Hugo Eckener (May 10, 1868 - August 14, 1954) was the old man of the Zeppelin airship company. Trained as an economist. Correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung in 1905, 1906 and reported on the first flights of the LZ1 and LZ2.

Eckener was responsible for training most of Germany's airship pilots both during and after World War I.

After the War, Eckener replaced the aging Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin who had first pioneered the Zeppelin line of rigid airships.

For many years, Eckener was head of airship operations. Eckener always made safety his absolute priority. His safety orientation had results. Under Eckener's leadership, the Zeppelin company had a perfect safety record with no passenger ever sustaining a serious injury on any of the more than 1 million air miles that the rigid airships flew.

Eckener, a master of publicity as well as a master airship captain, made many record setting trips and established the Zeppelin as a symbol of German pride and engineering.

The popularity of the Zeppelin airships led to Eckener's own popularity. During the early 1930s, Eckener was one of the most well known and respected figures in Germany. He was encouraged to run for the presidency to oppose the Nazis. Eckener declined, focusing on what he knew best, airships.

Nonetheless, Eckener and the Nazis had a deep and mutual loathing. Eckener made no secret of his hatred of Hitler and the disastrous course he saw coming. Eventually the Nazis declared Eckener to be a "non-person" and his name was no longer allowed to appear in print.

With the rise of the Nazis came the nationalization of the Zeppelin operation. The Nazis replaced Eckener with men who were compliant with their wishes. Seeking to please the Nazi regime, these newly promoted airshipmen did not always follow Eckener's well proven safety procedures. Many believe that the reduced focus on safety led to the Hindenburg Disaster of 1937.

After the destruction of the Hindenburg, the rigid airship fell from favor and Eckener receded to the shadows. He survived WWII and died in 1954 at the age of 86.

References

Arch Witehouse (1966). The Zeppelin Fighters Robert Hale Limited .SBN 7091 0544 4

Douglas Botting (2001). Dr.Eckener's Dream Machine Harper Collins ISBN: 000 257 191 9