This card, (a nice find in an antique shop), pictures the fourth in the series of experimental Zepplins built by Count Ferdinand von Zepplin, postmarked on 7 August 1908 in Romanshorn Switzerland, just on the other side of Lake Constance (Bodensee) from Friedrichshafen, Germany where Count Zepplin was building and testing his dirigibles.
LZ4 first flew on 20 June 1908, and had several successful test flights. On 4 August, LZ4 began an endurance flight of 24 hours which had been required as a condition of the German government's investment in the project, flying over parts of Switzerland and Germany to Mainz and return. It developed mechanical problems on the return leg of its flight and crashed in Germany on August 5 after landing for repairs. The flight generated much excitement and huge crowds assembled along its route.
Can anyone decipher the message on this card? It would be interesting to know if there is any reference to this event, given it was postmarked just two days after the crash.
Much more information about LZ4, including a picture of the crash site, can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_4Title edited to include question.
Posted 08/04/2023 5:49 pm
