The “Enigma” – a milestone in the world of cryptography

A functional replica of this historical machine, produced with a 3D printer at the Chair of Computer Science 3 at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, offers an insight into the functionality and complexity of this encryption device.

The Enigma machine was patented by Arthur Scherbius in 1918 and was later used by military and diplomatic institutions to encrypt secret messages. Today, the “Enigma” is not only known as the cipher machine used by the German army during the Third Reich, but also for the history of its decryption, which goes back to the achievements of Alan Turing, among others. The electromechanical machine is based on a complex system of rotating rollers and plugs that changed letters by means of permutation. Individual letters were entered on the keyboard by pressing a key, with the “Enigma” indicating the encryption almost simultaneously by lighting up individual lights.

The replica of this historical machine not only provides an insight into how the “Enigma” worked, but also serves as a teaching aid (seminar: “History of computing technology”). Students and interested parties can understand the basics of cryptography and recognize the importance of encryption techniques for modern information security.

The Enigma machine is now part of the ISER collection at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and will be presented in future as part of guided tours and at various events, including the “Long Night of Science”. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the machine up close, ask questions and gain an insight into the history and significance of encryption.

Further information can be found on the homepage of the Chair of Computer Science 3 (Computer Architectures)

Category: News keywords: FAU, ISER