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Teleprinter cipher machine (TUNNY)
- wanted item
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.
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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 on the right 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.
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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. More...
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Colossus was an electronic digital computer, built during WWII from over 1700
valves (tubes). It was used to break the codes of the
Lorenz SZ-40 cipher machine.
Colossus is sometimes referred to as the world's first programmable digital
electronic computer. In any case, it was conceived before the American
ENIAC.
 More information
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As only a few Lorenz SZ-40/42 machines have survived the war, the chances
are very slim that we will ever find one on the surplus market.
Nevertheless, we have listed it here as a wanted item, as we think it
is needed to tell the other half of the story of
Bletchley Park.
Until that time, this page will be used as a placeholder for information
about the Lorenz SZ-40/42. If you have any information that you want to
share with us, please contact us.
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© Copyright 2009-2013, Paul Reuvers & Marc Simons. Last changed: Thursday, 06 December 2012 - 13:27 CET
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