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This page is for people who have built the Enigma-E kit.
Any errata, omissions and additions to the manual can
be found here. In addition we provide information to improve your Enigma-E.
If you've extended or modified your Enigma-E or if you've built your own
case, and want to share this with other Enigma-E users, please let us know.
If you encounter any problems with your kit, please check
our list of frequently asked questions first.
Also check whether your problem is caused by a
known bug in the software.
You may also want to consult the Enigma-E user community (see below).
If all else fails, drop us an e-mail.
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There is an active Enigma-E community on Groups.io.
If you have any difficulty with your kit, if you don't understand a specific
Enigma procedure, or if you just want to share your experiences with other Enigma-E users,
you might want to become a member of this forum (English & Dutch).
➤ Enigma-E user group
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Contents of this page
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All Enigma-E kit sold from August 2023 onward are supplied with a complete metal
enclosure that can hold the two printed circuit boards once they have been assembled.
Full instructions with detailed photographs on how to build the metal enclosure can be
found here.
➤ Assembly instructions
* Note that the metal enclosure is not available separately.
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Now that a metal enclosure is supplied with each new Enigma-E kit sold
from August 2023 on, your homemade Enigma begins to look more and more
realistic. One of our long-term Enigma-E users is an avid 3D print hobbyist,
and thought about ways to improve the design even further.
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At HAM Radio 2025 he demonstrated a 3D printed
keyboard that can be fitted over the existing one without any modifications
to the Enigma-E itself. It is fixated to the metal enclosure with
two neodyne magnets that are clevery embedded in the printed overlay.
Design files and instructions can be downloaded below.
They are provided 'as is' and there is no way to contact the designer.
Use the information at your own risk.
➤ Download 3D files and instructions (5MB)
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During WWII the Germans used different Enigma settings for each day.
For this purpose, secret codebooks were supplied that were to be protected
at all cost. We've now got software that allows you to print your own
Enigma codebooks, along with several special message forms, both in English
and German.
Empty message forms are now also available in the popular PDF format,
so that you can print them for re-enactment pruposes.
➤ More about the Enigma Form Generator
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Below are digital copies of the original Enigma logo.
This logo has been recreated from scratch and is presented here
as a PDF file, in order to preserve the resolution.
The copyright of this logo belongs to us.
You may download and use these logo's for your
own - non-commercial - personal use.
For commercial use of the logo, please ask permission first.
➤ Enigma logo (fully shaded)
➤ Enigma logo (black & white)
➤ Enigma stamp
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Most original Enigma machines carried a warning placard on the inside
of the top cover. This sheet contained some maintenance hints and tips
and a table to convert letters into numbers and vice versa.
If you are thinking of building a wooden case for your Enigma-E, you
may want to have the original Zur Beachtung! sheet.
Click the image to enlarge. If you want a better quality image, please read on.
In the download section below, you'll find a PDF file containing a
suitable design, which you can print on a self-adhesive sheet.
➤ Download the 'Zur Beachtung' placard (PDF)
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Some original Enigma machines were not supplied with the Zur Beachtung
placard presented above. Such was the case for example with many of the M4 machines that carried a hand-typed note or, more commonly, a printed
Merkblatt-M as shown here.
Wolfgang Abratis from Germany has recreated the
original sheet which is available for download below. Personally, he
replaced the M by E followed by the serial number of his Enigma-E.
➤ Download the 'Merkblatt' (PDF)
➤ See the original 'Merkblatt zum Schlüssel M' (picture)
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Over time, some modifications to the Enigma-E have been developed, both
by our customers and by ourselves. If you want to improve your Enigma-E,
please check our modifications page.
At present, the following modifications are described:
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- Using white LEDs on the lamp panel
- Fitting a serial port to the Enigma-E
- Battery charger
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For Enigma-E purchased before August 2023
If you want your Enigma-E to look more like a real Enigma, it might be a good idea to
place it in a wooden case. Many people have made their own designs for such a case,
varying from plexiglass showcases to detailed replicas of a real one.
Below is an example of a suitable wooden case.
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For Enigma-E purchased before August 2023
On an original Enigma, the lamps are covered by a film showing all
the letters of the alphabet A-Z in the German order: QWERTZ rather
than the more common QWERTY order. When a key is pressed, a lamp
behind the letter is lit, so that you can write down the result of
your encoding.
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On the Enigma-E, LEDs are used to
simulate the lamps, and the letters are printed in white on the PCB.
The LEDs are aligned in the same order as the keys on the keyboard:
QWERTZ, just like on a real Enigma machine.
You can make the Enigma-E more realistic, by mounting a piece of
transparent material (e.g. plexiglass) over the LEDs, holding a film
with all the letters on it.
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© Crypto Museum. Last changed: Wednesday, 13 August 2025 - 19:20 CET.
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