Quick Info
Starting in February 1966, hundreds of meticulously typed letters and mysterious phone calls began arriving in Spain. The writers claimed to be extraterrestrials from the planet Ummo, orbiting the star Iumma. The letters contained advanced scientific ideas, philosophical discussions, and even photos of their spacecraft. The correspondence continued for decades and became one of the most elaborate and intriguing UFO-related phenomena ever recorded.
What makes the Ummo case unique is the sheer volume and sophistication of the material, thousands of pages of detailed information sent to scientists, journalists, and ordinary people.
Spain in the 1960s
Franco’s dictatorship still ruled Spain in the mid-1960s. The country was isolated, conservative, and deeply Catholic. UFOs were not a common topic of conversation. So when the first letters arrived at the homes of several prominent Madrid residents in February 1966, they caused quiet confusion rather than public excitement.
The First Letters Arrive
The first known letter was sent to a Spanish journalist. Others followed to physicists, engineers, and even random people whose names appeared in phone books. All were typed on the same distinctive typewriter and signed with the now-famous Ummo symbol, an H with a vertical bar through the middle. The writers introduced themselves as members of an advanced civilization observing Earth.
“We come from the planet Ummo, which orbits the star Iumma. We have been studying your world for many years.”
— Excerpt from an early Ummo letter
The tone was polite, almost professorial. They explained they had arrived on Earth in 1950 and were simply observers.
The Ummo Symbol and Photos
In 1967, one of the most striking pieces of evidence arrived, photographs of a disc-shaped craft with the Ummo symbol clearly visible on its underside. The photos were taken in the countryside near Madrid and appeared to show a real metallic object hovering above the ground. Skeptics later pointed out possible signs of a model, but at the time they caused a sensation.
The Scientific and Philosophical Content
Over the years the letters covered an astonishing range of topics: advanced physics, biology, sociology, even critiques of human religion and politics. They described Ummo society as peaceful and highly organized, with no money or war. Some of the scientific ideas were remarkably ahead of their time, including concepts that later appeared in mainstream physics. The writers never asked for anything in return and never demanded belief.
“Your scientists are still far from understanding the true nature of the universe. We offer these ideas only as information.”
— Ummo letter to a Spanish physicist
The sheer consistency and volume of material over more than twenty years made many researchers wonder how a simple hoaxer could maintain such quality for so long.
How the Ummo Beings Travel Through Space
One of the most fascinating parts of the Ummo letters was their detailed explanation of interstellar travel. According to the correspondents, their ships did not rely on conventional rockets or fuel. Instead, they used a form of propulsion based on manipulating space-time itself. They described creating a localized gravitational field around the craft that allowed it to "fold" distances, effectively shortening the path between two points in the universe.
“We do not travel through space in the way you imagine. We create a temporary distortion in the fabric of space-time, allowing our vessels to move from one coordinate to another without crossing the intervening distance.”
— Ummo letter describing propulsion
The letters explained that their technology involved generating powerful electromagnetic fields combined with precise control of what they called "dimensional axes." This allowed the craft to shift partially out of our three-dimensional reality for short periods, reducing the effective travel time dramatically. They claimed their ships could cover vast interstellar distances in days or weeks rather than centuries. The writers emphasized that this method was energy-efficient and caused no harm to the surrounding environment, unlike the explosive propulsion systems humans were developing at the time.
They also mentioned that travel between stars required careful calculation of gravitational influences from multiple celestial bodies to avoid dangerous distortions. Some letters included simplified diagrams and mathematical formulas that appeared advanced for the 1960s and 1970s, though they were presented in a way that educated laypeople could partially understand. The overall impression was of a civilization that had moved far beyond brute-force rocketry toward a harmonious, almost elegant relationship with the laws of physics.
The Investigation
Spanish ufologists, journalists, and even some government officials quietly investigated. Handwriting experts, typewriter analysis, and photographic examination were all carried out. No clear evidence of fraud was found at first. The case gained international attention and was studied by researchers in France, the United States, and South America.
The Jordan Peña Confession
In 1993, Spanish ufologist José Luis Jordan Peña publicly confessed that he had created the entire Ummo affair as an elaborate sociological experiment. He claimed he had written most of the letters himself. However, some letters continued to arrive even after his confession and after his death in 2014. This has kept the debate alive, was it all a hoax, or did someone else continue the correspondence?
Timeline of the Ummo Letters
- February 1966 – First letters arrive in Madrid.
- 1967 – Ummo craft photos are sent and published.
- 1960s–1980s – Hundreds of letters continue to arrive across Europe and beyond.
- 1993 – José Luis Jordan Peña confesses to starting the hoax.
- Post-1993 – Some letters still appear even after the confession.
- Today – The Ummo phenomenon remains one of the most debated UFO-related mysteries.
Why the Ummo Letters Still Fascinate Us
The Ummo case is remarkable for its scale and sophistication. Thousands of pages of material were produced over decades with remarkable consistency. Whether it was an elaborate hoax or something more mysterious, it stands as one of the most thought-provoking chapters in UFO history. It raises questions about belief, deception, and what we are willing to accept as evidence. Even today, new researchers continue to study the letters, searching for clues that might finally solve the riddle.
Great video on UMMO Letters from @itsbs on YouTube
More videos from @itsbs on YouTube
What Do You Think?
After reading the full story of the Ummo Letters, what’s your reaction? Do you think it was all an elaborate hoax by one man, or could there have been something more going on? Why do you think the letters continued even after the confession? This is one of the longest and strangest UFO related correspondences ever recorded, and I'm not sure what to think to be honest, but this is a fantastic story no matter what. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
