Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei

Germany

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The Zeppelin works, Luftschiffbau Zeppelin at Friedrichshafen in southern Germany, was founded in 1908 by Count von Zeppelin. A number of quite successful civil and military airships were produced before and during WW1. When Allied restrictions on aircraft manufacture in Germany were lifted in 1926, the production of the large LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin could start the year after, with the maiden flight in the autumn of 1928. After some test flights to South America during 1930 and 1931, Luftschiffbau Zeppelin opened a scheduled service between Friedrichshafen and Recife (Pernambuco) in northeastern Brazil in April 1932.

In March 1935, the South Atlantic flights became the responsibility of Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei, after this company had been set up jointly by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin, The German Air Ministry and Deutsche Lufthansa. The even larger airship, the LZ 129 Hindenburg joined the Graf Zeppelin in 1936, and, in addition to South Atlantic flights with its parter, inaugurated a service over the North Atlantic, between Frankfurt and Lakehurst in New Jersey, in the summer. Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei ceased operations as the commercial use of airships came to an abrupt end on May 6, 1937, when the Hindenburg exploded at Lakehurst.

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BL

April 1935 (issued February 1935)
Click to view the complete timetable

April 1936 (issued February 1936)
(From the collection of Michael Dawes)

June 1936
French edition (system)
(From the collection of Daniel Kusrow)
Click for views of the back cover and the interior

BL

March 15, 1937
US edition
(System)
Click for a view of the interior

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For quick comparison with other Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei timetables,
visit the Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei page of Perry Sloan's "AirTimes" site.

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A site with interesting and detailed articles on pre-WW2 European airlines is Rob Mulder's:

There is an article on The Zeppelin companies in Europe.

This page last updated December 24, 2019.