Erich von Däniken, the Swiss author renowned for advocating the idea that advanced extraterrestrials played a role in the development of ancient civilizations, died at the age of 90. His death was confirmed by representatives via his official website and by his daughter Cornelia in statements to Swiss news agencies, reporting he passed away in a Swiss hospital.
Von Däniken gained international recognition in 1968 with the publication of "Chariots of the Gods?" (originally titled “Recuerdos del Futuro” in Spanish), a book proposing that the Maya, ancient Egyptians, and other early cultures had contact with alien astronauts who imparted sophisticated technologies. This theory attempted to explain the construction of monumental structures such as pyramids by attributing them to extraterrestrial teaching rather than solely human ingenuity.
The book became a cultural phenomenon, sparking widespread interest in paranormal and unexplained phenomena during an era when humanity was on the cusp of its first lunar landing. Following this initial success, von Däniken authored over twenty similar titles, which collectively sold around 60 million copies worldwide and were translated into more than thirty languages. His works helped create a literary genre mixing speculative fiction and controversial interpretations of history, often contradicting established scientific and archaeological consensus.
Throughout his life, von Däniken maintained a dismissive stance towards his critics from the scientific community, persisting in promoting his extraterrestrial visitation thesis despite lacking empirical support. Beyond his literary career, he experienced ongoing financial difficulties and occasionally faced legal challenges, including time served in prison for various allegations related to fraud and tax evasion.
Born in 1935 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, von Däniken was the son of a garment manufacturer. He reportedly rebelled against his Catholic upbringing and the religious education received in boarding school, ultimately developing ideas that diverged significantly from traditional biblical narratives concerning humanity's origins.
Prior to becoming an author, he worked primarily as a hotel waiter and bartender, facing several accusations of financial misconduct during these early years. By 1964, he had advanced to a hotel management position in Davos, where he began writing his first influential book.
Following the publication and commercial success of his debut book, von Däniken encountered further legal difficulties. Nevertheless, the earnings from "Chariots of the Gods?" funded his continued pursuit of paranormal investigations around the globe. Throughout the 1970s, he frequently traveled to locations in Egypt, India, and notably Latin America, regions whose ancient cultures deeply fascinated him.
Von Däniken became a vigorous promoter of his ideas, delivering lectures, founding organizations dedicated to his theories, and pioneering multimedia approaches such as video presentations to reach increasingly larger audiences seeking alternative historical accounts of human civilization.
Despite scholarly dismissal, he and his followers remained committed to the belief that Earth has been periodically visited by extraterrestrial beings and will encounter them again in the future.
His unorthodox contributions to literature were met with a mixture of public intrigue and scientific skepticism. In 1991, von Däniken became the first recipient of the Ig Nobel Prize in Literature, an award that recognizes unusual or dubious scientific claims that nonetheless capture public attention.
Even when confronted with evidence undermining some of his assertions—for example, demonstrations that certain purportedly ancient artifacts were recently fabricated—he maintained that his overall theories remained valid despite minor errors.
In 1985, he released the book “Neue Erinnerungen an die Zukunft” (“New Memories of the Future”), aimed at addressing many criticisms levied against his earlier work. In it, he acknowledged some mistakes but asserted that the fundamental premises of his hypotheses were intact.
While his popularity declined in English-speaking countries during the 1980s, von Däniken's influence pervaded popular culture through semi-serious archaeological documentaries and television programs, notably inspiring shows like "The X-Files," which blended themes of government conspiracy and paranormal phenomena.
Von Däniken's final major project, a theme park inspired by his books named "Mystery Park," failed to maintain sufficient public interest and closed after a few years. Currently, remnants of the park's artificial pyramids and extraterrestrial-themed domes are deteriorating, as tourists in the region favor visiting nearby Interlaken and the scenic Swiss Alps.
He is survived by his longtime wife, Elisabeth Skaja, to whom he was married for 65 years, as well as his daughter Cornelia and two grandchildren.