Secret German WW2 code machine found on eBay

A historic machine used to swap top secret messages between Hitler and his generals has been found languishing in a shed in Essex.

Secret German WW2 code machine found on eBay

"My colleague was scanning eBay and he saw a photograph of what seemed to be the teleprinter," said John Wetter, a volunteer at the museum.
He then went to Southend to investigate further where he found the keyboard being kept, in its original case, on the floor of a shed "with rubbish all over it".
"We said 'Thank you very much, how much was it again?' She said '£9.50', so we said 'Here's a £10 note - keep the change!'"

I feel bad for the seller that didn't know her 'junk' was worth a fortune.

Volunteers from The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park used eBay to track down the keyboard of the Lorenz machine.
It was advertised as a telegram machine and was for sale for £9.50.
The museum, in Buckinghamshire, is now asking people to search for the motor, another key piece of the equipment.

Andy Clark, chairman of the trustees at The National Museum of Computing, said the Lorenz was stationed in secure locations as "it was far bigger than the famous portable Enigma machine".
"Everybody knows about Enigma, but the Lorenz machine was used for strategic communications," said Clark.
"It is so much more complicated than the Enigma machine and, after the war, machines of the same style remained in use."

The coolest thing about this is that because they have found this type writer, now they can more accurately comprehend the level of cryptography used by the Nazis.

Those guys should be ashamed for ripping off that woman. Surely the museum could afford to give her a fair value for the piece.

2 flags for the proper second post...

here in Texas we call that unumericun.....tee hee

a reply to: schuyler

Those guys should be ashamed for ripping off that woman. Surely the museum could afford to give her a fair value for the piece.

I completely agree. Poor woman!

One part of this story that is missing is how this type writer ended up where it was in the possession of the seller.

What was a WW2 Nazi typewriter doing in somebody's garage in England?

a reply to: ColdWisdom

I'd love to know the trail of how the machine ended up in the shed.

a reply to: schuyler

Well said.

Actions like that are discouraging, artifacts of significance are always being found and when a museum acts like this it just plays into the hands of a black market. It's quite sad.

Shame on the museum, I wouldn't mind a change in law in regards of compensation for finders of treasure hoards and owners of items of historical importance.

I usually feel good about these things.

originally posted by: schuyler
Those guys should be ashamed for ripping off that woman. Surely the museum could afford to give her a fair value for the piece.

I agree but only because the rarity and assumed intrinsic value will be well publicized.

I think it should be displayed in a museum along with a plaque mentioning the name of the woman and noting her generous "donation" .

In my opinion it will be all of the ridicule that will be heaped upon her by well meaning family and friends for not recognizing it's value that will cause the most pain. But Im sure none of them would have recognized it for what it is...either. For that matter probably very few people in the world would have suspected it to be what it is.

I think it should be displayed in a museum along with a plaque mentioning the name of the woman and noting her generous "donation" .

I think that sounds pretty reasonable, honestly.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

I find it sad that it now belongs to a museum. Plus, if someone is to stupid to know they have an enigma machine, their loss.

I'm glad a museum got it rather than some dealer who'd make a bomb off it.
Great advert for eBay I bet even more people will treasure hunt online now this story is out.

a reply to: GreenGunther

It wasn't an enigma machine. But it was a Nazi cryptograph.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

From what I read of the article....it was only a PART of the entire apparatus.

a reply to: HarryJoy

Correct. They are now looking for the motor.

whats the mystery ? The loser of a war is always looted

a reply to: syrinx high priest

Still, knowing the path that it traveled after the war would be useful information especially to a museum.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

I would imagine it was under rubbish because the last person to know that died years ago

originally posted by: schuyler
Those guys should be ashamed for ripping off that woman. Surely the museum could afford to give her a fair value for the piece.

Everything's worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. In this case, it's worth what the seller decides to charge. She asked for nine quid, and she got ten. She should be ecstatic. No need to turn the matter into a lottery winning. I'm certain that others could use the philanthropy more than she, after all. Though, personally I would've sent more than 50p extra her way if I was going to give away anything. The 50p nearly makes the situation insulting.

originally posted by: HarryJoy
In my opinion it will be all of the ridicule that will be heaped upon her by well meaning family and friends for not recognizing it's value that will cause the most pain.

I agree. Perhaps the details of the purchase shouldn't have been publicized. The seller is in effect made a fool of in front of the world. In effect, the main theme of this publication is the process of making a fool out've her. This is her legacy now.

It's a triviality really, but an injustice never the less. It does a disservice for the museum as well. It's no longer a story about the historic artifact, but a gossip peace meant for the National Enquirer, or Daily Mail. We're more interested in the price the museum paid than in learning about the machine.

originally posted by: syrinx high priest
a reply to: ColdWisdom

I would imagine it was under rubbish because the last person to know that died years ago

Essex, where that component was found, has had a history of incredible artifacts being discovered in the unlikeliest of places, especially recently. An Egyptian sarcophagus was discovered behind the wall of a house a couple years back. Of course, the owner had no idea it was there, how it came to be there, or the whereabouts of the mummy the sarcophagus once contained. These things always leave so many unanswered questions.