A while back I was curious about the claims by David Grusch that a UAP crashed and was recovered around Magenta, Italy in 1933. I’ve seen people using this claim to discredit the rest of Grusch’s claims, based on the absurd nature of this event. I didn’t set out to prove Grusch’s claims, instead I wanted to see if there were public recordings that could back the potential event. This has been covered by Roberto Pinotti in his book UFO CONTACTS IN ITALY Vol 2 and, in turn, an article from The Black Vault. To summarize the event, it is believed that a UAP crashed near Magenta, Italy in 1933, recovered and held under authority of Benito Mussolini, and then later recovered by the US between 1944-1945 after being notified of it’s existence by the Vatican.

I wasn’t sold on some of the descriptions of the events by Pinotti, as there were discrepancies and events that seemed cited just to fill in the story. Primarily, the illustration of a lightning strike from a news article used as speculated proof of the event. For one, that event occurred in June, 1933, though he also claims the crash occurred in April. Additionally, it just sounded like an unfortunate lightning strike. The original newspaper article also documents other lightning strikes in nearby areas.

Cinque muratori ciclisti ustionati dal fulmine (Five bricklayers cyclists burned by lightning) La Stampa - Giovedì 22 Giugno 1933 http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,4/articleid,1143_01_1933_0148_0004_24901462/

“News arrives that while five workers returning from work were traveling the Trecate-Magenta road in a group, by bicycle, during a violent storm they were struck by lightning and suffered laceration of their clothes and burns. Only one of his certain Carlo Bompiani, 27 years old, is in serious condition. Yesterday night, pol, a car bound for Milan, on the Vercelli-Ponzana stretch, was struck by lightning which did not tear the roof, Mrs. Carla Mariani, widow Poggi, 40 years old, miraculously remained unharmed.”

I also found an article that documented bad storms across Italy in days leading up to that strike.

Furiosa grandinata nei Parmense (Furious hailstorm in the Parma area) La Stampa - Domenica 18 Giugno 1933 http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,7/articleid,1143_01_1933_0144A_0007_24395130/anews,true/

Now, if that wasn’t the event, then what could have been? I found articles in both Italy and Switzerland of a meteor on New Years Day, 1933 that lit up the evening sky and exploded approximately over Magenta, Italy. Here a couple excerpts with full sources below.

“a large luminous point appeared in the sky, shining with a vivid and very white light. The bright celestial mass, following a trajectory similar to that of shooting stars, but very long and streaking the blue with an incandescent streak, moved very quickly from south to north-east, i.e. following a path inverse to that of the sun and of the moon. Having reached a point roughly corresponding to the area located between the Monterosa hamlet and the cemetery, the meteor exploded, flaked, divided into two or three radiant tongues, and then went out.”

“t seemed as if a silver ball was hovering over our valley, trailing a long, rocket-like tail. The light was as intense as that of a flare, blended white. Slowly, majestically, the meteor moved from west to east and suddenly burst into many small sparks over St. Moritz.”

The angle of the sightings from Turin, Italy and Engadin, Switzerland line up with Magenta. I was hoping to find articles out of Genoa or another area to fully triangulate, but I fell short there. All I can determine is that midway between those two cities, where both could see, the object exploded.

After I focused my research on meteors, I came across an article that supports the idea that the 1933 UAP was dismissed publicly as a meteor. https://www.laprovinciadivarese.it/x-files-si-riapre-il-mistero-dellufo-di-sesto-calende-91535/

Translated excerpt: “In 1933, for example, a dispatch was drawn up which explicitly referred to an “unknown aircraft”. An object whose existence public opinion had to be kept in the dark. The implications were told by the ufologist Alfredo Lissoni, one of the leading experts on the subject in Italy. Based on the documents discovered, the ufologist explained that the Regime tried to minimize the facts by spreading the news that the Lombard skies had been crossed by the passage of a meteor.”

While this could be dismissed the same as I dismissed the lightning strike, this does document an actual object that would have crashed in the area that year. Whether it was a meteorite or craft, is hard to determine without further evidence. But, I feel this could lend credence to Grusch’s claims.

Full article sources and translations:

http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,2/articleid,1626_02_1933_0001_0002_22390891/

Translation: “Shining meteor in the sky of Turin The Interesting Celestial Phenomenon - People’s Comments and Inferences An interesting celestial phenomenon that is all the more remarkable as it occurred during the day, occurred in the sky above our city. It could have been 5.10 or 5.15 pm and the day was very clear, as the sun had just started to set after a wonderful New Year’s day. Many people were out on the streets at that hour, going out for a walk or heading home after enjoying the clear winter afternoon in the avenues and gardens. So many have had the opportunity to observe what happened in the clear atmosphere at the aforementioned hour. We describe the commode phenomenon noticed from Piazza Castello. At a certain point therefore, in the direction of the Valentino park and somewhat above the line that the Turin hills mark on the horizon, a large luminous point appeared in the sky, shining with a vivid and very white light. The bright celestial mass, following a trajectory similar to that of shooting stars, but very long and streaking the blue with an incandescent streak, moved very quickly from south to north-east, i.e. following a path inverse to that of the sun and of the moon. Having reached a point roughly corresponding to the area located between the Monterosa hamlet and the cemetery, the meteor exploded, flaked, divided into two or three radiant tongues, and then went out. A cry of amazement was raised by those who were able to notice the marvelous phenomenon, which lasted no more than two or three seconds. And since yesterday was New Year’s Eve, the extraordinary celestial event was immediately interpreted as an excellent omen, as an auspicious manifestation for the whole of 1933. Within the public after the event gave rise to the most fantastic comments, all auspicious, however, all marked by the most smiling optimism. It has been said; this is the sign that a new era is beginning. The meteor blossomed above the Valentino, on the famous park which is almost the symbol of the city, and, crossing the whole center of Turin, it disappeared near the cemetery. So happiness or prosperity for the living Turinese, peace for the dead who will no longer be crucified for the discomfort and annoyance of loved ones left in the world. The fiery globe then traveled across the sky in an unusual direction, from midday to the East, that is, in the opposite direction to the movement of the stars of the planets. Its meaning is therefore clear… It announces a reversal in the course of events, we will not go blue towards the crisis and bad times but we will go backwards, we will return to well-being and abundance; from the declining noon it will rise to the radiant morning, as the star proceeded from southwest to east. Finally, it is surprising that it appeared on the first day of 1933, declared by the Pope the Holy Year for the nineteenth secular anniversary of the passion of Jesus Christ. These and other things were heard yesterday evening and this morning around the city. And since we have no reason to deny these happy popular omens, we too welcome them without reservations, that good wishes - human and supernatural - are never too much for anyone.”

Additional newspaper articles supporting this event out of Switzerland. On January 1, 1933 someone viewed a meteor from upper Engadin, Switzerland apparently facing South/Southwest. As well as from Niesen, Switzerland. https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=EDP19330107-01.2.3.1&srpos=1&e=------193-de-20–1–img-txIN-meteor----1933—0-GR----

Translation: “Upper Engadin The silver lining on New Year’s Day. It was 5 p.m. I sat in my bay window and admired the magnificent symphony of colors of the setting sun. Gray clouds rimmed with gold drifted slowly toward the east; the sky, which looked dark blue between the clouds, was already studded with a few stars. The twilight slowly increased, the clouds disappeared behind the Bernina. It was 5:30 p.m. Suddenly a wonderful glowing white streak emerged from the west. It seemed as if a silver ball was hovering over our valley, trailing a long, rocket-like tail. The light was as intense as that of a flare, blended white. Slowly, majestically, the meteor moved from west to east and suddenly burst into many small sparks over St. Moritz. May this natural wonder be a good omen, may this silver lining finally bring us peace on earth. Then the bell rang for the night’s rest, and stillness reigned in the winter night. Today I read in the “N.Z.Z.” that this meteor was also observed at the Niesen, whose intensity was so strong that the evening twilight was lit up as bright as day. — According to the estimates, the meteorite must have been hovering at least 20 km above the earth when it went out. EZ”

https://zeitungsarchiv.nzz.ch/read/2758697/2758697/1933-01-04/2

Translation: The New Year Meteor Zurich), Jan. 4. Reports are flooding in from Central Switzerland that on New Year’s afternoon at 5.15 a.m. a wonderful meteor was moving towards the Mythen in the direction West-East from the Niesen. It was seen in Spiez as well as in Einsiedeln almost on the same side at the given time. Its intensity was such that the dusk was lit up as bright as day. The train of the magnificent firefly could only be followed for a few seconds, since its speed was extraordinarily great. The magnificent spectacle was, according to unanimous reports, one of the most beautiful seen over the past few decades. According to the estimates, the meteor body must have been hovering at least 20 km above the earth when it died.