History

1917 - 1929: The beginning of civil aviation

Within the space of a decade, Fuhlsbüttel was transformed from a marshland with a handful of condemned buildings and wrecked aircraft into one of Europe's major air traffic hubs!

1917: In December, the electricity company AEG (Allgemeine Electricitäts-Gesellschaft) set up a new firm called DLR (Deutsche Luft-Reederei, literally the "German Air Transport Company"). The shipping line HAPAG, the Zeppelin Company and Deutsche Bank all purchased shares in the new company.

1919: As the world's very first airline, DLR commenced operation of scheduled flights only a few months after the end of the war, on 5th February.
Although Hamburg Airport was in a desolate condition, the range of scheduled services gradually expanded, and only a month later, on 1st March, DLR set up a regular service between Hamburg and Berlin.
However, there was no danger of air traffic developing too rapidly in Germany: §198 - 202 of the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919 ordered all flying equipment to be destroyed and surrendered to the Allies, while the import and production of aircraft was prohibited. The victors demanded that the Hamburg airship hangar be demolished.

1920: On the 1st of September, for the first time a plane operated by the newly-founded airline KLM flew from Amsterdam over Bremen to Hamburg, and continued on to Copenhagen. This flight - called "Europe - Northwest Flight" - was the very first international scheduled service in Europe.

1921: At great expense, explosive charges were laid at the corner pillars, and not a single stone of the hangar was left standing. After a promising beginning, air traffic in Hamburg was on the brink of collapse. The neighbouring city of Bremen fared better: Hamburg's traditional Hanseatic rival managed to become the leading centre for air traffic in north-west Germany early in 1921. In Hamburg, meanwhile, the poor conditions caused the DLR company to close down. At the beginning of 1921, the situation at Hamburg's airport had bearly improved since the end of the war. However, before the year was out, the city council approved substantial funds for the renovation of the site.

1922: The many improvements enabled Hamburg to catch up with its rival Bremen by the end of 1922. After a brief interlude in which the financially strong Hamburg-America Shipping Line was responsible for the administration of the airport, HLG took control again.

1923: Fuhlsbüttel became the first German airport to be equipped with a radio transmitter, and from 1926 on, radio was used to locate incoming aeroplanes.

1925: Strong growth in passenger volume meant that new hangars had to be built, and construction work was started in 1924. In 1925 there were domestic connections to Bremen, Kiel, Westerland, Hanover, Stettin and Frankfurt, and international flights to Copenhagen, Malmö, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

1929: Tenders were invited for the construction of the new terminal building between hangars A and B. All the major functions, such as passenger and cargo traffic, administration, spectator accomodation and a restaurant and café, were now united under one roof.

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