Wernher von Braun

Wernher von Braun, born in Wirsitz, Germany, in 1912, led the development of the V-2 in Nazi Germany and came to the U.S. in 1945. Inspired by Hermann Oberth’s work, von Braun became a member of the Berlin rocket group while a student. In late 1932 His team developed the V-2 ballistic missile for Hitler. After Nazi Germany’s defeat, von Braun came to the United States in 1945, where he became famous as a space popularizer and as a leader in rocket development for the U.S. Army and NASA.