Hans von Schiller

Hans von Schiller was famous for over twenty years as an airship Zeppelin crew member and captain. Born in 1891 in Schleswig-Holstein, the young Hans von Schiller joined the navy at the beginning of World War I. He was Impatient for action and so volunteered for Zeppelin service[1] and was active on numerous Zeppelin raids against the British from a base at Tonder in Denmark - now the site of an excellent Zeppelin museum.

After the war, Hans continued his career to become a world pioneer in international air travel. He was on board Zeppelins for flights to the Arctic and even a journey to circumnavigate the world. He captained innumerable flights to the USA and South America (from Germany) until the Lakehurst tragedy in 1937 brought an end to this form of travel. It was only because of a delay in Rio that he was unable to reach Friedrichshafen to join the last flight of the Hindenburg.

International flights in comfort and speed crossing oceans as well as mountains with ease, placed Von Schiller and his colleagues in public regard that we would now give to astronauts.

Only a few non-commercial flights were conducted after the Hindenburg disaster and so Captain Von Schiller was forced to look for other work. He accepted a position as commander of the air base at Cologne in 1939 (Flight magazine 1939). Major Von Schiller and his family survived the onslaught of the thousand bomber raids on Cologne, and he was later transferred from the Commander at Butzweilerhof air base to be in charge of the Norwegian air-sea rescue group (Seenotdienstführer 5), promoted to the Luftwaffe rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).

At war’s end, he returned to Cologne to help clear the Rhine, and by 1948 he was made head of the Rhine ports for Cologne.

Von Schiller went on to author several books on the wonders of Zeppelin flight. He eventually went into retirement and lived near Stuttgart[1] until his death in 1976, survived by two of his three children. His ashes are scattered in the Airship pioneers section of the Cemetery in Freidrichshafen. This delightful town on the Bodensee hosts another outstanding museum dedicated to the zeppelin airships.

References

  1. 1 2 Len Deighton (12 June 2010). "The lost cathedrals of the sky: A heartfelt lament". Daily Mail. Retrieved 22 August 2010.

Author: Hans von Schiller; Kurt Peter Karfeld Publisher: Leipzig, Bibliographisches Institut Ag. [1938]

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