Source: FamilySearch – Contributed By Tina D. (24 Jul 2020)
Enhanced by me 7 Jul 2025
Biography
Felix Raphael Rosenthal
⥠12 January 1917 â 3 October 2009 â
Felix was born in MÞnchen, MÞnchen, Bayern, Deutschland in January 12th, 1917.
He emigrated from Germany in 1933 shortly after Hitler came to power to Italy, settled with part of his family in his mother’s native city of Florence, Switzerland. With the spread-out of Nazism (formally named National Socialism) the ‘journey’ continued to France, Switzerland, back to France, Chile and finally settled in United Stats in the city of Berkeley to join his brother Bernard in 1941. From that point he lived mostly in United Stats and resided in several places. Many years after, In the early 1970s he returned to Switzerland in Zurich for family matters that turned out to be 13 years of activity. In 1982 and retired and return to United States to California – first to San Rafael and later San Jose. During the last months of his life he resided at Chaparral House in Berkeley.
He died in Berkeley on October 3rd, 2009.
My Journey
Because of my image restorations, history investigating and history reviving, I started a journey on about Jul 1 2025 by tracking and conserving what I can about Felix Rosenthal stuff. I had a book (soft cover), as a little kid, that my father gave me that I’ll be able to build cool origamis – It is not a traditional origami!
My copy (Hebrew edition) is in relatively good condition but, missing 3 out of the 5 airplanes models – I only have 2 models(see on left)
So, I have embarked on a journey to track down the models for preservation purposes.
Video from July 16 2025
âĒ Have: Trainer, Sprinter.
âĒÂ Don’t have: Superglider, Looping, Skyhawk.
Update regarding my further journey
To summarize this update (and other updates) is that I was able to track down the entire collection
Biography
by Adam publishing
Felix Rosenthal was born in Munich, Germany, at the end of World War I, into a respectable family of rare book dealers. As a child, he built paper airplanes with his schoolmates, and even then his airplanes had a different and special quality, thanks to his interest in topics such as wing stability, double folds, and other âpatentsâ in making gliders. Rosenthal moved to Italy, where he graduated from elementary school in Florence in 1936, and to this day he claims that one of his planes crossed the Arno River after being launched from a two-story building. He continued his engineering studies in Milan, and then moved to Paris, where he âearnedâ one of his worst failures, when one of his paper gliders, which had not been properly adjusted, plummeted like a stone 300 meters from the top of the Eiffel Tower, straight to its bitter end. Rosenthal managed to leave Paris at the very last minute before the Nazis entered. He moved to Chile, and from there to the United States in 1940. During World War II, Rosenthal served in the United States Army, and then completed his architecture studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He studied in San Francisco, and since his office had a balcony â After all, he did more than just architecture, he built and flew paper airplanes… One of his models won the first international paper airplane competition held in 1967. His model appears as No. 19 in the competition book: ‘The Great International Paper Airplane Book’.
In 1971, Rosenthal moved to Switzerland to help with the family business, and began participating in paper glider competitions, which led to his book being commissioned. The book was published in Germany under the title “Paper Airplanes That Really Fly”, (German: “Papier-Flugzeuge – die wirklich fliegen!”) and it forms the basis of this book. The book was a great success in both European and American editions.
Felix Rosenthal, designed some of the best paper airplanes in the world.
Many tasks still lie ahead for Felix Rosenthal, the engineer-architect. One of them is to officially establish the unofficial record for the longest hovering time of a hoverboard, set from the top of the Empire State Building in New York City â the glider hovered for an hour in the air currents of midtown Manhattan before disappearing from sight. Rosenthal says: “I am stillfascinated by the unanswered question of how many airplanes can be built from a sheet ofpaper measuring 20Ã30 cm. I continue to investigate, and the results become more and moresophisticated. The Skyhawk model in this book took me 18 months to develop, and I onlycompleted it in the spring of 1979. This may be my last model â but why don’t you try yourability?”
Original in Hebrew:
ŨĪŨŨŨ§ŨĄ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨĐŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĄŨŨĢ ŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨĒŨŨŨ ŨŨĻŨŨĐŨŨ Ũ, ŨŨŨĐŨĪŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨĐŨ ŨĄŨŨŨĻŨ ŨĄŨĪŨĻŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻŨŨ. ŨĒŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŠŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨŨĄŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ ŨŨŨ ŨĒŨ ŨĐŨŨĻ ŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ, ŨŨŨŨĻ ŨŨ ŨŨŨŠŨ ŨŨŨŨŨĄŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨĐŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨŨŨŨŨŠ, ŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨŠŨĒŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŠŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨĶŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨŨ ŨĢ, Ũ§ŨŨĪŨŨŨŨ ŨŨĪŨŨŨŨ Ũ”ŨĪŨŨ ŨŨŨ” ŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨĒŨĐŨŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨĐÖūŨ ŨŨ. ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨĒŨŨĻ ŨŨŨŨŨŨŨ, ŨĐŨ ŨĄŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŠ ŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨĄŨŨŨ ŨŨĪŨŨĻŨ ŨĶŨ ŨÖū1936 , ŨŨĒŨ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĒŨ ŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨĄŨŨ ŨŨĶŨ ŨŨŠ Ũ ŨŨĻ ŨŨŨĻŨ Ũ ŨŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨĐŨŨŨĻ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨĐŨŠŨ Ũ§ŨŨŨŨŠ. ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĄŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨ Ũ, ŨŨŨŨĻÖūŨŨ ŨĒŨŨĻ ŨŨĪŨŨĻŨŨ, ŨĐŨ “ŨŨŨ” ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŠŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŠŨĻ, ŨŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨĐŨ Ũ ŨŨ ŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨŨ, ŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨŨŨ, ŨĶŨ Ũ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ 300 ŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨĪŨŨĄŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨĪŨ, ŨŨŨŨĐŨĻ ŨŨ Ũ§ŨŨĶŨ ŨŨŨĻ.
ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĶŨŨŨ ŨŨĶŨŨŠ ŨŨĪŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨĐ ŨŨĻŨŨĒ ŨŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨĪŨ Ũ ŨŨ ŨŨĄŨŠ ŨŨ ŨŨĶŨŨ. ŨŨŨ ŨĒŨŨĻ ŨŨĶ’ŨŨŨ, ŨŨŨĐŨ ŨÖū1940 ŨŨŨĻŨĶŨŨŠ ŨŨŨĻŨŨŠ. ŨŨŠŨ§ŨŨĪŨŠ ŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨĒŨŨŨ ŨŨĐŨ ŨŨŨ ŨĐŨŨĻŨŠ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĶŨŨ ŨŨĻŨĶŨŨŠ ŨŨŨĻŨŨŠ, ŨŨŨŨŨĻ ŨŨŨ ŨŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĻŨŨŨŨ§ŨŨŨĻŨ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĻŨĄŨŨŨŠ ŨŨĻŨ§ŨŨ ŨŨ§ŨŨŨĪŨŨĻŨ ŨŨ. ŨŨŨ ŨŨĐŨŠŨŨ ŨŨĄŨ ŨĪŨĻŨ ŨĶŨŨĄŨ§Ũ, ŨŨŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨŨŨĐŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨŠŨ ŨĶŨŨŨŨ ŨŨĻŨĪŨĄŨŠ â ŨŨĻŨ ŨĐŨŨŨŠŨĻ ŨŨŨĐŨĻ ŨŨĒŨĄŨŨ§ ŨŨŨĻŨŨŨŨ§ŨŨŨĻŨ, ŨŨŨ ŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĒŨŨĢ ŨŨŨŨĄŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ… ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŠŨŨĻŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨĻŨŨĐŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨŨŨĄŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨ ŨĒŨĻŨŨ ŨÖū1967. ŨŨŨŨ ŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŨĪŨŨĒ ŨŨŨĄ’ 19 ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨŠŨŨĻŨŨŠ: ‘ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨĄŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ’.
ŨÖū1971 ŨĒŨŨĻ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĐŨŨŨŨŨĨ ŨŨĄŨŨŨĒ ŨŨĒŨĄŨ§ ŨŨŨĐŨĪŨŨŠŨ, ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĐŨŠŨŠŨĢ ŨŨŠŨŨĻŨŨŨŨŠ ŨĐŨ ŨŨŨĐŨ Ũ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨŨĒŨ§ŨŨŨŠŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨĶŨŨ ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ. ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨĶŨ ŨŨŨŨĻ ŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŠŨŨŠ ŨŨĐŨ “ŨŨŨŨĄŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨĄŨŨ”, ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŠ ŨŨŨĄŨŨĄ ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨ. ŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨĶŨŨŨ ŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨĻŨ ŨŨŨŨĻŨŨĪŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨŨĻŨŨ§ŨŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨŠ.
ŨĪŨŨŨ§ŨĄ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ, ŨŠŨŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨĄŨ ŨŨ ŨŨŨĻ ŨŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨĒŨŨŨ.
ŨŨĐŨŨŨŨŠ ŨĻŨŨŨŠ ŨĒŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨĒŨŨŨŨ ŨŨĪŨ Ũ ŨĪŨŨŨ§ŨĄ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨĄÖūŨŨĻŨŨŨŨ§Ũ. ŨŨŨŠ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨ§ŨŨŨĒ ŨŨŨŨĪŨ ŨĻŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŠ ŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨĻŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŨŨ ŨĻŨŨŨŨĢ ŨĐŨ ŨŨŨĐŨ ŨŨŨŨŨĻ, ŨĐŨ Ũ§ŨŨĒ ŨŨŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨĪŨŨŨĻÖūŨĄŨŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨÖūŨŨŨĻŨ§ â ŨŨŨŨĐŨ ŨĻŨŨŨĢ ŨŨŨĐŨ ŨĐŨĒŨ ŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŨĻ ŨĐŨ ŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨĪŨ Ũ ŨĐŨ ŨĒŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĒŨŨ. ŨŨŨŨĻ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ: “ŨŨ Ũ ŨĒŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ§ŨĄŨ ŨŨ ŨŨĐŨŨŨ ŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨ ŨŠŨĐŨŨŨ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨĄŨŨ ŨŨĪŨĐŨĻ ŨŨŨ ŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĻ ŨŨŨŨŨ ŨĐŨ 30Ã20 ŨĄ”Ũ. ŨŨ Ũ ŨŨŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŨ§ŨŨĻ, ŨŨŨŠŨŨĶŨŨŨŠ Ũ ŨĒŨĐŨŨŠ ŨŨŠŨŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŠŨĻ ŨŨŨŨŠŨĻ. ŨŨŠ ŨŨŨ ŨŨĄŨ§ŨŨŨŨŨ§ ŨĐŨŨĄŨĪŨĻ ŨŨ ŨĪŨŨŠŨŨŠŨ ŨŨŨĐŨ 18 ŨŨŨŨĐŨŨ ŨŠŨŨŨŨŨ, ŨŨŨĐŨŨŨŠŨ ŨŨŨŠŨ ŨĻŨ§ ŨŨŨŨŨ 1979 . ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨŠ ŨĐŨŨ ŨŨŨŨ ŨŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨĐŨŨ â ŨŨ ŨŨŨŨĒ ŨŨ ŨŠŨ ŨĄŨ ŨŨŠŨ ŨŨŠ ŨŨŨŨŨ ?”
Reference:
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ŨĪŨŨŨ§ŨĄ ŨĻŨŨŨ ŨŨ (ŨŨŨŨĻ). “ŨŨŨŨĄŨŠ ŨŨ ŨŨŨĻ : ŨŨŨĻŨŨ ŨŨŨŨŨ ŨŨ”. ŨŨŨ, ŨŨĻŨŨĐŨŨŨ. 1983.
Additional reading:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sfgate/name/felix-rosenthal-obituary?id=22333887
https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/GW8D-VYC