Beschreibung:

A collection of documents relating to the foundation of the Federation and the proceedings of the first two International Astronautical Congresses, Paris 1950 and London, 1951, comprising Statutes of the European Federation of Astronautical Societies (EFAS), typescript, 2pp, in German, dated 1 November 1949; a transcript of discussions at the first congress in Paris, 1-2 October 1950, typescript,19pp, in French; Minutes of the first working sessions of the second congress in London, typescript,17pp; Proceedings of the London congress, 3-8 September 1951, establishing the International Astronautical Federation, typescript, 6pp and contemporary notes on 3pp, notes for participants at the London congress issued by the British Interplanetary Society and related ephemera including a paper on satellite vehicles by Wernher von Braun and a pen and ink drawing with collaged photographs of delegates to the London congress centred on Val Cleaver and including Arthur C. Clarke, Von Braun and Andrew Haley. (small qty) £400-600 The impetus for increased post-war collaboration between societies concerned with rocketry and interplanetary flight in various countries came in 1949 from the Stuttgart Gesellschaft fur Weltraumforschung. Val Cleaver, Chairman of the British Interplanetary Society, agreed to host a conference in London and while preparations were being made, a preliminary meeting of delegates from international societies took place in Paris organised by Alexandre Ananoff, President of the Groupement Astronautique Francais of the Aeroclub de France and under the chairmanship of Eugen Sanger who was elected first President of the Federation in London the following year.