The Historical Association of Lewiston is hosting Douglas DeCroix for its February program: “Metamorphosis of a War Criminal; Walter Dornberger, Bell’s Rocket Genius” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah Fellowship Hall, 915 Oneida St., Lewiston.
Historian Douglas DeCroix will examine Dornberger’s role in the development of these Nazi terror weapons, as well as how he managed to land his lofty post with Bell Aircraft.
Without warning, at 6:44 p.m. on Sept. 8, 1944, a massive explosion rocked Stavely Road in the London suburb of Chiswick. Three civilians were killed and 19 were injured in what later turned out to be the first strike on London by Hitler’s ultimate weapon — the V-2 rocket. On May 5, 1945, a group of Nazi officers surrendered to members of the U.S. 44th Infantry Division near the Austrian village of Schattwald. Among them were Wernher von Braun, who would go on to play a critical role in NASA’s manned space program, and Generalmajor Dr. Walter P. Dornberger, future vice president and chief scientist for Bell Aircraft Corp. in Niagara Falls.
A familiar presenter to HAL members, Doug DeCroix has served as executive director of Western New York Heritage, Inc., the nonprofit publisher of Western New York Heritage magazine, since 2009. His contributions to regional and national history have included several nationally aired historical documentaries produced by WNED-TV and the History Channel, as well as numerous articles and several thematic books published by Western New York Heritage.
In recognition of his contributions to regional history, Doug was selected to receive the prestigious Owen B. Augspurger Award by the Buffalo History Museum in October 2015 and the Imagine Greater Buffalo Recognition Award in February 2026. In 2024, his efforts to publish Legends of the Chautauqua-Erie Grape Belt were recognized with the Jim Finkle Industry Award, presented by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.
Doug continues to collaborate with a variety of cultural and educational organizations, working to celebrate the region’s rich history while seeking creative ways of bringing that history into the lives of the region’s inhabitants.
This community event is free and open to all, but donations are greatly appreciated to help support the museum. Refreshments will be served.