Did Wernher Von Braun sue Tom Lehrer? Musical satirist’s history with Rocket scientist explored

Tom Lehrer, the acclaimed musical satirist, has been in the limelight recently due to his passing on July 26, 2025, at the age of 97, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He became known for his dark, humorous songs in the 1950s and 1960s.

A report in the BBC stated that his death was confirmed by his friend, David Herder, to the New York Times. He was a professional pianist but spent most of his life pursuing academia. He gained fame during the 1950s following the release of Songs by Tom Lehrer.

Lehrer’s satirical song, Wernher von Braun, from his last album, That Was the Year That Was, was released in 1965. It was rumored that the famous Rocket scientist took legal action against Lehrer for this song and allegedly forced him to give up his royalties to Braun. However, Lehrer denied it in a 2003 interview.

Here is what we know about Tom Lehrer’s history with the rocket scientist.

Who was Wernher Von Braun, who became the subject of Tom Lehrer’s song?

Wernher von Braun was a German-American aerospace engineer who was known as one of the most important rocket developers between the 1930s and 1970s. According to his biography on NASA, he was recognised as the leader of the “rocket team.” His team developed the V-2 ballistic missile for the Nazis during World War II.

His biography noted that he became one of the prominent spokesmen of space exploration in the United States during the 1950s. He moved to the United States in the 1970s to head up strategic planning for the agency.

He later became the subject of Tom Lehrer’s song, Wernher von Braun, which was rumored to land him in trouble. The song was eventually seen as a 1969 tribute by Tom Lehrer to the rocket scientist.

During a 2003 interview published by The Sydney Morning Herald, he mentioned the line from his song which was the most quoted. It goes:

“Don't say that he's hypocritical, Say rather that he's apolitical. ‘Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department,’ says Wernher von Braun.”

Speaking to the outlet, he added:

"The idea that Wernher von Braun was a hero didn't make me angry so much as, well, it was just so silly. It was one thing to hire him, OK, but to make him a hero, which a lot of people did ... he may have helped us land on the moon a few years earlier than we did, but who cares?"

He later on clarified on the rumors which circulated during that time related to his song Wernher Von Braun. He said:

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“I've heard that a lot, that I have to pay all my royalties for the song to him and so on and so forth. No, that's one of those myths. There is no possible way he could have sued me."

Tom Lehrer was praised by Dr. Demento as "the best musical satirist of the twentieth century." Other artists who cited him as an influence are "Weird Al" Yankovic and scientist H. Paul Shuch.

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