▁States ▁Mar ines ▁and ▁spent ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁French ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war ▁camp , ▁mostly ▁in ▁solit ary ▁conf in ement ▁because ▁of ▁repeated ▁escape ▁attempts . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁D orn berger ▁completed ▁an ▁engineering ▁course ▁with ▁distinction ▁at ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Techn ical ▁Institute , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁D orn berger ▁graduated ▁after ▁five ▁years ▁with ▁an ▁MS ▁degree ▁in ▁mechanical ▁engineering ▁from ▁the ▁Techn ische ▁Hoch schule ▁Charlot ten burg ▁in ▁Berlin . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁D orn berger ▁received ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate , ▁which ▁Col . ▁Karl ▁Emil ▁Be cker ▁arranged ▁as ▁Dean ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Fac ulty ▁of ▁Military ▁Technology ▁at ▁the ▁TH ▁Berlin . ▁ ▁Ro cket ▁development ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁D orn berger ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Ball istics ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Army ▁( Re ich s wehr ) ▁We ap ons ▁Department ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁Ex am iner ▁to ▁secret ly ▁develop ▁a ▁military ▁liquid - f uel ▁ro cket ▁suitable ▁for ▁mass - production ▁that ▁would ▁sur pass ▁the ▁range ▁of ▁art illery . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁D orn berger , ▁his ▁commander ▁( Capt ain ▁Ritter ▁von ▁Hor st ig ), ▁and ▁Col . ▁Karl ▁Emil ▁Be cker ▁visited ▁the ▁Verein ▁für ▁Raum sch iff ah rt ▁( V f R )' s ▁le ased ▁Rak