In 1946 Gerhard Eggers emigrated with his family to France. Like a number of German engineers who wanted to go neither to the USA nor to the Soviet Union after the war, he found a new home at the French engine company SNECMA – first in Decize (1946–1953), later in Dammarie-les-Lys (1953–1959).

The ATAR jet engine

Under the direction of Dr. Hermann Oestrich, Eggers worked on the development of the ATAR jet engine, which became a full success and powered French military aviation for decades. He later headed the department for “engine installation in aircraft”.

ATAR Volant and Coléoptère

Special mention is due to the Coléoptère (C-450), a visionary vertical take-off aircraft with an annular wing, which Eggers realised with an outstanding team – prepared by the ATAR Volant test platform. The experience gained here with vertical take-off technology later also shaped his teaching at TU Berlin.

France as a second home

The family integrated into French life; the children attended local schools, and excursions led to Melun, the forest of Fontainebleau, Paris and Versailles. Among the companions of these years were, besides Oestrich, Pierre Lhoste, Dr. Richter and Louis Jumelle. For his services Eggers received the Médaille de l’Aéronautique in 1957 as well as SNECMA’s Médaille du Travail. France became a second home for the family – the friendships from this time, for instance with the rocket specialist Hans Schneider (SEPR), later proved invaluable in building up German spaceflight.

Next station: Bremen: Focke-Wulf, VFW and ERNO (1959–1970)