Bernd Ruland (1914-1976) was a German journalist and writer, born in Düsseldorf and died in Basel. A precocious talent who made his name in feature writing while still a teenager, he remained devoted to reportage and the feuilleton throughout his career; his around-the-world account Junger Mann auf großer Fahrt (1937) was an early success. In 1956 he became editor-in-chief of Bunte Illustrierte, the flagship magazine of the Burda publishing house. A prolific reporter and popular author, he wrote several works of popular history. His authorized biography of Wernher von Braun (Wernher von Braun. Mein Leben für die Raumfahrt, 1969), built on first-hand interviews with the engineer at Huntsville, remains his best-known title in the space field.