Airship Monuments in Germany-page 2
German Monuments - pt 2: LZ-6, Abtsdorf * LZ-7, Bad Iburg * LZ-17, Wermsdorf * LZ-101 (L-55), Tiefenort * Manzell * Oldenburg * Zepelin * Graf von Zeppelin Memorial, Grassau, Bavaria * Graf von Zeppelin Grave, Stuttgart * Hindenburg crew burial site, Frankfurt * Return to Germany 1
There were so many monuments and memorials related to Zeppelins in Germany this 2nd page was necessary. Jump to a particular Monument using the "German Monuments - pt2" links above, or simply scroll on this page. You may also return directly to the "Then & Now" main page or return (back) to the previous page.
LZ-6, Abtsdorf, Wittenberg, Germany
The LZ-6 was another airship Count Zeppelin hoped to sell to the military to become the "Z-III" but the Army refused to purchase it. She made her first flight on the 25th of August, 1909. On the 27th of August, 1909 she set out for Berlin but had to make three intermediate stops due to engine trouble and a broken propeller. On the 29th of Aug she finally arrived at Berlin, landing at Tegel in view of the Emperor. On the return journey on the 30th of August, another propeller broke, damaging the envelope, and forcing the airship to land for extensive repairs. That landing was at Abtsdorf, and there it is commemorated with a modest stone monument.
The LZ-6 made it back to Friedrichshafen on the 2nd of September. Following is a photo of the LZ-6 landed at Abstdorf, 30 August, 1909. This wonderful photo is copyrighted, which is being used anyway as the image is over 100 years old, and is actually in the public domain. (I hold companies like "German Postal History", "Getty Images" and "Almay" in contempt for their shameful attempt to profit on historical images. I do, however, give them credit if I am forced to use one of their watermarked images.)
Image credit: German Postal History. (Photo public domain)
And here is a fine shot of the Zeppelinstien in Abtsdorf, Wittenberg, Germany, taken by Andreas Krug who graciously permitted its use on this page. The inscription reads: "Here landed the Z III on 30 August, 1909".
Photo credit: Andreas Krug
The monument is marked the "Z III", though the LZ-6 had never received the Army designation, the airship having never been purchased by the government. The LZ-6, however, was popularly known as the "Z-III" and it often cited as the Z-III in the news and in aviation magazines at the time.
The stone is located here, (Lat Lon) 51.888973 012.737159 in Google Maps:
Return to topLZ-7 Monument at the Teutoburg (Teutobuger) Forest near Bad Iburg, Germany
In the Teutoburg Forest a fine monument is hidden away in the trees. The LZ-7, christened the "Deutschland" was the first airship intended for commercial passenger transport. Count Zeppelin had formed the Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft - "DELAG", (German Airship Transportation Corporation Ltd) 16 Novvember, 1909. (The LZ-6 is mentioned in much literature as the first passenger airship, but I found no evidence that the LZ-6 was used for passenger service, even though it was the first airship owned by the new DELAG company.)
Photo credit: Public domain
The LZ-7, Deutschland, crashed 28 June, 1910 on its 7th flight while carrying 23 passengers, many of whom were journalists. Engine trouble and poor weather forced down the airship and she was destroyed. No crew or passengers were killed.
Photo credit: Martin Frauenheim collection, a public domain image
The wonderful monument was dedicated in 1911. Here is an early photo of the monument, another photo from the Martin Frauenheim collection:
Photo credit: Martin Frauenheim collection, a public domain image
And here is the monument with 100+ years behind it:
Photo credit: Pikjunge, via Panoramio
The monument is located here, (Lat Lon) 52.168705 008.104213. Good luck getting to it! In Google Maps:
Return to topLZ-17 "Sachsen" Monument near Wermsdorf
In 1913-1914, the LZ-17 "Sachsen" was in service with the DELAG as a very successful passenger-carrying airship. In fact, until taken over by the military for use in WW I, the Sachsen made 419 flights and carried 9,837 passengers.
The operational history is a bit sketchy, but in late 1913, the citizens of Wermsdorf petitioned the DELAG to provide for transport stops at Wermsdorf. Apparently, the people of Wermsdorf made the correct and strong enough argument because the Sachsen actually did make two scheduled landings at Wermsdorf! The date of one of those landings is known. It was the 12th of July, 1914, less than a month before the outbreak of WW I. The landing is commemorated with a very nice stone monument, though the stone is no longer at its original location. In 2016, due to the expansion of the Thiele Glass AG, the monument had to be moved. Here is a photo of the LZ-17 landing in Wermsdorf:
Photo credit: Public Domain
The monument, which originally looked like the next photo, was at a location I have not been able to pinpoint, possibly only originally installed in 2005(!):
Photo credit: http://www.heimatverein-wermsdorf.de/geschichte-des-zeppelin-steins-wermsdorf.html
The monument now looks like this, having been relocated to the southwest corner of Zeppelinstrasse and Dahlenerstrasse north of Wermsdorf:
Photo credit: http://www.heimatverein-wermsdorf.de/upload/gr/1471262230photostudio_1468601038422.jpg
The inscription reads (roughly): "Zeppelin Airship Sachsen landing in Wermsdorf on 12 July, 1914. Donated by the residents in the 800th year of Wermsdorf".
The monument is at (Lat Lon) 51.289370 012.936268 and is found on Google Maps at:
Return to topLZ-101 (L-55) Tiefenort, Germany
At the time of the LZ-101, the period is now World War I, and the Zeppelin is being used in war. This is a fact, but this site is not about war weapons, rather, it is about recognition of the great airship era. To that end, there is a monument to the LZ-101. Please respect that.
The LZ-101, known under its German Navy identification number as the L-55, first flew on 1 Sep, 1917 and dropped over 12,000 pounds of bombs on Europe during WW I. On the 20th of Oct, 1917, the airship fell into difficulties on its return from bombing London. It was forced to land at Tiefenort, after which the heavily damaged airship had to be scrapped. In 1937 a monument to its commander and crew was erected near the spot on which the airship met its end.
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LZ-101 in flight. Photo credit: Public Domain
The emergency landing on 20 Oct, 1917 took place at Tiefenort, Germany where the locals tore what they could from the airship before authorities arrived to secure the remains. Finally, in 1937, a small monument was erected to its memory.
Monument to the LZ-101. Photo credit: Undetermined
The monument is located at (Lat Lon) 50.841496 010.184680. Here is the location in Google Maps:
I was unable to find any description of the photos displayed behind the monument.
Return to topTribute to Count Zeppelin at Manzell
Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin began his amazing journey envisioning and actually building his great airships on the banks of Lake Constance at Manzell. At first, out in the waters of the lake he build sheds to house his airships as he experimented with the design. Photos exist of his early airships on the lake, and of the completed interior framework of his later airships as they were floated on the lake.
For example, here is the LZ-2 on the lake:
LZ-2 on Lake Constance. Photo credit: Public Domain
And here is a photo of the skeleton of the LZ-6 on the lake:
Framework of the LZ-6 on Lake Constance. Photo credit: Public Domain
Today, though the area on the shore of the lake is now completely industrialized, there is a small monument dedicated to Count Zeppelin's achievements. It is a small, hidden stone, rather hard to get to:
Monument to Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin at Manzell. Photo credit: ANKAWÜ, Wikipedia
The monument inscribed "On this shore, Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin built his first airship in the year 1900", is found here, in an industrial area, obscured by trees and brush:
Monument is inside the red circle. Photo credit: Bing Maps
The monument is located at (Lat Lon) 47.663177 009.430144. Here is the location in Google Maps:
Return to topAirship dedication at Oldenburg
At Oldenburg there is this tribute to the many who have fallen. The inscription reads: "To the fallen soldiers as well as the memory of the Marine airships stationed in Ahlhorn and Wildeshausen L-31, L-32, L-39, L-43, L-44, L-50". These were the many airships in the surrounding area and the crews which trained and gave their lives.
Photo credit: Undetermined
The monument is located at (Lat Lon) 53.173265 008.191348. Here is the location in Google Maps:
Return to topDedication to Count Zeppelin at Zepelin
At Zepelin, Germany (yes, 'Zepelin' with one 'p'). It is a marvelous monument dedicated to the name "Zeppelin" whose ancestry originated in this area of Germany.
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Photo credit: Undetermined
A very difficult Monument to visit, located deep in a forest to the West of Zepelin, Germany at (Lat Lon) 53.833070 012.019200. The monument was dedicated May 31, 1910 and contained two plaques, one on the front reading "The Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin and the origin of his family name 1286-1910", and one on the back containing the "Zeppelin" name coat-of-arms. The monument was vandalized and the plaque of the coat-of-arms is missing.
Here is a photo of the public dedication of the monument in 1910:
Photo credit: Public domain
Return to topGraf von Zeppelin Monument at Grassau
In late 1928, the newly christened LZ-127, Graf Zeppelin overflew the community of Grassau in the Chiemgau area of Bavaria, southern Germany, not far north of the border with Austria. The people of the Chiemgau area did not forget this event and in 1933 erected a fine monument on the intermediary peak of what came to be known as the "Zeppelinhöhe" (Zeppelin Heights). The stone monument overlooks the valley of the Grassau & Chiemgau area and contains a relief of Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin overlooking the area below the peak. Today, the peak is the summit of a nice day-hike in the Grassau area.
The monument was dedicated in 1933 as seen here:
Photo credit: Public Domain
Though obscure, this is not a very difficult monument to find, situated in a forested to rise to the WSW of Grassau, Germany at (Lat Lon) 47.772448 012.434810. Here is a photo of the monument on the hill overlooking Grassau. This author could not find many photos of the monument. Apparently this is due to the fact that the side of the monument with the relief portrait of Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin is on the side of the pillar closest to the rock overlook. Most photos of the pilar are of the side away from the ledge, the side which simply reads: "Zeppelinhöhe".
Photo credit: Public domain
There is nice Website, "Chiemsee Alpenland" covering the area's sights and attractions and they have a page addressing a nice 3 hour hike up the Zeppelinhöhe including GPS tracks of the hike in both the GPX and KML formats. Maybe someone, someday, can take the hike and send me photographs of this fine memorial to Zeppelin
Return to topStuttgart: Graf von Zeppelin Grave
Count (Graf) Ferdinand von Zeppelin is Buried at the Pragfriedhof (Prague Cemetery) in Stuttgart, Germany. He was the inventor of the rigid airship that bore his name "Zeppelin" and founded the company Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. He was born in 1838 in an ancient community known as "Zepelin" (yes, one "p"), which was known as Zepelin as far back as 1334. There is a memorial in the ancient area to honor this native son. See it just above.
Photo credit: Public domain
Here is the grave site:
Photo credit: MSeses, CC BY-SA 3.0
The grave is located at (Lat Lon) 48.793833 009.186573. Here is the location in Google Maps:
Return to topFrankfurt: Hindenburg crew burial site
At this cemetery in Frankfurt is the burial site and memorial to 6 of the crew of the Hindenburg who died as a result of the 6 May 1937 disaster. The memorial lists 7 crew members names, but Zeppelin Captain Ernst A. Lehmann was, at a later date, relocated to a private burial site at Grassau, Bayern, Germany, where he now lies next to his son who died fewer than 2 months before his own death. (I note here that the burial site of Dr. Lehmann has defied my locating it!)
The 6 crew members buried here are:
- Fritz Flackus, Cook
- Ernst Schlapp, Electrician
- Alfed Bernhardt, Helmsman
- Franz Eichelmann, Radio Officer
- Willy Speck, Chief Radio Officer
- Max Schulze, Steward
Here is the grave site at the Frankfurter Hauptfriedhof (Frankfurt Main Cemetery):
Photo credit: Unknown.
The monument is located at (Lat Lon) 50.138783 008.686664. Here is the location in Google Maps:
There's information and lots of photos about this memorial on the frankfurter-hauptfriedhof.de website. (In German).
As more airship monuments/dedications are discovered in Germany, they will be added to these pages. In the mean time, please follow the links to other monument sites on this website. I endeavor to document significant airship activity all over the world, but also grave sites and monuments which can be identified.