN)

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