Hugo Eckener
| Hugo Eckener | |
|---|---|
Hugo Eckener in 1924
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| Full name | Dr Hugo Eckener |
| Born |
10 August 1868 Flensburg |
| Died | 14 August 1954 (aged 86) Friedrichshafen |
| Monuments | Hugo-Eckener-Schule, Hugo-Eckener-Saal (both Friedrichshafen) |
| Nationality | German |
| Spouse | Johanna Maaß (1871–1956) |
| Relatives | |
| Aviation career | |
| Known for | Airship designer, pilot, company manager |
| First flight | 16 May 1911 LZ 8, Deutschland II |
| Famous flights | 1928 first intercontinental passenger airship flight, 1929 flight around the world (the only such flight by an airship, and the second by an aircraft of any type) and 1931 Arctic flight |
| Flight license | 1911 |
Dr. Hugo Eckener (10 August 1868 – 14 August 1954) was the manager of the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin during the inter-war years, and also the commander of the famous Graf Zeppelin for most of its record-setting flights, including the first airship flight around the world, making him the most successful airship commander in history. He was also responsible for the construction of the most successful type of airships of all time. An anti-Nazi who was invited to campaign as a moderate in the German presidential elections, he was blacklisted by that regime and eventually sidelined.
Eckener was born in Flensburg as the first child of Johann Christoph Eckener from Bremen and Anna Lange, daughter of a shoemaker. As a youth he was judged an "indifferent student", and he spent summers sailing and winters ice skating.
Nevertheless, by 1892 under Professor Wilhelm Wundt, Eckener had earned a doctorate "magna cum laude" in what today might be deemed experimental psychology. at the University of Leipzig.
Eckener then began his military service in the Infantry Regiment 86 in Flensburg.
Eckener's early career was as a journalist and editor; by August 1893 he was working for the Flensburger Nachrichten; in October 1897 he married Johanna, daughter of the publisher family Maaß. He later became a correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung in 1905 and 1906, whilst writing a book on the social effects of capitalism.
Asked to cover the first flights of the Zeppelins LZ 1 and LZ 2, Eckener was critical of both airships' marginal performances, but praised Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin's dedication to his cause. Because several scientists and engineers had criticized his airship plans, the Count sought to speak to his critic and Eckener was so impressed by him that during October 1908 he agreed to be a part-time publicist for the Zeppelin Company. He became extremely interested in airships, and joined the company on a full-time basis.
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