Jähn

Sigmund Werner Paul Jähn (13 February 1937 – 21 September 2019) was a German pilot and cosmonaut who became the first German to travel into space. He served in the East German air forces and was selected for the Soviet-led Interkosmos program, which trained non-Soviet pilots to fly on Soyuz missions.

In 1978 Jähn flew aboard Soyuz 31 to the Salyut 6 space station as part of an Interkosmos mission. The flight linked a Soviet crew with a German cosmonaut and lasted about seven days. During the mission, Jähn conducted experiments and performed maintenance tasks on the station, contributing to international space cooperation during the Cold War era.

Jähn’s spaceflight was a notable milestone for East Germany and was celebrated in the Eastern Bloc as a demonstration of scientific and technological achievement. He received state honors in East Germany and recognition from the Soviet Union for his contribution to space exploration, and he remained a prominent figure in discussions of Germany’s space heritage.

Following his spaceflight, Jähn continued to work in the aerospace field, taking on roles related to aviation and space research in the reunited Germany. He remained involved in public and educational activities surrounding space exploration until his passing in 2019.