Building Enigma machine…
This is the Enigma machine
The German military used Enigma during World War II to send encrypted messages. Polish, British, and French cryptanalysts used weaknesses in the machine and its operating procedures to decrypt intercepted communications.
Learn the Enigma's history
The message is being transmitted
A telegraph operator taps the encrypted letters in Morse code, which are then sent over a radio transmitter. Anyone can listen in on the radio signal, but they can't read your message.
There is a new initial setting for each day.
Grundstellung
The Germans distributed top-secret sheets with the initial Enigma settings for each day of the month.
Geheim!Nicht ins Flugzeug mitnehmen!
OKH-Maschinenschlüssel A Nr. 39| Datum | Grundstellung |
|---|
Left·Middle·Right·
Click or tap a rotor window to set its letter.
A–Z
Set a letter with A–Z or the up and down arrow keys. You can also drag the letter up or down.
The daily plugboard settings
Steckerverbindungen
Each pair of letters indicates one cable that joins two letters. The Germans initially used 6 cables, and later increased this to 10.
Geheim!Nicht ins Flugzeug mitnehmen!
OKH-Maschinenschlüssel A Nr. 39| Datum | Steckerverbindungen |
|---|
9 / 10 cables connected
Sheet reference & procedureThe daily rotor order
Walzenlage
Army and Air Force operators chose from five rotors, while naval operators had eight. The daily key sheet specified which three to use for that day.
Geheim!Nicht ins Flugzeug mitnehmen!
OKH-Maschinenschlüssel A Nr. 39| Datum | Walzenlage |
|---|
Try choosing a rotor and its position, or continue.
Ring settings
Ringstellung
The ring setting shifts the alphabet ring around the wired core.
Geheim!Nicht ins Flugzeug mitnehmen!
OKH-Maschinenschlüssel A Nr. 39| Datum | Ringstellung |
|---|
Click an alphabet ring to change its setting.
Press any letter key to follow the current.
A–Z
The final pawl
The left pawl catches the middle rotor’s notch and turns both rotors. The right rotor steps as usual.
Press keys to advance the rotors.
Morse key
The operator sends the lamp letters in Morse. Enigma itself does not transmit.
These teaching instruments represent the separate radio transmission step. Morse plays at 12 words per minute.
Encrypted message: No letters yet
Recovered message: No letters yet