IEEE Life Member Event: ENIGMA Day at ENTER Technikwelt

By apatroklos

8 May, 2025

IEEE Switzerland members were invited on 2nd February 2025, to attend the ENIGMA Day at the ENTER Technikwelt in Derendingen, Solothurn. For all participants, it was a great opportunity to learn and exchange about the fascinating history of cipher devices and cryptography. A small exhibition presented selected machines and their mechanisms.

A first presentation by Erich Blösch named “Operation ULTRA: A Mastermind Against Hitler’s Weapons”, covered the code-breaking effort in Bletchley Park in the UK. The author presented the pre-war machines, and the initial mathematical analysis conducted in Poland. His description of the Enigma operation also covered the methods used to break the codes, including the use of the Bomba machine in Poland and the Turing-Welchman Bombe in Bletchley Park. He concluded his talk with the contributions of Alan Turing.

The lecture by Paul Reuvers & Marc Simons, “Operation Rubicon: The Intelligence Coup of the Century” presented details about the Crypto AG manipulated encryption machines, under control of the German Intelligence Service and the CIA. Cipher machines developed by Boris Hagelin until the 1950’s, were presented. The development of agreements between Boris Hagelin and the NSA followed until the secret sale of Crypto AG company to the US and German agencies in 1970. Siemens and Motorola contributed to the development of electronic encryption machines in the late 70’s. The new machines were presented as well as discoveries of weaknesses and their fixes, until the company’s closure in 2018.

Dominik Landwehr presented the history of encryption machines and provided a few answers to why Enigma is so famous. He also mentioned Sigsaly, a secure speech system used in WWII, which pioneered digital communications, including pulse-code modulation.

To conclude this very interesting day, Felix Kunz, founder of the ENTER museum, shared his enthusiasm by presenting the museum’s vast collections of cipher machines, including Gretag devices. He made a detailed description of the Enigma and its operation.

A presentation of the IEEE to all participants was organized, as IEEE Switzerland section supported this event. Specifically, it must be noted that two IEEE Milestones in Poland and in Bletchley Park, UK, are related to the Enigma story,

IEEE Life Members of Switzerland congratulate the team of the ENTER museum and its founder Felix Kunz for organizing this very interesting and successful event.

Michel Bron
IEEE Life Senior Member

References

[1] ENIGMA Day invitation: enter.ch/en/events/enigma-day/

[2] ENIGMA Day recording (in German): www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoDFJtqLLKg

[3] IEEE Milestone, under ethw.org: “First Breaking of Enigma Code by the Team of Polish Cipher Bureau, 1932-1939”

[4] IEEE Milestone, under ethw.org: “Code-breaking at Bletchley Park during World War II, 1939-1945”

Pictures provided by Enter Technikwelt Solothurn / Kim Hüppin