“In German we say a writer, if he is not writing pure science, is allowed to use some dramaturgische Effekte – some theatrical effects...And that's what I have done.”
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Erich von Däniken
Erich Anton Paul von Däniken was a Swiss author of several pseudoscientific books which made claims about extraterrestrial influences on early human culture, including the best-selling Chariots of the Gods?, published in 1968. Däniken was one of the main figures responsible for popularizing the "paleo-contact" and ancient astronauts hypotheses.
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culture · Swiss writer (1935–2026) · writer · ufologist · science fiction writer · mythographer · photographer · non-fiction writer · also Erich von Däniken, Erich von Daeniken, Däniken
Born 14 April 1935 · Died 10 January 2026 · Q122965
18 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 5 entries
Yahoo: Erich von Däniken, author who promoted the theory that human life has extra-terrestrial origins
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Southeast Missourian: Erich von Däniken, Swiss writer who spawned alien archaeology, dies at 90
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Yahoo: Erich von Däniken, author who spawned alien archaeology theory, dies at 90
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Died 2026-01-10.
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2012· 1 entry
Won Goldenes Brett (2012).
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2006· 1 entry
Awarded Boulder Prize (2006).
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1993· 1 entry
And this led to his books being translated into English once again
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1991· 1 entry
Awarded Ig Nobel Prize (1991).
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1985· 1 entry
“Neue Erinnerungen an die Zukunft”
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1976· 1 entry
Written in response to the evidence presented in Däniken's Chariots of the Gods
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1974· 1 entry
That the origin of the pillar, its method of construction and relative resistance to corrosion were all well understood, Däniken responded that he no longer believed extraterrestrials had been involved in its creation
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1970· 1 entry
Der Spiegel referred to the hype over Däniken as Dänikitis
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1968· 1 entry
Is that extraterrestrials or "ancient astronauts" visited Earth and influenced early human culture
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1966· 1 entry
When Däniken was writing his first book, scientists Carl Sagan and I
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1964· 1 entry
“Were Our Ancestors Visited by Extraterrestrials?”
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1935· 1 entry
Born 1935-04-14.
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1926· 1 entry
And At the Mountains of Madness, written in 1931
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