City of Zeppelins - Friedrichshafen / GZG
Content of the articlearry
ZEPPELIN: RISE AND FALL OF A COMPANY
How came an idyllic little town to be a centre of aviation and arms industry in
less than 30 years?
EVEN BEFORE WORLD WAR I: MANY SPECIALIZED SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES
Having built some airships with LUFTSCHIFFBAU ZEPPELIN Company the count
realized that further companies were needed producing special parts of the
airships. So in 1909 the CARBONIUM PLC was founded, which was commissioned to
deliver hydrogen. It exploded on 19. July 1910 and was replaced in 1914 by
another hydrogen gas plan whose successor still exists today. In 1912 the
MAYBACH MOTORENBAU company followed producing motors. Today it`s name is MTU
(MOTOREN- UND TURBINENUNION), delivering fast going engines for ferries and so
on. A better method of power transmission from engine to air-screws led to the
foundation of the ZAHNRADFABRIK (ZF), today one of the world`s biggest gearing
producers.
But there had to be done even more. The DELAG (German Aerial Navigation PLC),
the first air-shipping-company in the world, served primarily to build
economical security for the construction of airships. It was supposed to
organise German domestic air-traffic with Zeppelins and so wake the need after
passenger- airships. The ZEPPELINWOHLFAHRT (Zeppelin Welfare), founded in 1913,
came into beeing mainly because of social and economical reasons. It`s purpose
was to reduce costs of living of staff members on an average price level and
als to provide dwellings for workers who had to be fetched to Friedrichshafen.
Soon after the construction of the first airship, graduate engeneer Theodor
Kober was charged to construct water-planes. In 1912 he founded the FLUGZEUGBAU
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN company for aeronautical construction.
WORLD WAR I: DEVELOPMENT TO A CENTER OF ARMAMENTS
During the First World War the production of armed airships was growing fast,
84 of them were produced in Friedrichshafen alone. ZEPPELIN LUFTSCHIFFBAU PLC
alone engaged 4000 workers in 1918. In this time FLUGZEUGBAU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
earned enormous amounts of money producing more than a third of all German war
planes. The town became a center of arms industry.
In 1914 Claude Dornier was charged by the count to construct big airoplanes of
metall. First flying boats, an observation aircraft and a fighter were
developed leading in the end to the foundation of the DORNIER METALLBAUTEN
Company.
PROHIBITION OF AIRSHIP MANUFACTURING AND PLANE BUILDING (1918 - 1933)
The Treaty of Versailles ending WORLD WAR I forbade German companies to build
airships and planes, a crushing blow for Friedrichshafen of course. All
equipments serving this purpose were destroyed, the number of employees
decreased drastically. But production in town went on, now concentrating on the
development of powerful high-speed diesel-engines for railways as well as for
ships and cars. Maybach cars were unique luxury limousines with strong engines,
used even by statesman during state visits. Conversion to civilian goods
succeeded.
AVOIDANCE OF THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES
But the Treaty of Versailles was avoided too. In 1921 Claude Dornier bought a
wharf in Marina di Pisa, Italy, beginning with the manufacture of planes. After
a short time the German-Italian COSTRUZIONI MECCHANICHE AERONAUTICHE SOCIETA
ANONIMA Company was founded, which succeeded in building the flying boat "Wal".
The one-engine seaplane was actually secretly developed in Switzerland with
Dornier`s closest co-workers in the same year, but before buying the
shipbuilding-yard. These proceeds were similar to the ones employed after World
War II.
FLYING SHIP WAL "DO X"
In 1923 DORNIER METALLBAUTEN PLC bought the industrial plant of Kober`s firm
which had gone bankrupt because of marketing problems. It had not succeeded to
adapt to the new situation.
The super flying ship Wal "DO X" which was developed in 1926/27 (constructed in
Friedrichshafen, produced on the river Rhine in Switzerland) was 40m long, 10 m
high, had a wing span of 48 m and a take-off weight of 40 tons. Powerded by 12
tandem-engines with a power of 525 and 640 H.P.,the plane was designed for
about 70 passengers who could enjoy much comfort.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE AIRSHIPS?
The airships that were left were delivered within the scope of reparation
payments to the victors of World War I.The USA had allowed the construction of
LZ 126 as an airship of reparation. It was built in 1922 and was completed in
1923. As the Allies canceled the limitation for airship building in 1926 -
Germany became a member of the League of Nations in the same year - the
construction of LZ 127 was begun, the most successful airship. We reported
about it`s world tour in the last number. 1931 - 35 LZ 129 was built, but later
burnt out in Lakehurst.
NATIONAL SOCIALISM: FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGAIN A CENTRE OF ARMAMENTS
"Let`s vote for Hitler, then we`ll have work." Many engineers followed this
slogan. The Weimar Republic had already begun to support the building of planes
secretly. Hitler worked for the war from the beginning, the industry knew what
happened and profited. Production numbers rose fast, especially the production
of military planes. Important types made in Friedrichshafen were Do 215 and Do
217. The industry of Friedrichshafen worked also with prisoners of
concentration camps and - during the war - with prisoners of war. This is why
many camps were erected in the town.
DESTRUCTION AND FRENCH OCCUPATION
By 11 attacks of allied bomber sqadrons Friedrichshafen, as a result of it`s
importance as a centre of armament and as a reaction on similar preceding
German attacks on European Cities, was turned to ruins. The Bomberpilots did
not only destroy industry but also, in a single area-bombardement in the night
to 28th April 1944, the whole old part of the town. In this attack alone 136
people died, 656 buildings of 2300 were totally destroyed, 1700 inhabitants of
the town became homeless, the number of inhabitants fell to one third.
On 29th April 1945 French troops took the town without a fight. Hope for
industrial welfare had gone.
| By: | Attendant Teachers: |
| Monika Nad | Wolfgang Currlin |
| Angelika Weyler |