Erich Anton Paul von Däniken is a Swiss researcher and author who gained international fame through his books examining the possible influence of extraterrestrial beings on human history. Through a body of work that challenges conventional interpretations of ancient civilizations, he became one of the most recognizable figures associated with the “ancient astronaut” hypothesis. His 26 books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have sold over 60 million copies worldwide. The impact of his ideas can be seen both in modern science fiction cinema and in certain belief systems that emerged in the contemporary era.

Born on April 14, 1935, in Zofingen, Switzerland, Erich Anton Paul von Däniken received his education at St. Michael’s University in Fribourg. During his years of study, he closely examined ancient sacred texts, laying the intellectual foundations for the ideas that would later define his career. In 1968, while working as a hotel manager in Switzerland, he wrote his first and most influential book, Chariots of the Gods, originally published under the German title Erinnerungen an die Zukunft. The book became a bestseller in 38 countries, following its success in the United States and Germany.

In the United States, von Däniken achieved sudden international recognition through the television program In Search of Ancient Astronauts, which was based on his first book. His media presence expanded further in 1993, when he produced a 25-episode television series for the German channel SAT-1.

In 1996, a one-hour documentary film titled Chariots of the Gods – The Mysteries Continue, produced for the American television company ABC/Kane, attracted widespread global attention. The film was also broadcast on Germany’s largest television channel, RTL, where it was watched by 7.7 million viewers in Germany alone.

A member of the Swiss Writers Association, the German Writers Association, and the International PEN Club, von Däniken was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bolivia. Although his ideas and research generated immense interest at the time his books were published, his popularity has gradually declined in recent years due to sustained criticism from contemporary scientists.

Erich Anton Paul von Däniken married Elisabeth Skaja in 1960 and continues to live with her in the mountain town of Beatenberg, Switzerland.

Bibliography
1968 Chariots of the Gods
1970 Gods from Outer Space
1972 The Gold of the Gods
1973 In Search of Ancient Gods
1974 Miracles of the Gods
1977 According to the Evidence
1979 Signs of the Gods
1981 Pathways to the Gods
1982 The Gods and Their Grand Design
1996 The Eyes of the Sphinx
1997 The Return of the Gods—Evidence of Extraterrestrial Visitations
2000 Odyssey of the Gods—An Alien History of Ancient Greece

Source: Biyografiler.com