The dirigible "Schwaben" over the flying ground at Landau (Foto: Bernhard Klinckerfuß)

The DELAG-dirigibles LZ 6 - LZ 13

It was a great problem for the Count of Zeppelin, to get orders for his airships from the German-Military or other carriers. So he established an own company, named "DELAG - Deutsche Luftschiffahrts AG", for using the Zeppelins for comercial-passenger-flights, .

Before the begin of the I Word War 1914, the DELAG transported about 37.250 passengers, most of them on town to town or round-flights.

The people came with the "Sonntagshääs" (nice closes), to see the Zeppelin (Foto: Bernhard Klinckerfuß)

The DELAG-dirigibles (LZ 6 - no name; LZ 7 "Deutschland I"; LZ 8 "Deutschland II"; LZ 10 "Schwaben"; LZ 11 "Viktoria Luise; LZ 13 "Hansa") had the same barrel-form like the first Zeppelins. Between the open front- and backside-gondolas there was a luxury passenger-gondola for 10 - 25 passengers with big panorama-windows. Even service with meals and drinks were offered.

Mainly by bad weather, the DELAG lost several airships, fortunately most time without damage of persons. Only when the "Schwaben" burned, 39 people died.

There is a wonderfull series of stereoviews (more than 30 pictures), made at the Internationalen Luftschiffahrt-Ausstellung at Frankfurt 1909. There is shown the Zeppelin and Parseval, further the areal, early aeroplanes and a view pictures from the air. The photographer was: Arthur Hoffschild (königl. rumänischer Hoffotograph) and they were sold by: Eduard Blum, Kaiserstr. 73, Frankfurt a/M. But they are very rare.

The Universal Stereoskop Comp., Hamburg sold a stereoview (Nr. 218) with the size 9 x 18 cm titeled: "5 Zeppelinluftschiff "Schwaben" bei der Landung in Potsdam. V". Because of the number, it could be a image out of a series.

The painting-artist, Mr. Bernhard Klinckerfuß, who is the Photographer of images of the LZ 4. He made pictures of the airship "Schwaben" in autumn 1910 and at the following summer at Landau, too. There are 8 glas-plate-stereoviews, which are in holding of his grandchilds.

One more image of the LZ 10 "Schwaben" has the "Förderverein für Kaiser-Panoramen e.V.).
One Stereoview from a military maneuver owns a friend of mine. But there are no annual details and the dirigible is only very small, so I don't know, which kind of airship it was. In spring 2004, there was sold at ebay 4 images of the LZ 11 "Viktoria Luise" inside the hangar of Frankfurt + 1 picture of the hagar-door.

I'm sure, that there are a lot of further private stereoviews. If someone has some, I would be glad to get a message.