Sigmund Jähn
East German cosmonaut (1937-2019) · Germany · On the map · Astronauts · Died at 82
Sigmund Werner Paul Jähn was a German pilot, cosmonaut, and Generalmajor in the National People's Army of the GDR. He was the first German to fly into space as part of the Soviet Union's Interkosmos program in 1978.
Sigmund Jähn is read about 275 times a day, in 46 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 111 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
2019Died21 September 20192011Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration"Award1999Golden HenAward1998Dr. Friedrich Joseph Haass-PreisAward1978Gold medal with hero rank of GDRAwardHero of the Soviet UnionAwardOrder of Karl MarxAwardOrder of LeninAwardPilot-Cosmonaut of the German Democratic RepublicAward1977Meritorious Military Pilot of the German Democratic RepublicAward1937Born13 February 1937
Also in Deutsch
Media & music
Photos 7
Replica of Opel RAK rocket cars, bikes, and aircraft, originally demonstrated in the 1920s
MiG-21 fighter plane, which was also flown by Jähn, in front of the German Space Travel Exhibition in Morgenröthe-Rautenkranz (2015)
The Sandmännchen and his wife Masha in the permanent exhibition of the Bundeswehr Military History Museum in Dresden.
Sigmund Jähn with the Hero of the GDR and Hero of the Soviet Union medals, April 1981
Sigmund Jähn in front of the bust of Yuri Gagarin in the Hain der Kosmonauten at the Archenhold Observatory, 1981
Jähn in 2009Awards
About this person
Country
Germany
Category
Astronauts
Type
Astronaut
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1937 to 2019 · aged 82
Where to find them
The same award as Sigmund
Nikolay Aleksandrovich TikhonovBoth received Gold medal with hero rank of GDR
Valery BykovskyBoth received Gold medal with hero rank of GDR
Willi StophBoth received Gold medal with hero rank of GDR
Vladimir KovalyonokBoth received Gold medal with hero rank of GDR
Erich MielkeBoth received Gold medal with hero rank of GDR
Heinz HoffmannBoth received Gold medal with hero rank of GDR