Yeah, I saw the name and it rang a bell and I was thinking, "Wasn't he a nazi?" so I looked him up. As you said....brilliant, but very troubled!
From what I’ve read of the man, he wasn’t a voluntary nazi, he was coerced into it. He was into rocketry years before the nazi party came about, and was totally about the exploration of space and space travel. His talents were so well-known at the time that he was commandeered by the nazi’s to weaponize rockets. Threats to family, and all.
Long story short, when the Americans and the Russians were closing in on Berlin at the end of the war, Wernher von Braun’s brother gave him his bicycle so he could ride to the Americans to be “captured” by them.
He was troubled in other ways, but, the years he spent in the U.S. space program were years he treasured, as he was finally able to pursue his original dreams.
He also brought other “captured” German scientists with him to the U.S., such as Willy Ley, Heinz Haber, etc.
I’ve posted this here before, but, it will give anyone who cares to take the time to watch it insight into his real dreams and goals...Walt liked and respected him, too...!!!