The Zeppelin LZ 1 was the first successful experimental rigid airship . It was first flown from a floating hangar on Lake Constance , near Friedrichshafen in southern Germany, on 2 July 1900. "LZ" stood for Luftschiff Zeppelin , or "Airship Zeppelin ".
61-521: Count Zeppelin had been devoting his energies to the design of large rigid-framed airships since his retirement from the army in 1890. In 1898 he established the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Luftschifffahrt. The company had a subscribed capital of 800,000 Deutschmarks, of which Zeppelin contributed 300,000 Deutschmarks: the remainder was provided by various industrialists, including 100,000 Deutschmarks contributed by Carl Berg , whose company provided
122-688: 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, albeit with the rank of generalleutnant . Ferdinand von Zeppelin served as an official observer with the Union Army during the American Civil War . During the Peninsular Campaign , he visited the balloon camp of Thaddeus S. C. Lowe shortly after Lowe's services were terminated by
183-573: A distance of 6.0 km (3.7 mi) in 17 minutes, but by then the moveable weight had jammed and one of the engines had failed: the wind then forced an emergency landing. After repairs and alterations, the ship flew two more times, on 17 and 24 October. It showed its potential by beating the speed record of 6 kilometres per hour (3.2 kn; 3.7 mph) then held by the French Army 's electric-powered non-rigid airship La France , but this did not convince any potential investors. Because funding
244-637: A favorable exchange rate between the Swiss franc and the euro , and a generous German VAT refund for non- European Union residents. Retail chains such as H&M and dm have built large new stores near the town's central square to cater to this trade, and some Konstanz residents feel the city is losing its historic character in the process; many of them avoid the area on Saturdays. This has led to friction with officials from Kreuzlingen as their city has seen no economic benefit from this trade, and they have been requesting that their national government bring up
305-404: 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,
366-519: A payment to Schwartz's widow as compensation for dissolving this arrangement. Claims that Zeppelin had been influenced by Schwartz were denied by Eckener in 1938 and also rejected by later historians. Zeppelin's design was "radically different" in both its scale and its framework from that of Schwarz. On 2 July 1900, Zeppelin made the first flight with the LZ ;1 over Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen in southern Germany. The airship rose from
427-486: A recent lecture given by Heinrich von Stephan on the subject of "World Postal Services and Air Travel", he outlined the basic principle of his later craft: a large rigidly-framed outer envelope containing a number of separate gasbags. In 1887, the success of Charles Renard and Arthur Krebs ' 1884 airship La France prompted him to send a letter to the King of Württemberg about the military necessity for dirigibles and
488-684: 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 Luftschiffahrtsgesellschaft or DELAG ) transported 37,250 people on over 1,600 flights without an incident. Within a few years the zeppelin revolution began creating the age of air transportation. During the First World War , Imperial Germany decided to deploy Zeppelins as long-distance bombers, launching numerous attacks upon Belgium, France, and
549-599: A site near the International Hotel in downtown St. Paul on 19 August. Many years later he attributed the beginning of his thinking about dirigible lighter-than-air craft to this experience. In 1865, Zeppelin was appointed adjutant of the King of Württemberg and as general staff officer participated in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) of
610-769: 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's gondola (while still in the air) over the perceived insult of everyone referring to the craft as a balloon instead of his preferred airship or Zeppelin . Konstanz Konstanz ( / ˈ k ɒ n s t ə n t s / KON -stənts , US also / ˈ k ɔː n s t ɑː n t s / KAWN -stahnts , German: [ˈkɔnʃtants] or [ˈkɔnstants] , Alemannic German: [ˈkoʃd̥əts, ˈxoʃd̥əts] ), traditionally known as Constance in English,
671-456: 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, with Crown Prince William as a passenger, it flew 80 km (50 mi) to Donaueschingen , where
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#1732781003762732-594: 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 ). Following the destruction of LZ 4, LZ 3, which had been damaged when the floating hangar broke free of its mooring during
793-530: 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). The success of LZ 3 produced a change in the official attitude to his work, and the Reichstag voted that he should be awarded 500,000 marks to continue his work. However
854-619: Is a university city with approximately 83,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south of Germany . The city houses the University of Konstanz and was the residence of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Konstanz for more than 1,200 years. The city is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg and situated at the banks of Lake Constance ( Bodensee in German). The river Rhine , which starts in
915-606: Is at Friedrichshafen , which can be reached by a fast ferry service on the lake, which also connects Konstanz to other lakeside towns. The airport mainly hosts domestic flights, but flights to Austria and Turkey are available. The nearest international airports are in Stuttgart , in Basel , and Zurich , which has a direct train from Konstanz. Bus services within the city are provided by Stadtwerke Konstanz GmbH . Additionally Konstanz and Friedrichshafen have been connected by
976-861: Is linked via two connectors (in both directions) to the Lake Line , which runs along the Swiss shore of Lake Constance and the High Rhine . It is indirectly also linked to the Wil–Kreuzlingen railway line to Weinfelden , with connections to long-distance trains in Switzerland. Services are provided by the Deutsche Bahn AG and also the Swiss Federal Railways and its subsidiaries Thurbo and SBB GmbH . The nearest airport
1037-592: The Association of German Engineers (VDI) so impressed them that the VDI launched a public appeal for financial support for him. This led to a first contact with Carl Berg who supplied aluminium alloys which Zeppelin had tested, and by May 1898 they, together with Philipp Holzmann , Daimler, Max von Eyth , Carl von Linde , and Friedrich Voith , had formed the joint stock company Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Luftschiffahrt . Zeppelin invested 441,000 Marks, over half
1098-648: The Augsburg Confession . However, in 1548 Emperor Charles V imposed the Imperial Ban on Konstanz and it had to surrender to Habsburg Austria which had suddenly attacked. Thus Konstanz lost its status as an imperial city. The new Habsburg rulers were eager to re-Catholicise the town and in 1604 a Jesuit College was opened. Its accompanying theatre, built in 1610, is the oldest theatre in Germany still performing regularly. The city became part of
1159-500: The German Universities Excellence Initiative , has gained considerable reputation as a so-called "elite university". Konstanz was the birthplace of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin , constructor of the famous Zeppelin airships . In the late 2010s, Konstanz has become a popular destination for Einkaufstourismus , or cross-border shopping by Swiss due to lower prices on basic items in Germany,
1220-1024: The Grand Duchy of Baden in 1806. In 1821, the Bishopric of Constance was dissolved and became part of the Archdiocese of Freiburg . Konstanz became part of the German Empire in 1871 during the unification of Germany . After World War I it was included within the Republic of Baden . On 22 October 1940, 110 of the last Jewish residents were deported to Gurs internment camp in France. Most of those who were still alive in August 1942 were murdered in either Sobibór or Auschwitz . Because it almost lies within Switzerland , directly adjacent to
1281-403: The LZ 5 was 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. However, the business director of Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin, Alfred Colsman , came up with
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#17327810037621342-673: The Military Merit Order of Württemberg . In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 a reconnaissance mission behind enemy lines, during which he narrowly avoided capture, made him famous among many Germans. From 1882 until 1885, Zeppelin was commander of the 19th Uhlans in 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
1403-657: The Roman province of Raetia . Its later name, originally Constantia , comes either from the Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus , who fought the Alemanni in the region and built a strong fortress around 300 AD, or from his grandson Constantius II , who visited the region in 354. The remains of the late Roman fortress Constantia were discovered in 2003. Around 585 the first bishop took up residence in Konstanz and this marked
1464-628: The Swabian War of 1499, Konstanz lost its last privileges over Thurgau to the Confederation. The Protestant Reformation took hold in Konstanz in the 1520s, headed by Ambrosius Blarer . Soon the city declared itself officially Protestant , pictures were removed from the churches, and the bishop temporarily moved to Meersburg , a small town across the lake. The city first followed the Tetrapolitan Confession , and then
1525-590: The Swiss Alps , passes through Lake Constance and leaves it, considerably larger, by flowing under a bridge connecting the two parts of the city. North of the river lies the larger part of the city with residential areas, industrial estates, and the University of Konstanz; while south of the river is the old town, which houses the administrative centre and shopping facilities in addition to the Hochschule or
1586-491: The University of Applied Sciences . Car ferries provide access across Lake Constance to Meersburg , and the Katamaran provides a shuttle service for pedestrians to Friedrichshafen . The Germany–Switzerland border runs along the southwestern and southern edge of the city, demarcating it from the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen . Konstanz is subdivided into 15 wards or districts ( Stadtteile ). The island of Mainau belonged to
1647-780: The Zeppelin rigid airships. His name became synonymous with airships and dominated long-distance flight until the 1930s. He founded the company Luftschiffbau Zeppelin . Ferdinand was the scion of a noble family [ de ] . Zepelin , the family's eponymous hometown, is a small community outside the town of Bützow in Mecklenburg . Ferdinand was the son of Württemberg Minister and Hofmarschall Friedrich 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 near Konstanz , where he
1708-535: The aluminium framework of the airship. The company first constructed a large floating shed to contain the airship. This arrangement was decided on firstly because Zeppelin believed that landing the ship over water would be safer and secondly because the floating shed, moored only at one end, would turn so that it was always facing into the wind. The LZ 1 was constructed using a cylindrical framework with 16 wire-braced polygonal transverse frames and 24 longitudinal members covered with smooth surfaced cotton cloth. Inside
1769-466: 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 at Saint Paul, Minnesota during this visit, is said to have been the inspiration of his later interest in aeronautics. Zeppelin's ideas for large airships were first expressed in a diary entry dated 25 March 1874. Inspired by
1830-469: The French. 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". 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
1891-582: 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 the Order of the Black Eagle . Although a replacement for LZ 4,
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1952-537: 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, the LZ 2 , was started in April 1905. It was completed by 30 November, when it was first taken out of its hangar, but
2013-565: The Swiss border, Konstanz was not bombed by the Allied Forces during World War II . After the war, Konstanz was included first in South Baden and then in the new state of Baden-Württemberg . The Altstadt (Old Town), which is large considering the small size of modern Konstanz, has many old buildings and twisting alleys. The city skyline is dominated by Konstanz Cathedral , several other churches and three towers left over from
2074-580: The United Kingdom . Count Everhard von Zeppelin, Second Lieutenant in the German Lancers, married November 1895, Mary "Mamie" McGarvey, daughter of Canadian magnate William Henry McGarvey , owner of the oil wells of Galicia and his wife, Helena J. Weslowska. A former Count von Zeppelin married a granddaughter of the 1st Earl of Ranfurly . Count Zeppelin died early in 1917, before the end of World War I . He did not live to witness either
2135-634: The Upper Midwest with a party that probably included two Russians. Led by Native American (probably Ojibwe ) guides, they canoed and portaged from the western end of Lake Superior up the St. Louis River and across to Crow 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
2196-506: The airship began on 17 June 1898, when the first sections of the framework were delivered from Berg's factory and was completed by 27 January 1900. Inflation of the gasbags took place during June and the airship was first taken out of the shed on the evening of 2 July, with Hauptmann Hans Bartsch von Sigsfeld of the Prussian Airship Battalion at the controls. The first flight revealed serious structural deficiencies in
2257-584: The beginning of the city's importance as a spiritual center. By the late Middle Ages , about one quarter of Konstanz's 6,000 inhabitants were exempt from taxation on account of clerical rights. Trade thrived during the Middle Ages. Konstanz owned the only bridge in the region, which crossed the Rhine, making it a strategic location in the Duchy of Swabia . Its linen production had made an international name for
2318-599: The city and it was prosperous. In 1192, Konstanz gained the status of Imperial City so it was henceforth subject only to the Holy Roman Emperor . In 1414 to 1418, the Council of Constance took place, during which, on 6 July 1415, Jan Hus (Czech religious thinker, philosopher and reformer), who was seen as a threat to Christianity by the Roman Catholic Church , was burned at the stake . It
2379-565: The city wall, one of which marks the place of the former medieval bridge over the Rhine . The University of Konstanz was established close to the town in 1966. It houses a library with approximately two million books, all freely accessible 24 hours a day, as well as a botanical garden (the Botanischer Garten der Universität Konstanz ). Especially since 2007, the university, being one of the nine German universities most successful in
2440-436: 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) In early 1896, Zeppelin's lecture on steerable airship designs given to
2501-486: The design in July. 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].) The patent describes an airship consisting of three rigid sections flexibly connected. The front section, intended to contain
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2562-480: 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 near Kisslegg in the Allgäu mountains, 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. In May 1906, work started on
2623-481: The framework, and an attempt to remedy this was made by incorporating the walkway between the gondolas into a rigid keel structure. At the same time the moveable weight was increased to 150 kg (330 lb), the aft rudders moved from either side of the envelope to below it, and an elevator fitted below the nose. At its first trial the LZ 1 carried five people, reached an altitude of 410 m (1,350 ft) and flew
2684-468: 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. Zeppelin still enjoyed the support of
2745-666: The harbour. Close by stands the Imperia , a statue that was erected in 1993 to satirically commemorate the council. In 1460, the Swiss Confederacy conquered Thurgau , Konstanz's natural hinterland . Konstanz then made an attempt to get admitted to the Swiss Confederacy, but the forest cantons voted against its entry, fearing overbearing city states; Konstanz then joined the Swabian League instead. In
2806-540: The issue of the VAT refund with Germany. Subsequently, Germany has introduced a minimum spend amount of €50.01 per receipt for the German VAT to be refunded. Customs clearance centres are conveniently located near shopping centres. Its location in south-west Germany gives Konstanz a degraded oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ) with warm and humid summers (moderated by the lake) as well as cold and snowy winters. Konstanz
2867-420: The lack of German development in this field. After his resignation from the army in 1891 at age 52, Zeppelin devoted his full attention to airships. He hired the engineer Theodor Gross to 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. Zeppelin
2928-623: The need for ballonets ; 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 engineer Theodor Kober who started work testing and further refining the design. Zeppelin submitted Kober's 1893 detailed designs to the Prussian Airship Service , whose committee reviewed it in 1894. In June 1895 this committee recommended minimum funds be granted, but withdrew this offer and rejected
2989-629: The provisional shutdown of the Zeppelin project due to the Treaty of Versailles or the second resurgence of the Zeppelins under his successor Hugo Eckener . The unfinished World War II German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin , and two rigid airships, the world-circling LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin , and LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II , twin to the Hindenburg , were named after him. In 1975, Zeppelin
3050-424: 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, the LZ 4 . This first flew on 20 June 1908. The final financial breakthrough only came after the Zeppelin LZ 4 was destroyed by fire at Echterdingen after breaking free of its moorings during
3111-433: The start of World War I, after he was past military age, to become general staff officer assigned to the military airship LZ 12 Sachsen . In 1853, Count Zeppelin left to attend the polytechnic at Stuttgart, and in 1855 he became a cadet of the military school at Ludwigsburg and then started his career as an army officer in the army of Württemberg . By 1858, Zeppelin had been promoted to lieutenant , and that year he
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#17327810037623172-426: The total capital. Actual construction then started of what was to be the first successful rigid airship, the Zeppelin LZ1 . Berg's involvement with the project later led to allegations that Zeppelin had used the patent and designs of David 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
3233-446: The ward of Litzelstetten, a separate municipality, until its incorporation into Konstanz on 1 December 1971. The first traces of civilization in Konstanz date back to the late Stone Age . During the reign of Augustus , the Celts living south of the Danube were conquered by the Romans. Around 40 AD, the first Romans settled on the site. This small town on the left bank of the Rhine was probably first called Drusomagus and belonged to
3294-555: Was a row of 17 gas cells made from rubberized cotton. The airship was steered by forward and aft rudders and propulsion was provided by two 10.6 kW (14.2 hp) Daimler NL-1 internal-combustion engines , each driving two propellers mounted on the envelope. Pitch control was by use of a 100 kg (220 lb) weight suspended beneath the hull which could be winched forward or aft to control its attitude. Passengers and crew were carried in two 6.2 m (20 ft) long aluminium gondolas suspended forward and aft. Construction of
3355-484: Was also home to a large synagogue , destroyed by the Nazi government in 1938. Konstanz is twinned with: Konstanz station is the eastern terminus of the High Rhine Railway line, running westwards to Singen , with connections to all parts of Germany and the Swiss cities of Schaffhausen and Basel . There are three other stations in Konstanz along this line: Konstanz-Fürstenberg , Konstanz-Petershausen and Konstanz-Wollmatingen . In addition, Konstanz station
3416-441: Was educated by private tutors. Ferdinand married Isabella Freiin von Wolff in Berlin. She was from the house of Alt-Schwanenburg (located in the present-day town of Gulbene in Latvia, then part of Livonia ). They had a daughter, Helene (Hella) von Zeppelin (1879–1967) who in 1909 married Graf Alexander von Brandenstein-Zeppelin (1881–1949). Ferdinand had a nephew Baron Max von Gemmingen [ de ] , who volunteered at
3477-419: Was exhausted, Graf von Zeppelin had to dismantle the airship, sell the scrap and tools and liquidate the company. Data from Robinson 1973 pp.23-4 General characteristics Performance Ferdinand von Zeppelin Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin ( German : Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin ; 8 July 1838 – 8 March 1917) was a German general and later inventor of
3538-410: Was given leave to study science, engineering and chemistry at Tübingen . Würtemberg's mobilising for the Austro-Sardinian War interrupted this study in 1859 when he was called up to the Ingenieurkorps (Würtemberg engineering corps ) at Ulm . In 1863, Zeppelin took leave to act as an observer for the Union's Army of the Potomac in the American Civil War in Virginia. Later, he travelled to
3599-399: Was here that the Papal Schism was ended and Pope Martin V was elected during the only conclave ever held north of the Alps. Ulrich von Richental 's illustrated chronicle of the Council of Constance testifies to all the major happenings during the council as well as showing the everyday life of medieval Konstanz. The Konzilgebäude where the conclave was held can still be seen standing by
3660-418: Was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame . The name of the British rock group Led Zeppelin derives 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 in Copenhagen . A 1974 episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus ( Series 4, Episode 1, The Golden Age Of Ballooning ) features
3721-604: 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, but resumed work on hearing that Hans Bartsch von Sigsfeld made light but powerful engines, information soon shown to be overoptimistic. Whereupon Zeppelin urged his supporter Max von Duttenhofer to press Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft for more efficient engines so as not to fall behind
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