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>  DANZIG ZEPPELIN POST: 1924-29

An especially interesting point of this decree is the last sentence, which speaks about a maximum weight. It had been agreed between the P.TV. Danzig and the R.P.M. Berlin that the Free City of Danzig will participate on this flight, but not more than 3 Kg. of mail is to be sent to the airship. However, this amount was far from being reached. For unknown reasons, Post Office V closed the acceptance of further mail one month before the departure of ZR III, and on the 12th of September, 1924, 320 Grams of mail were dispatched to the airship. Postcards and letters were not counted separately. {From the weight of the total, it can be assumed that the shipment consisted of approx. 25-30 items. The number can no longer be definitely established. -Ed.} As already announced in the decree of the P.T.V., the mail pieces carried along by the airship received an oval 3-line rubber strnp imprint: “Mit Luftschiff ZR III befördert” which can be found in blue and violet color. The arrival of the mail was certified by the Post Office in New York with the cancellation: October 15, 1924. Today, the first records of a victorious crossing of the ocean have been absorbed into collections. In any case one rarely finds this flight material on the market in view of, the few pieces at hand.

The ZR III’s triumph set off a joyous reaction in the cities of Germany. Karl von Wiegand, the Hearst newspaper reporter, wrote: “Germany has rehabilitated herself in the eyes of the world.” Accolades from all over the world, including a wire of congratulations from Pres. Coolidge to the ZR III’s Commander, Dr. Eckener, were received. Built for the U.S. Navy, the airship was renamed los Angeles. Its hydrogen was removed before docking in the Lake hurst hangar, and it borrowed helium from the Navy’s Shenandoah, before making several successful flights in 1924-25. The above photo of a rare cover shows “Danzig 1” c.d.s. as well as the “Mit Luftpost” label described in Report 4. Photo is reduced. -Ed.

 

Danzig Report   Nr. 6 – November - December - 1975, Page 3.