MontImageMedia - In Memoriam
"Hitler's iPhone" The Lorenz SZ-40/42- Teleprinter cipher machine (TUNNY).
The SZ-40 was an electro-mechanical wheel-based cipher machine for teleprinter signals (telex). It was developed by Lorenz and used during WWII by the German Army for communication at the highest level. The machine was improved twice (SZ-42a and SZ-42b) and was broken during WWII by the codebreakers at Bletchley Park (UK) with the aid of Colossus, the first electronic digital computer. The SZ-40/42 was codenamed TUNNY by the codebreakers at Bletchley Park.
During WWII, the German Army used a variety of cipher machines, of which the Enigma machine is probably known best. For secure teleprinter communication (telex) they used the Siemens T-52 Geheimschreiber, the Lorenz SZ-40, and later the Siemens T-43 one-time pad machine.
The Lorenz SZ-40/42 was used by the German Army High Command (Oberst-Kommando der Wehrmacht, or OKW) for communication at the highest level, between Hitler and his Generals. The machine was called Schlüsselzusatz (SZ) which means Encryption Add-on. It was connected between a teleprinter and the line, and was suitable for both online and offline use.
Only a small number of SZ-40 and SZ-42 units were ever built. The image above shows one of the very few machines that have survived. It was found in Germany and is now on public display in the museum at Bletchley Park.
Please note that the Lorenz SZ-40/42 is often mistakenly called Geheimschreiber, for example in the 2012 BBC Documentary The Lost Heroes of Bletchley Park. The name Geheimschreiber was used for the Siemens T-52 and not for the SZ-42. Although the two machines use a similar principle, they are not identical and should not be confused. The T-52 was mostly used on landlines (telex) rather than via radio, making interception far more difficult. Nevertheless it was broken occasionally by Bletchley Park and, on a larger scale, by Swedish codebreakers.
"Hitler's iPhone" The Lorenz SZ-40/42- Teleprinter cipher machine (TUNNY).
The SZ-40 was an electro-mechanical wheel-based cipher machine for teleprinter signals (telex). It was developed by Lorenz and used during WWII by the German Army for communication at the highest level. The machine was improved twice (SZ-42a and SZ-42b) and was broken during WWII by the codebreakers at Bletchley Park (UK) with the aid of Colossus, the first electronic digital computer. The SZ-40/42 was codenamed TUNNY by the codebreakers at Bletchley Park.
During WWII, the German Army used a variety of cipher machines, of which the Enigma machine is probably known best. For secure teleprinter communication (telex) they used the Siemens T-52 Geheimschreiber, the Lorenz SZ-40, and later the Siemens T-43 one-time pad machine.
The Lorenz SZ-40/42 was used by the German Army High Command (Oberst-Kommando der Wehrmacht, or OKW) for communication at the highest level, between Hitler and his Generals. The machine was called Schlüsselzusatz (SZ) which means Encryption Add-on. It was connected between a teleprinter and the line, and was suitable for both online and offline use.
Only a small number of SZ-40 and SZ-42 units were ever built. The image above shows one of the very few machines that have survived. It was found in Germany and is now on public display in the museum at Bletchley Park.
Please note that the Lorenz SZ-40/42 is often mistakenly called Geheimschreiber, for example in the 2012 BBC Documentary The Lost Heroes of Bletchley Park. The name Geheimschreiber was used for the Siemens T-52 and not for the SZ-42. Although the two machines use a similar principle, they are not identical and should not be confused. The T-52 was mostly used on landlines (telex) rather than via radio, making interception far more difficult. Nevertheless it was broken occasionally by Bletchley Park and, on a larger scale, by Swedish codebreakers.