Financing the First Zeppelin Company
Zeppelin “LZ-5” On an Excursion With Members of the German Parliament Aboard. Autumn 1908.
Zeppelin “LZ-6” and “Deutschland” in the First Double Shed at Friedrichshafen.
Zeppelin, in spite of many difficulties, succeeded in enlisting the necessary private capital and in 1898 organized a stock company (Aktiengesellschaft zur Foerderung der Motorluftschiffahrt) to promote motor airship flights. It had a paid in capital of one million marks ($238,000).
With his characteristic sound judgment and thoroughness of purpose, Count Zeppelin chose the Lake Constance (Bodensee) country for his initial efforts. He had known the lake and local weather conditions from boyhood and was convinced that the smooth ample surface of this beautiful lake offered the best facilities for the handling, starting and landing of these extremely large craft, though it was not long before enough had been learned to alight with them on land.
Now the giant Zeppelins can land at will with perfect safety on either land or water.
Today Lake Constance is recognized as the best place in the world for the training of airship personnel.