13. Schlüsselscheibe

Schluesslscheibe

According to Michael Pröse’s PHD thesis, there was a device named “Schlüsselscheibe” (key disk). It is mentioned in the TICOM report.

 

14. Heimsoeth & Rinke Cylinder

Heimsoeth-Zylinder (3)

The National Cryptologic Museum owns a cipher cylinder produced by Heimsoeth & Rinke in Berlin (that’s the company that also produced the Enigma). Nothing is known about this device.

 

15. Zuse’s Encryption Computer

German engineer Konrad Zuse (1910-1995) created the world’s first programmable computer, the Z3, which became operational in 1941. Thanks to this machine and a few others, Zuse is often regarded as the inventor of the computer. As can be read in my book Codeknacker gegen Codemacher, Zuse thought about using his digital machines for encryption. Horst Zuse, Konrad Zuse’s son, provided me a letter his father wrote to the technology department of the German army in 1939, in which he suggested to build an encryption device based on his digital calculation machines. He even provided a simple encryption algorithm of his own design. However, the German military showed no interest. Anyway, Konrad Zuse can be regarded as the inventor of computer-based encryption.

 

16. Small Device

According to Michael Pröse’s PHD thesis, there were plans for a machine called “the small device” (“das kleine Gerät”). It was meant as a portable device for tactical encryption. It was probably never built.

 

17. Spracherschwerungsgerät

There were several German companies and research institutions that worked on a voice encryption device during WW2. However, none of these developments came even close to practical maturity. In 1943, the WNV (a military authority responsible for telecommunication) tried to pool all these efforts. From now on, only two voice encryption devices were to be developed. The first one, named “Spracherschwerungsgerät” (speech complication device), was a low-level voice encryption apparatus, the purpose of which was to protect communication from listeners not having advanced technical equipment. This device did not comprise a key. It didn’t reach practical maturity before the end of the war.

 

18. Speech encipher equipment

The second voice encryption apparatus the WNV ordered was a “secure encipher equipment” suitable for highly confidential traffic. When the war came to an end, this device was still under development.

 

If this list is complete, the Germans used or developed 18 cipher machines in World War 2. There is still much room for further research. If you have information about this topic, please let me know.

Further reading: A fascinating report of Enigma’s contemporary witness, Max Rüegger

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Kommentare (4)

  1. #1 George Lasry
    26. Oktober 2018

    Great list!. Have we learned more about the sg41, since HistoCrypt?

  2. #2 Jerry McCarthy
    England, Europa.
    26. Oktober 2018

    There is slightly more info about the SG-41 here:

    https://www.cryptomuseum.com/crypto/sg41/index.htm

    though I’d bet that you know all that already.

  3. #3 Richard SantaColoma
    https://proto57.wordpress.com/
    26. Oktober 2018

    Hi Klaus: I notice you picture the mysterious, lone cylinder in your composite above your article. Any new information on that one?

    I still think of it from time to time, and pore over the pictures, and wonder what that may be… but maybe you learned something on it since I saw it?

  4. #4 Klaus Schmeh
    27. Oktober 2018

    @Richard SantaColoma
    >Any new information on that one?
    No, to my regret this cylinder is still a mystery. The only specimen I am aware of is owned by the crypto museum. Nobody seems to know anything about it.