Happy Birthday, Graf Zeppelin

Eighty-four years ago, this postcard of Grand Central Terminal arrived in Friedrichshafen, Germany. It was sent from Lakehurst, New Jersey via Zeppelin Mail.

The postcard traveled on the return voyage of the Graf Zeppelin's first transatlantic flight--in October 1928--coincidentally the first intercontinental passenger airship flight, ever. (To give you some perspective, the Hindenburg disaster occurred in 1937.) My husband and I hypothesize that the senders, "Josef" and "Maria," traveled from Germany to the U.S. on October 11, arriving on October 15 in Lakehurst. After a ticker-tape parade in New York City, the travelers had a two-week layover as the airship was repaired. They and their postcard took the return trip from Lakehurst to Germany on October 29, arriving on November 1 (see cancellation stamp on postcard).

The 111-hour, 6,168-mile crossing to America almost wasn't. One of the Graf Zeppelin's tail fins was damaged when the airship encountered a squall. Crews made emergency repairs while the engine was stopped over the ocean in mid-flight. The crews tried to tie down torn fabric to the frame and sew blankets (blankets!) to the airship's outer surface. The Graf Zeppelin managed to reach the U.S., where the tail fin was repaired and the vessel was readied for its return flight.

This postcard's provenance is a little harder to trace. Today it resides in Mark and Karen's Eclectic Antiques and Memorabilia collection. We're a little embarrassed to say we're not sure how it got here. My parents were amateur collectors of antiques; Mark's dad collected old postcards. Whatever route this postcard took to reach us, we're happy to be holding a piece of history in our hands. Happy anniversary, Graf Zeppelin. (And by the way, Mr. H. Willmeroth, if you never received your postcard . . . well, here it is.)