Graf Zeppelin

Chicago Tribune, August 29, 1929

ZEP ENDS WORLD TRIP.
Chicago Streets Are Jammed for Sight of the Graf.
By Orville Dwyer.
The great Graf Zeppelin cruised over Chicago yesterday to the accompaniment of the most tremendous roar of welcome that ever went up to the skies from this mid-continent metropolis.

It was estimated that millions of persons took part in the demonstration. It seemed certain that most of the men, women and children in the far-flung metropolitan area saw and shouted a welcome to the silver ship. Many persons came from cities and towns within a radius of 100 miles or more to join in the welcome to the air liner.

Here for 18 Minutes.
The Zeppelin was first sighted by the throng in the loop about 5:20 p.m. It flew over the downtown district for approximately eighteen minutes and disappeared in the hazy eastern sky within three minutes after leaving the lake shore.

In the height of the clamor of welcome, all the loop buildings, as well as the streets, were jammed to the last window and, as on other festive occasions, spectators tossed clouds of out of windows. The paper shower came in thousands of pieces, big and small, from high in the air looked like a summer snow storm.

Flies Away Into East.
The sky giant came into Chicago from the west via Wheaton and Glen Ellyn, and when it had paid its respects to the city it flew away again, into the east.

Weather bureau officials here had warned radio stations to send word to Dr. Hugo Eckener, master of the air giant, that there was squally weather and blinding rain over lower Michigan and that the storm was moving south. ward rapidly toward his course over Indiana.

The officials advised the ship to take a deep curve around the center of Indiana. Commander Eckener got their messages, he must have believed bis gallant craft could ride out the weather, for he sailed it over the lower edge of Michigan, direct to Detroit.

ZEPPELIN SOARS OVER CHICAGO FOR 18 MINUTES.
Left:

Medinah Athletic Club brochure photo.

Right: The taller buildings on the near north side, shown in the picture, left to right, are: Palmolive, Allerton club, Wrigley, Medinah Athletic club, and the Tribune Tower. Thousands waved welcomes to the Zeppelin from their windows. Chicago Tribune, August 29, 1929 photo.

Clouds Lift as Zep Appears.
The weather was kind to the vast throng that gathered to see the air liner pass over the city. Rain clouds, which had hung low and threatening all during the late afternoon suddenly lifted after a few drops almost as the Zeppelin hove in sight.

As the big ship soared majestically across the loop, circled Tribune Tower, swung south to Soldiers’ field and then north again to Lincoln park and away across the lake, the clouds opened and for a brief time the sky cleared.

When the silver dirigible headed out over the lake and drove onward in a burst of speed rays of sunshine shot through the gray clouds, throwing on the air liner’s silver sheen a golden light. To the millions watching; the Zeppelin seemed to be disappearing in a halo.

A Rare Flight Picture.
It was a rare picture, exclaimed the thousands upon thousands who caught it from just the right angles, behind and somewhat to the left or right. One woman with a gift for imagery said it was as though the angels had turned their spot light on early so as to give the Zeppelin good start on its long cruise through the night to the end of its round the world flight at Lakehurst, N. J.

The millions who turned out and made a holiday of the occasion, start. gathering in the downtown district early in the morning. By noon thousands were out most of them gathered in Grant park from Randolph to Fourteenth streets. By early afternoon the streets in the loop were jammed and available parking space for automobiles was taken.

The vast throng in the downtown district got its first glimpse of th great ship as it came nosing out through a rift in the clouds. Like a big blunt bullet the Graf’s nose poked slowly out of the gray at the southwest corner of the loop.

For a moment the Zeppelin’s nose looked like a phantom pushing through s gray veil of silk. The thousand thronging the south end of Grant pari saw the silver shape come pushin; through the mist-then there was yell and a mighty roar.

Automobile horns took up the chorus, adding their din to the human lung power. Then engines on the Illinois Central joined the medley an‹ factory whistles all over the central section of the city and engines or other railroads added to the din. Tugs and larger boats swelled the volume of sound as the Zep swung north alone the river channel.

For a matter of minutes it was medley of such diversified sounds to make itself into one din such seldom before has been heard in Chicago. The continuing roar reminded the listener of that memorable day Nov. 11, 1918. Armistice day.

It is a question whether in point of volume the noise that for a time swept Chicago late yesterday did not eclipse that of almost eleven years ago. The roar of welcome that went up to the Zep and its master, crew and passengers included every noise making device known to modern man.

Gives Invalids a Thrill.
At St Luke’s hospital the hundreds of invalids who crowded the roof, the windows and fire escapes had an excellent view of the liner’s majestic lines. Many of those in the hospital sat in wheel chairs and they appeared to be yelling along with everybody else.

The ship swept north and northeast along the river, passed over the Michigan boulevard bridge and turned north as it neared the lake. It swung in a majestic half circle around Tribune Tower and moved south again, sailing west of the Wrigley building.

Heading across the river, the great dirigible passed south over the loop. About Jackson boulevard it nosed eastward again and in a sidewise glide went over to Soldiers’ field. The thousands gathered in the stadium gave a mighty cheer as the Zeppelin passed above them and hovered there a moment.

Then the sky liner turned north again, completing the figure eight ot its tour over the central district. Again it went humming past Tribune Tower and struck north along the lake shore to Lincoln pier, and headed east, picking up speed with a roar of its motor.

After the first outburst of welcome the throng stood at intervals of minutes just gazing at the majestic ship and forgetting to make any outery. Then, with the whistles and bells and sirens still going full blast, sections of the crowd seemed to come back to themselves and began their shouting all over again.

Crowds Fil Loop Streets.
The traffic jam in the loop, on every street, in Michigan avenue, on the driveways into Grant Park, and on the outer drives, was an unprecedented one from the time the Graf Zeppelin was sighted until several hours after it had disappeared in the eastern sky.

As soon as the ship was sighted and the roaring started, all drivers of auto-mobiles, no matter what their direc-tion, simply stopped their cars. They stopped them wherever they were, in the middle of streets, straight in traftic lanes or sidewise, on crossings and at curbs.

At the same time the pedestrians rushed into the streets and it became almost at once a jam of humans and ears that was immovable.

Traffic Police Helpless.
The autoists threw all rules to the winds, put the brakes on and climbed on their running boards and hoods and tops and stood thus clinging and craning their necks and shouting.

Policemen milled about in the streets in vain. They threatened and they bullied and blew their whistles, but nu one paid them the slightest attention, and soon they threw up their hands. shrugged their shoulders and turned their own eyes skyward.

Many of the policemen joined in the ovation. When it was all over they became policemen again and then for two hours they helped to untie one of the greatest tratic knots the city has ever known.

From airplanes it was possible to catch a glimpse of the big ship long before it nosed its way through the murky atmosphere of the loop. Reporters flying in planes at a height of 5,000 feet saw the Zeppelin hanging like a drop of quicksilver away at the west end the city fully twenty minutes before those on the lake front saw it.

The air liner rapidly grew larger as the planes sped towards it, and soon the two types of flying machine came close together at about Crawford avenue. The planes had to drop rapidly to descend to the Zeppelin’s approximate height of 1,200 feet, and from then on as the great dirigible moved eastward to the loop 28 planes buzzed about it like flies.

Speeds at 90 Miles an Hour.
Coming toward Chicago and once free from the high head winds which had checked its progress through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, the Graf earlier yesterday had picked up remarkable speed and sometimes was reported sailing eastward at 90 miles an hour.

The Zeppelin left Texas shortly after 3 a. m., Chicago daylight time, and it was first sighted over Oklahoma at Arapaho. It was then sailing at a good speed and started to cut across the oil fields, passing over Perry, Ponca City and Fairfax.

At the latter city Dr. Eckener altered his course to a more easterly one. He passed over Iola and on over Olathe to Kansas City, where a great throng turned out, waving and cheering the passengers and crew of the liner.

Sails Over Missouri and Iowa.
On leaving Kansas City, Commander Eckener sailed his silver craft through Missouri, passing successively over Excelsior Springs, Chillicothe and Milan. He crossed the Iowa border near Milton, and from there the ship was turned due eastward, passing over Farmington, Ia.

From Farmington, in the southeast corner of Iowa, the Graf was headed north, following the Mississippi past Muscatine. The ship crossed the Mississippi a few miles below Davenport at a Spot where the river’s width almost matched the dirigible’s length. A few minutes later it circled over Davenport, Moline, and Rock Island, and then headed toward Chicago.

Reports of the ship’s progress over Illinois were received every few minutes in Chicago. It was sighted in turn at Amboy, De Kalb, Geneva, Wheaton and Villa Park and other western suburbs.

DIRIGIBLE OVER THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN DISTRICT WHILE HEADED FOR THE NEAR NORTH SIDE.

ARRIVAL OF THE ZEPPELIN HALTS TRAFFIC ON INNER DRIVE IN GRANT PARK FOR HALF AN HOUR.
Scene on the inner drive at Jackson boulevard showing the boulevard blocked with autos whose drivers were more intent on getting a glimpse of the big gas bag than they were to continue on their journey. The police were kept busy trying te straighten out the traffic tangle.

Chicago Tribune, October, 7, 1933

Graf Zeppelin Stamps Will Go on Sale Today
Postmaster Ernest Kruetgen announced yesterday that the Graf Zeppelin will start about Oct. 14 on its trip from Friedrichshafen, Germany, to the World’s Fair via Brazil and that special stamps will be placed on sale today at the main United States postoffice.The stamps will be in 50 cent denomination only. Mail will be carried by the Graf at the rate of 50 cents for each half ounce to any of three places where the airship will stop after it leaves Chicago-Akron, O.; Seville, Spain, and Friedrichshafen. Under the proposed schedule the Zeppelin will leave the German city at 10 p. m. on Oct. 14 and reach Pernambuco, Brazil, on the evening of Oct. 17. After stops at Miami, Fla., and Akron, the huge ship is expected to arrive in Chicago Oct. 26 or 27.

Chicago Tribune, October 27, 1933

GERMAN ENVOY EXPOUNDS NAZI AIMS IN CHICAGO
Feted with Graf’s Commander.
At a Chicago banquet table draped with the swastika banner and the Stars and Stripes, Dr. Hans Luther, once chancellor of Germany, later president of the Reichsbank, and now German ambassador to Washington, set forth the creed of his present political chief, Adolph Hitler, in blunt words last night. An audience of 600, including bankers, industrialists and prominent German-Americans, attended the function given by the Union League club in its building.

The occasion marked the formal visit to A Century of Progress of Dr. Luther and another renowned German, Dr. Hugo Eckener, who had brought his dirigible Graf Zeppelin to Chicago to salute the Fair. Due to inclement weather, the Graf’s arrival was timed for an early hour yesterday before most Chicagoans had arisen. The ship stayed aground only twenty minutes at Curtiss-Wright air-port near Glenview because of the inclement weather, and the proposed flight to Milwaukee was canceled. Then the Zeppelin sailed over the Fair grounds and sped east to Akron, O., where it docked at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon.

ssociated Press Photo

Talks in Forthright Fashion.
In his one hour talk last evening, Dr. Luther treated of the Nazi position on disarmament, the league of nations, Germany’s alleged Imperialism. Jewish-American boycotts of German goods, and Chancellor Hitler’s social ideals. Delicate as some of these subjects might appear to be, Dr. Luther seemed to be following the Nazi formula of leaving no doubt as to where Herr Hitler stood.

Before entering the banquet room, Ambassador Luther and Dr. Eckener met some of the guests in a lounge upstairs. Among them were Rufus C. Dawes, president of A Century of Progress; Rear Admiral Wat T. Cluverius, commander of the Great Lakes Naval Training station; Carl Latham, president of the Chicago Bar association; Giuseppe Castruccio, Italian consul general for Chicago; and Fire Marshal Arthur Seyferlich, representing Mayor Kelly.

Sing Anthems of Two Lands.
A band struck up the German anthem, “Deutschland Ueber Alles,” as the party reached the banquet table, but few among the guests, aside from Dr. Luther and Dr. Eckener, seemed to know the words. “The Star Spangled Banner” was then played and the guests appeared to sound an especially fervent note on the phrases extolling “the land of the free.” After a speech by Mr. Dawes praising the inventive and scientific achievements of the German people, Dr. Luther opened his address.

On disarmament, he spoke in part as follows:

Demands Action, Not Words.
Henceforth we want action, not empty words. Clearly, we see our goal, which is complete disarmament. I wish to emphasize that our withdrawal from the league of nations does not mean that we refuse to cooperate with other nations. On the contrary, it goes without saying that we shall gladly accept the hand stretched out to us by any other nation.

Dr. Luther then took up the charges of German imperialism, charges that Herr Hitler would like to Nazify the world. He denied them in toto. He said such charges had hitherto been leveled against Russia, Great Britain, Japan and “even the United States.” He asked how Germany, a state no larger than Texas, with a few insignificant colonies in East Africa and the South Seas, could have been accused of imperialism, even before the war. He averred that Chancellor Hitler had recently forbidden even private discussion of such aims in an order to the whole people.

“My government aspires to something entirely different,” the ambassador explained, wherewith he launched into a discussion of what he interpreted as Hitler’s real aims.

“The ideals of National Socialism should be easily understood here in Chicago,” he averred. “Its conception is that nations should live their own cultural and political life, and that only those persons should belong to them who are really of the same inner kind. The Hitler government has no desire to annex foreign territories Hitler said literally that all this talk of a so-called Germanizing has to be stopped once and for all and that the German officials as well as citizens to private conversation should avoid giving nourishment to such talk.”

The ambassador minced no words In his discussion of anti-German boycotts, such as numerous Jewish organizations and the American Federation of Labor have recently, voted. Such boycotters he averred, were working against the interests of their own land.

Predicts Failure of Boycotts.
“I am of the opinion that the healthy common sense of the American people and their idealism doom to failure will these blows to the economic recovery of the world on the part of certain circles in the form of boycott activities,” he said. “I am convinced that the American people know how dangerous it is to misuse the fundamental principles of economy for political purposes. I may say with satisfaction that this political attempt to upset economic life is being discussed with increasing anxiety not only in private circles, but also in circles expressive of American public opinion.

“Germany is one of America’s best customers and has heretofore purchased twice the amount of goods she has sold to this country.

“Inasmuch as she is buying approximately $2 worth of goods from this country for every dollar’s worth she sells here, those propagating the anti-German boycott are calling for a policy directly opposed to important interests of their awn country.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the German people resent all pressure from the outside. On the other hand, national socialism does not intend to reach beyond the boundaries of its origin. It is not for export.”

The Nazi-fication of the Graf Zeppelin.

Discusses Unstable Money.
Dr. Luther said he would refrain from retrospective criticism of the departure of England and the United States from the gold standard. Nevertheless, he implied that the continued lack of stable currencies was a factor impeding international economic recovery.

“It is not my problem to ask why the international exchange of goods and services has shrunk,” he said. “We all know the facts. We know of the striving of all nations to make themselves economically self-sufficient. This process has gone so far that at present we possess no universally accepted standard of value for exchanged goods and services. The standard was always gold and was based on the gold we had in the dollar and pound.”

Dr. Luther made to direct reference to Nazi treatment of the Jews. He refrained also from alluding to the current German drive to Nazify Austria.

He concluded his address in a conciliatory tone.

“The rough road to progress leads through a conflict of ideas which does not mean a clash of arms but a conflict of the spirit,” he said. “The German people live in the hope of co-operating efficiently in finally achieving the ideals of peace and understanding among nations. They are struggling toward no other goal than a better world of tomorrow.”

Uniformed and plain clothes police were on duty at the affair.

Dr. Eckener was a center of attraction at the banquet. The weather beaten commander of the Graf smiled quizzically when Mr. Dawes paid tribute to his inventive genius and his courage and thanked the audience haltingly when all arose in tribute to his character. He made to reference to political questions of the glories of Nazi-ism in his brief remarks.

GERMAN DIRIGIBLE PAYS CHICAGO AND THE WORLD FAIR A VISIT; RETURNS TO AKRON HANGAR.

Eckener Sees Graf Depart.
Dr. Eckener spent a busy day in Chicago. After watching the departure of the Graf from Curtiss-Reynolds airport under command of Capt. E. A. Lehmann. Dr. Eckener proceeded to the Bismarck hotel. After a press conference there he went to the city hall and was received by Mayor Kelly.

At noon Dr. Eckener attended a luncheon given by the North German Lloyd at the Midday club. His official visit to A Century of Progress Exposition was paid at 3 p. m. With Dr. Luther be arrived at the 14th street entrance and reviewed the military escort sent to welcome him. Later there was a reception by President Dawes of the Fair in the trustees’ room of the Administration building. The air hero them snatched a brief bit of test before going to dinner at the Medinah temple.

Sees Zeppelin Terminal in East.
During the day Dr. Eckener discussed briefly his plans for a trans Atlantic mail service on lighter than air craft. He aid not believe, he said, that Chicago would be the western terminal of the service, as it wold be more practicable for the big ships to land near Richmond, Va.; Baltimore, Md.; of Washington, D. C., and then transfer mail to fast airplanes for transport overland.

He hazarded the rather rueful opinion that such a service would have to wait until bankers could be persuaded to finance it, “probably not until conditions have improved.”

Dr. Eckener will leave Chicago by United Air Lines plane this morning to rejoin the Graf Zeppelin at Akron. The take-off for the dirigible’s home port of Friedrichshafen, Germany, is tentatively scheduled for 8:30 a. m. tomorrow. The route to be followed is a southernly one that passes over Seville, Spain.

National Hotel Reporter, October 31, 1933

Around Chicago
Karl Eitel, of the Bismarck Hotel, was a guest on board the Graf Zeppelin on its recent visit to Chicago, returning with it to Akron. Mr. Eitel, who is a personal friend of Dr. Hugo Eckener, commander of the Graf Zeppelin, bad been extended an invitation by wire in advance of the Graf’s arrival in Chicago. With the invitation had been a request for reservations for the Commander and his aid, F. W. von Meister.

A touch of humor was injected into this situation when Mr. Eitel and the Commander exchanged greetings at the airport in Chicago after the Graf landed. Dr. Eckener was making arrangements to depart for the hotel for his stay in the city while Mr. Eitel was adapting himself to conditions on board the Graf. In parting, Dr. Eckener briefly remarked to Mr. Eitel, “Well, Karl, you take charge of the Graf for the day and I run your hotel for you.” Mr. Eitel returned from Akron by train the following morning eulogizing the marvels of the Zeppelin.

Chicago Tribune, November 12, 1933

FIRST LADY AND TWO NOTED GERMAN VISITORS SET BRISK PACE FOR SOCIAL MERRY-GO-ROUND.
By Cousin Eve
The Century of Progress lets down its drop curtain tonight, and the last avid visitors will fly away.

The Fair gave us a good year, a good time. Best beret in hand, we salute President Rufus
Dawes, his cabinet, board of trustees, bondholders, those Chicago citizens who made the venture go.

The presence of Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt in town sparkled up the last week. One went to a large luncheon for her in the Federal lounge, crowded with notable women. A tall, slight figure in bright blue satin, her mobile face was most serious, and she had the air of being weary.
But her charm of manner is perennial. The first six months in the White House are probably the hardest.

Motor Squad Escorts at Tea.
Then there was Dr. Hans Luther, German ambassador, and Dr. Hugo Eckener with his Graf Zeppelin, the German version of the Balbo visit. Those who heard the German ambassador said he spoke superbly and made an excellent case for Germany, convincing.

Dr. Luther, a former banker of great wealth, a widower and good looking man of the world, is already popular in Washington circles. While here he wished to pay his respects to a lady noted for her brilliancy and wit, a widow charming and handsome. His excellency called and found the lady out. He decided to wait.

Finally she returned to find the vestibule and foyer of her apartment house filled with
motorcycle men, police and private agents, all the way to her door.

“What does this mean?” was her query.

“Lady, we are here to protect the German ambassador.” Which shows, after all, what a name for charm we have here in Chicago. Visitors to tea with their motor squads! Life has been full of color with our World’s Fair.

Litvinov to Visit Deweys?
Even more colorful might be the visit to Chicago of Maxim Maximovich Litvinov, should he come to repay the visit paid him in Moscow by Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Dewey. Some time ago, on a diplomatic mission to Russia, they were the guests for a week of Foreign Minister Litvinov, occupying one wing of the ornate palace formerly that of a great sugar king. The beautiful building, very. Russian and very grand, is now the British embassy, and has been made over to suit English ideas of life and comfort. Mme. Litvinov is an Englishwoman of high connections, a niece of Sir Maurice Loew, and the Litvinov family occupied the opposite wing from the Deweys, so that the two families became not only well acquainted but friendly. A little boy and girl Litvinov were scampering back and forth continuously and most amusingly, Mr. and Mrs. Dewey found Foreign Minister Litvinov an intelligent and clever man, and his wife a woman of great ability. The Deweys’ week in Moscow was one of the most interesting and vivid of their lives.

Rather a red letter week, I imagine.

Balbo to Pay Return Visit to Chicago.
But whether Litvinov visits us or not, it has been Gen. Italo Balbo’s intention to return to Chicago and pay us a satisfactory visit before he leaves for his new and far away post as governor general of Libya.

And now, upon our own again, the pathway leads adventurously into winter. Still with a World’s Fair flavor, an important private tea Friday afternoon at the Tavern in honor of Prince Potenziani, Italian commissioner. The Italy-America society, revived recently from depression coma, gave the party to speed the gallant Roman upon his homeward way. The prince has been a colorful visitor. His courtly presence, immense politeness, and exotic dress have contributed their quota to our daily life.

Potenziani has the great social gift of making the person he is with feel that he or she is the only being in the world. His attention never wavers and his mind never wanders, all of which is highly flattering.

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