ZEPPELINS

Friedrichshafen (Germany)-Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin launched his first flying machine from Lake Constance here in 1900. Thus began a chapter of aviation history that would propel Friedrichshafen onto the world stage, make it a prominent target for Allied bombs during World War II and ultimately bequeath to the city a sizable foundation financed by the successor companies to von Zeppelin’s original enterprise. The foundation generates between $60 million and $80 million a year for a population of just 57,000. That largess supports projects as varied as school lunches for underprivileged children, sports teams and a new library. It was the threat of losing the foundation that nudged the town fathers to get back into the zeppelin business two decades ago.

That prudent choice kept the foundation in the city’s hands. It may yet prove a good business decision in its own right. Since the new line of zeppelins first took flight here 11 years ago, the company, ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik , has built only four, including the prototypeand sold only two. With that money, von Zeppelin started a foundation dedicated to developing airships. As zeppelins enjoyed their heyday passenger service from Germany reached as far as Brazil the count’s successors built a variety of businesses to provide technology for ever more advanced zeppelins.

Zeppelins are used for a variety of purposes, including air-quality testing and crowd surveillance at public events. And Friedrichshafen remains an economic success, thanks to the many zeppelin businesses. Its region enjoys a remarkably low unemployment of just 2.5%. But for the people here it is also important that the zeppelins not remain the brontosaurus of the skies but return to their rightful place over Lake Constance.