Claim · G-013
David Grusch: Claims that the oldest case he was informed of is a craft recovered in Italy in 1933 by Mussolini's government (the episode known as the Magenta case) and held at a protected air base until the Allied occupation.
David Grusch · Jun 7, 2023 · Interview with a French outlet (Le Parisien, according to Wikipedia) and interview with NewsNation with Ross Coulthart (June 2023) (Interview)
Hearsay Historical cases
Unverifiable
The only known documentary basis is notes sent anonymously to Roberto Pinotti in 1996, of disputed authenticity, and the French outlet cited for the quotation was not checked against the original (according to Wikipedia's summary, he spoke of documents he had seen).
- In support
- According to Pinotti, an analysis of paper and ink commissioned by the CUN, the association he co-founded, judged the documents authentic to the Fascist era; historian Andrea Bedetti said he cannot rule out the existence of a “Gabinetto RS/33.”
- Against or denials
- According to Metabunk's analysis, the report by expert Antonio Garavaglia acknowledges that there are no analytical data or methods capable of giving certain indications on dating and concerns a 1936 document, not a 1933 one. A Vatican source with access to the archives, cited anonymously by NewsNation (June 15, 2026), found no references to the episode, which however does not definitively refute it.
Sources
- Roberto Pinotti, “The UFO Files of Mussolini,” account of the documents received in 1996 (The Black Vault) (primary source, pro-disclosure)
- Newsweek, Grusch, the Vatican and the craft recovered in Italy (August 2, 2023) (press)
- NewsNation, no trace of the Magenta case in the Vatican archives according to a Vatican source (June 15, 2026) (press)
- Metabunk, “Claim: A UFO crashed in 1933 Italy”: analysis of the documents on the Magenta case (analysis, skeptical)
On this site
People 1
Claims 4
- David Grusch: Claims that Pope Pius XII informed the United States through confidential channels of the existence of the… Unverifiable
- David Grusch: Describes the Magenta craft as a lenticular disc whose rim allegedly broke off, leaving a bell or acorn shape. Unverifiable
- David Grusch: Says he prefers the term “non-human” so as not to indicate an origin and traces the matter back to the 1930s. Unverifiable
- David Grusch: Claims that the “weather balloon” explanation given for Roswell in 1947 was disinformation and that secrecy… Disputed
Inconsistencies 1
Cases 1
- Magenta 1933: the alleged retrieval of a disc, known only from anonymous papers Disputed explanation
Where the claims come from 1
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