Franz Dressler

FRANZ DRESSLER

Franz Paul Dressler is an Austrian author of “fantastic realism”, with over 8 million books sold worldwide. He presents the weekly series "In Search of the Truth" on The Fantastic Channel.

Bibliography:

Dawn of Man (1972) – First book by Dressler, centred on the thesis that humans were created through genetic manipulation by an advanced race of astronauts from Southeast Asia. Critics argue it ignores basic concepts of genetics and evolutionary theory. Sold 3 million copies worldwide.

Blood for the Sun (1975) – Explores Central American myths related to sacrifices. Researchers dismissed it as “a complete disregard for logic” and “a collection of baseless, senseless statements”. Sold 2 million copies worldwide.

Dust of the Stars (1978) – Expands Dressler’s astronaut-gods theories, linking them to ancient myths and supposed surgical interventions misunderstood by primitive peoples. Academics labelled it “vulgar charlatanism”. Dressler accused critics of “closed minds to the obvious facts in all myths and legends”. Inspired a dramatised documentary starring Dressler as a persecuted independent researcher. Sold 3 million copies; the film earned $6 million in broadcasting rights.

The Atlantean Legacy (1981) – Argues that Atlantis was a global hub for astronaut-priests who disseminated technology and religious codes across continents. Archaeologists derided it as a patchwork of mistranslated sources. Nonetheless, the book spent 28 weeks on bestseller lists and sold 4 million copies.

The Shining Pyramids (1985) – Claims the Great Pyramid of Giza functioned as an interstellar beacon aligned with the constellation Orion. Dressler staged televised appearances inside the pyramids, dramatically “revealing” hidden passages. Egyptologists dismissed his assertions as fabricated. Sold 3.5 million copies worldwide.

Children of the Comet (1990) – Proposes that recurring cometary visitors seeded Earth with extraterrestrial embryos, later worshipped as sky gods. Critics described it as “pseudoscience dressed as mythography.” A lavishly illustrated edition, with glowing comet imagery, drove sales to 2.5 million.

Return of the Astronaut Gods (1995) – A supposed culmination of Dressler’s theories, predicting the imminent re-arrival of the “gods” in the year 2000. Academics ridiculed the book for sensationalism; sales exceeded 5 million worldwide, making it his commercial peak.

The Cosmic Testament (2002) – Combines fragments of apocryphal scriptures with astronomical speculation to argue for an extraterrestrial gospel. Reception was mixed even among his usual readership, but it still sold 1.5 million copies.

In Search of the Truth (2005–present) – Weekly television series on The Fantastic Channel, hosted by Dressler. Each episode dramatises his theories with stylised reconstructions. While widely mocked by historians, the show maintains strong ratings and international syndication.

Currently resides in a 56-room château with a collection of Collie dogs, 16 km from Bern, Switzerland.