Erich von Däniken
Swiss pseudoscientific writer and ufologist (1935-2026) · Switzerland · Writers · Died at 90
Erich von Däniken is read about 986 times a day, in 55 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 18 October 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 393 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?He built a publishing empire on the idea that ancient monuments were landing pads and gods were astronauts. Scientists dismissed it as fantasy dressed up as scholarship, but millions bought the books anyway.
A life in dates
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About this person
Born in Switzerland on 14 April 1935, Däniken spent part of his early career in prison for fraud and embezzlement - he wrote one of his books behind bars. In 1968 he published Chariots of the Gods?, which became a global bestseller by arguing that extraterrestrials had visited early civilizations and shaped human history. The hypothesis, labeled pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology by virtually all scientists and academics, made him the leading voice of the "paleo-contact" movement. He went on to co-found the Archaeology, Astronautics and SETI Research Association and designed Mystery Park, a theme park in Interlaken that opened in 2003. He died on 10 January 2026.
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Writers from Switzerland 2
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