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Ferdinand von Zeppelin

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Several terms redirect here. For other uses, seeZeppelin (disambiguation)andGraf Zeppelin (disambiguation).

Graf

Ferdinand von Zeppelin
Zeppelin in 1917
Native name
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin
Born8 July 1838
Konstanz,Grand Duchy of Baden
(now part ofBaden-Württemberg,Germany)
Died8 March 1917(1917-03-08)(aged 78)
Charlottenburg,German Empire
AllegianceKingdom of Württemberg(1855–1917)
German Empire(1871–1917)
Service/branchCavalry
Years of service1855-1891
RankGeneral der Kavallerie
Commands held19th Uhlans
Spouse(s)
Isabella Freiin von Wolff
​
​
(m.1869)​
Signature
Ferdinand von Zeppelin's voice
Recorded 24 August 1908

CountFerdinand von Zeppelin(German:Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin;[1]8 July 1838 – 8 March 1917) was aGerman generaland later inventor of theZeppelinrigid airships. His name became synonymous with airships and dominated long-distance flight until the 1930s. He founded the companyLuftschiffbau Zeppelin.

Family and personal life[edit]

Isabella Gräfin von Zeppelin

Ferdinand was the scion of anoble family[de].Zepelin,the family's eponymous hometown, is a small community outside the town ofBützowinMecklenburg.

Ferdinand von Zeppelin in Virginia, June 1863

Ferdinand was the son ofWürttembergMinister andHofmarschallFriedrich Jerôme Wilhelm Karl Graf von Zeppelin (1807–1886) and his wife Amélie Françoise Pauline (born Macaire d'Hogguer) (1816–1852). Ferdinand spent his childhood with his sister and brother at their Girsberg manor nearKonstanz,where he was educated by private tutors.[2]Ferdinand married Isabella Freiin von Wolff in Berlin. She was from the house of Alt-Schwanenburg (located in the present-day town ofGulbenein Latvia, then part ofLivonia).[3]They had a daughter, Helene (Hella) von Zeppelin (1879–1967) who in 1909 married Graf Alexander von Brandenstein-Zeppelin (1881–1949).

Ferdinand had a nephewBaron Max von Gemmingen[de],who volunteered at the start of World War I, after he was past military age, to become general staff officer assigned to the military airshipLZ 12 Sachsen.[4]

Army career[edit]

In uniform as adjutant to Charles I of Württemberg, 1865
Zeppelin in 1900

In 1853, Count Zeppelin left to attend thepolytechnicat Stuttgart, and in 1855 he became a cadet of the military school atLudwigsburgand then started his career as an army officer in thearmy of Württemberg.[2]

By 1858, Zeppelin had been promoted tolieutenant,and that year he was given leave to study science, engineering and chemistry atTübingen.Würtemberg's mobilising for theAustro-Sardinian Warinterrupted this study in 1859 when he was called up to theIngenieurkorps(Würtembergengineering corps) atUlm.[5]

In 1863, Zeppelin took leave to act as an observer for the Union'sArmy of the Potomacin theAmerican Civil Warin Virginia. Later, he travelled to the Upper Midwest with a party that probably included two Russians. Led by Native American (probablyOjibwe) guides, they canoed and portaged from the western end of Lake Superior up theSt. Louis Riverand across toCrow Wing, Minnesota,on the Upper Mississippi River. On reaching St. Paul (via stagecoach and hired carriage), Zeppelin encountered German-born itinerant balloonist John Steiner and made his first aerial ascent with him from a site near the International Hotel in downtown St. Paul on 19 August.[citation needed]Many years later he attributed the beginning of his thinking about dirigible lighter-than-air craft to this experience.[6][7]

In 1865, Zeppelin was appointed adjutant of theKing of Württembergand as general staff officer participated in theAustro-Prussian Warof 1866. He was awarded theRitterkreuz(Knight's Cross) of theMilitary Merit Order of Württemberg.[2]In theFranco-Prussian Warof 1870–1871 a reconnaissance mission behind enemy lines, during which he narrowly avoided capture, made him famous among many Germans.[8]

From 1882 until 1885, Zeppelin was commander of the 19thUhlansin Ulm, and was then appointed to be the envoy of Württemberg in Berlin. In 1890, he gave up this post to return to army service, being given command of a Prussian cavalry brigade. His handling of this at the 1890 autumn manoeuvres was severely criticised and he was forced to retire from the Army,[9]albeit with the rank ofgeneralleutnant.

Promotions[edit]

  • 23 September 1858: Lieutenant (as of December 1871Second-Lieutenant,as of January 1899Leutnant)
  • 22 September 1862: Ober-Lieutenant (as of December 1871Premier-Lieutenant,as of January 1899Oberleutnant)
  • 31 March 1866:Rittmeister
  • 4 May 1873: Major
  • 18 September 1880: Oberstlieutenant (as of January 1899Oberstleutnant)
  • 12 January 1884: Oberst
  • 4 August 1888: Generalmajor
  • 18 November 1890: Generallieutenant (as of January 1899Generalleutnant)
  • 5 December 1905: Charakter als General der Kavallerie

Airships[edit]

Ferdinand von Zeppelin served as an official observer with the Union Army during theAmerican Civil War.[10]During thePeninsular Campaign,he visited the balloon camp ofThaddeus S. C. Loweshortly after Lowe's services were terminated by the Army. Von Zeppelin then travelled to St. Paul, MN where the German-born former Army balloonist John Steiner offered tethered flights. His first ascent in a balloon, made atSaint Paul, Minnesotaduring this visit, is said to have been the inspiration of his later interest in aeronautics.[6]

Zeppelin's ideas for largeairshipswere first expressed in a diary entry dated 25 March 1874. Inspired by a recent lecture given byHeinrich von Stephanon the subject of "World Postal Services and Air Travel", he outlined the basic principle of his later craft: a large rigidly-framed outerenvelopecontaining a number of separate gasbags.[11]In 1887, the success ofCharles RenardandArthur Krebs' 1884 airshipLa Franceprompted him to send a letter to theKing of Württembergabout the military necessity for dirigibles and the lack of German development in this field.[12]

After his resignation from the army in 1891 at age 52, Zeppelin devoted his full attention to airships.[10][13]He hired the engineerTheodor Grossto make tests of possible materials and to assess available engines for both fuel efficiency and power-to-weight ratio. He also had air propellers tested and strove to obtain higher purity hydrogen gas from suppliers.[14]Zeppelin was so confident of his concept that in June 1891 he wrote to the King of Württemberg's secretary, announcing he was to start building, and shortly after requested a review from the Prussian Army's Chief of General Staff. The next day Zeppelin almost gave up as he realized he had underestimated air resistance,[15]but resumed work on hearing thatHans Bartsch von Sigsfeldmade light but powerful engines, information soon shown to be overoptimistic. Whereupon Zeppelin urged his supporterMax von Duttenhoferto pressDaimler-Motoren-Gesellschaftfor more efficient engines so as not to fall behind the French.[16]Duttenhofer wrote to Gross threatening to withdraw support, and Zeppelin shortly afterwards sacked Gross, citing Gross's lack of support and writing that he was "an obstacle in my path".[16]

Despite these setbacks, Zeppelin's organization had refined his idea: a rigid aluminium framework covered in a fabric envelope; separate multiple internal gas cells, each free to expand and contract thus obviating the need forballonets;modular frame allowing addition of sections and gas cells; controls, engines and gondola rigidly attached. After publishing the idea in March 1892 he hired the engineerTheodor Koberwho started work testing and further refining the design.[17]Zeppelin submitted Kober's 1893 detailed designs to thePrussian Airship Service,[18]whose committee reviewed it in 1894.[18]In June 1895 this committee recommended minimum funds be granted, but withdrew this offer and rejected the design in July.[19]

One month later, in August 1895, Zeppelin received a patent for Kober's design, described as an "airship-train" (Lenkbarer Luftfahrzug mit mehreren hintereinanderen angeordneten Tragkörpern[Steerable airship-train with several carrier structures arranged one behind another].)[20][21]The patent describes an airship consisting of three rigid sections flexibly connected. The front section, intended to contain the crew and engines, was 117.35 m (385.0 ft) long with a gas capacity of 9514 cu m (336,000 cu ft): the middle section was 16 m (52 ft 6 in) long with an intended useful load of 599 kg (1,321 lb) and the rear section 39.93 m (131.0 ft) long with an intended load of 1,996 kg (4,400 lb)[22]

In early 1896, Zeppelin's lecture on steerable airship designs given to theAssociation of German Engineers (VDI)so impressed them that the VDI launched a public appeal for financial support for him.[21]This led to a first contact withCarl Bergwho supplied aluminium alloys which Zeppelin had tested, and by May 1898 they, together withPhilipp Holzmann,[23]Daimler,Max von Eyth,Carl von Linde,andFriedrich Voith,had formed the joint stock companyGesellschaft zur Förderung der Luftschiffahrt.[21]Zeppelin invested 441,000 Marks, over half the total capital.[21][23]Actual construction then started of what was to be the first successful rigid airship, theZeppelin LZ1.

Berg's involvement with the project later led to allegations that Zeppelin had used the patent and designs ofDavid Schwarz's airship of 1897. Berg had signed a contract with Schwartz under the terms of which he undertook not to supply aluminium to any other airship manufacturer. He later made a payment to Schwartz's widow as compensation for dissolving this arrangement.[24]Claims that Zeppelin had been influenced by Schwartz were denied by Eckener in 1938[25]and also rejected by later historians. Zeppelin's design was "radically different"[26]in both its scale and its framework from that of Schwarz.

First flight of the LZ 1

On 2 July 1900, Zeppelin made the first flight with theLZ 1overLake ConstancenearFriedrichshafenin southern Germany. The airship rose from the ground and remained in the air for 20 minutes, but was damaged on landing. After repairs and some modifications two further flights were made by LZ 1 in October 1900, However the airship was not considered successful enough to justify investment by the government, and since the experiments had exhausted Count Zeppelin's funds, he was forced to suspend his work.[27]

Zeppelin still enjoyed the support of the King of Württemberg, who authorised a state lottery which raised 124,000 marks. A contribution of 50,000 marks was received from Prussia, and Zeppelin raised the remainder of the necessary money by mortgaging his wife's estates. Still supported by Daimler and Carl Berg, construction of his second airship, theLZ 2,was started in April 1905. It was completed by 30 November, when it was first taken out of its hangar, but a ground-handling mishap caused the bows to be pulled into the water, damaging the forward control surfaces. Repairs were completed by 17 January 1906, when LZ 2 made its only flight. Too much ballast was jettisoned on takeoff, causing the airship to rise to an altitude of 427 m (1,401 ft). Here a stiff breeze was encountered, and although the airship was at first able to overcome this, the failure of the forward engine due to cooling problems followed by the failure of the other due to a broken clutch-spring left the airship at the mercy of the wind. It was brought down nearKissleggin theAllgäumountains, with some damage caused by the stern's striking some trees during mooring, but was more severely damaged by high winds the following night, and had to be dismantled.[28]

In May 1906, work started on a third airship,LZ 3.This was the same size and configuration as LZ 2, but had a greater gas capacity. Finished by the end of the year, it made two successful flights at a speed of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), and in 1907 attained a speed of 36 miles per hour (58 km/h).[10]The success of LZ 3 produced a change in the official attitude to his work, and theReichstagvoted that he should be awarded 500,000 marks to continue his work.[29]However the purchase by the Government of an airship was made conditional on the successful completion of a 24‑hour trial flight. Knowing that this was beyond the capabilities of LZ 3, work was started on a larger airship, theLZ 4.This first flew on 20 June 1908. The final financial breakthrough only came after the Zeppelin LZ 4 was destroyed by fire atEchterdingenafter breaking free of its moorings during a storm. The airship's earlier flights had excited public interest in the development of the airships, and a subsequent collection campaign raised over 6 million German marks. The money was used to create the 'Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin GmbH' and the Zeppelin foundation (Zeppelin Stiftung).[30]

Following the destruction of LZ 4, LZ 3, which had been damaged when the floating hangar broke free of its mooring during a storm, was repaired: at the same time it was lengthened by 8 m. It was re-inflated on 21 October 1908 and after a series of short test flights a flight lasting 5 hours 55 minutes took place on 27 October with the Kaiser's brother,Admiral Prince Heinrich,on board. On 7 November, withCrown Prince Williamas a passenger,[31] it flew 80 km (50 mi) toDonaueschingen,where the Kaiser was then staying. In spite of poor weather conditions, the flight succeeded: two days later LZ 3 was officially accepted by the Government and on 10 November Zeppelin was rewarded with an official visit to Friedrichshafen by the Kaiser, during which a short demonstration flight over Lake Constance was made and Zeppelin awarded theOrder of the Black Eagle.[32]

Although a replacement for LZ 4, theLZ 5was built and accepted into Army service as L II, Zeppelin's relationship with the military authorities continued to be poor, and deteriorated considerably due to his criticism of the Army following the loss of L II, which was carried away from its moorings and wrecked on 25 April 1910.[33]However, the business director of Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin,Alfred Colsman,came up with a scheme to capitalise on the public enthusiasm for Zeppelin's airships by establishing a passenger-carrying business.

Up until 1914 the German Aviation Association (Deutsche LuftschiffahrtsgesellschaftorDELAG) transported 37,250 people on over 1,600 flights without an incident.[34]Within a few years the zeppelin revolution began creating the age of air transportation. During theFirst World War,Imperial Germanydecided to deploy Zeppelins as long-distance bombers, launchingnumerous attacks upon Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom.

Other aircraft[edit]

Family[edit]

Count Everhard von Zeppelin, Second Lieutenant in the German Lancers, married November 1895, Mamie McGarvey, daughter of William H. McGarvey, owner of the oil wells ofGaliciaand his wife, Helena J. Wesolowska. A former Count von Zeppelin married a granddaughter of the 1st Earl of Ranfurly.[35]

Legacy[edit]

Bust of Zeppelin in theAeronauticumatNordholz

Count Zeppelin died early in 1917, before the end ofWorld War I.He did not live to witness either the provisional shutdown of the Zeppelin project due to theTreaty of Versaillesor the second resurgence of the Zeppelins under his successorHugo Eckener. The unfinishedWorld War IIGerman aircraft carrierGraf Zeppelin,and two rigid airships, the world-circlingLZ 127Graf Zeppelin,andLZ 130Graf Zeppelin II,twin to theHindenburg,were named after him.

In 1975, Zeppelin was inducted into theInternational Air & Space Hall of Fame.[36]

Cultural references[edit]

The name of the British rock groupLed Zeppelinderives from his airships. His granddaughter Countess Eva von Zeppelin once threatened to sue them for illegal use of their family name while they were performing inCopenhagen.[37]

A 1974 episode ofMonty Python's Flying Circus(Series 4, Episode 1,The Golden Age Of Ballooning) features a skit in which Count Zeppelin (Graham Chapman) has taken various members of the government up in his ship for a promotional flight, only to get angry and throw each guest out of the ship'sgondola(while still in the air) over the perceived insult of everyone referring to the craft as aballooninstead of his preferredairshiporZeppelin.

Honours and awards[edit]

Orders and decorations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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  2. ^abc"Zeppelin Biographie".Archived fromthe originalon 20 February 2009.Retrieved4 April2009.
  3. ^"RootsWeb: GEN-DE-L Re: Zeppelin and Brandenstein family".Retrieved4 April2009.
  4. ^Lehmann
  5. ^"Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin"(in German). Deutsches Historisches Museum.Retrieved6 December2012.
  6. ^abThis article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920)."Zeppelin, Ferdinand".Encyclopedia Americana.
  7. ^"John Steiner Balloon Ascension Ambrotype, 1857".National Air and Space Museum.Smithsonian Institution. 16 May 2016. Archived fromthe originalon 13 June 2018.Retrieved9 March2017.
  8. ^"The German Official Account Of The Franco-German War".The Times.No. 27517. London. 25 October 1872. p. 10.
  9. ^"Zeppelin Biographie".Archived fromthe originalon 16 November 2009.Retrieved4 April2009.
  10. ^abcChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1922)."Zeppelin, Count Ferdinand von".Encyclopædia Britannica(12th ed.). London & New York: The Encyclopædia Britannica Company.
  11. ^Robinson 1973 p. 13
  12. ^Dooley 2004, p. 176
  13. ^ Harry Vissering (1922)."Zeppelin: The Story of a Great Achievement".In 1887 Zeppelin submitted a memorandum to the King of Württemberg in which he explained in detail the requirements of a really successful airship and stated many reasons why such airships ought to be large and of rigid construction. However, nothing of importance was actually accomplished until he resigned as a General in 1891 in order to give his full time to his invention.
  14. ^Dooley 2004, p. 177
  15. ^Dooley 2004, p. 178
  16. ^abDooley 2004, p. 179
  17. ^Dooley 2004, p. 181
  18. ^abDooley 2004, p. 187
  19. ^Dooley 2004, p. 188
  20. ^Dooley 2004, p. 190
  21. ^abcdefgh Ernst-Heinrich Hirschel; Horst Prem; Gero Madelung (2004).Aeronautical Research in Germany: From Lilienthal Until Today.Springer. pp.25–26.ISBN978-3-540-40645-7.
  22. ^Robinson 1973 pp. 15–16
  23. ^abDooley 2004, pp. 193–194
  24. ^Dooley 2004, p. 193
  25. ^Eckener 1938, pp. 210–211. "It is obvious at the first glance that the Zeppelin ship had nothing but its aluminium in common with the Schwarz machine, not to mention that Count Zeppelin had fixed the essential features long before Schwarz' ship appeared."
  26. ^Dooley 2004, p. 191
  27. ^Robinson 1973 p. 28
  28. ^Robinson 1973 p. 30
  29. ^Robinson 1973, p. 33
  30. ^Dooley 2004, p. 200
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  32. ^Robinson p. 43.
  33. ^Robinson 1973, p. 48.
  34. ^ Lehmann Chapter I "All told, 37,250 passengers had been carried, 1,600 flights made, 3,200 hours spent in the air and 90,000 miles flown without accident"
  35. ^Morgan, Henry James,ed. (1903).Types of Canadian Women and of Women who are or have been Connected with Canada.Toronto: Williams Briggs. p.347.
  36. ^Sprekelmeyer, Linda, editor.These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame.Donning Co. Publishers, 2006.ISBN978-1-57864-397-4.
  37. ^Led Zeppelin – Official Websiteat ledzeppelin.com
  38. ^"Verzeichnis der Ehrenpromotionen".Archiv der Universität Leipzig(in German). Archived fromthe originalon 22 January 2021.Retrieved12 November2022.
  39. ^Peter Meyer (1980).Luftschiffe. Die Geschichte der deutschen Zeppeline.Koblenz/Bonn: Wehr&Wissen. p. 24.ISBN3-8033-0302-8.
  40. ^"Ehrenpromovenden der TH/TU Dresden".Technische Universität Dresden(in German).
  41. ^Ehrenmitglieder der Gesellschaft für Naturkunde in Württemberg
  42. ^abcdefghi"Militärisches Gefolge Seiner Majestät des Kaisers und Königs",Rangliste de Königlich Preußischen Armee(in German), Berlin: Ernst Siegfried Mittler & Sohn, 1914, p. 1156 – via hathitrust.org
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  44. ^ab"Königliche Orden",Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg(in German), Stuttgart: Landesamt, 1889, pp.35,56,63
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  54. ^"Großherzogliche Hausorden",Staatshandbuch für das Großherzogtum Sachsen / Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach(in German), Weimar: Böhlau, 1896, p.65
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  57. ^Bille-Hansen, A. C.; Holck, Harald, eds. (1912) [1st pub.:1801].Statshaandbog for Kongeriget Danmark for Aaret 1912[State Manual of the Kingdom of Denmark for the Year 1912](PDF).Kongelig Dansk Hof- og Statskalender (in Danish). Copenhagen: J.H. Schultz A.-S. Universitetsbogtrykkeri. pp. 17–18 – viaDIS Danmark[da].
  58. ^ab"Militar-Etat",Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreich Württemberg(in German), Stuttgart: Landesamt, 1869, p. 89

Bibliography[edit]

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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