Was Lufthansa a profitable enterprise during the 2nd World War?
Was it able to maintain effective schedules during wartime conditions?
Did the number of its routes expand and contract as the Third Reich's territory expanded and contracted?
Lufthansa during the war
The answers to your questions fill a whole book.
If you can read german, you should read it:
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3 ... 56-1656026
If you can read german, you should read it:
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3 ... 56-1656026
Ok, then I will try a quick answer to the given questions....
1.
Don't had to be profitable. LH was a state controlled line and under conditions of war profit was neglectable.
2.
To most destinations yes, deppending on available aircraft.
In south america, yes, as long as the americans let them...
3.
The routes changed but the overall volume of airtrafic was steady because not enough DC2, DC3 where available.
Many of the German aircraft of LH where taken into Luftwaffe duty (as VIP transport). Some also where only deligated to LH during peactime
and had to be returned to the Luftwaffe (i.e. Ha139).
As replacement, captured DC2, DC3 where given to LH for keeping the comercial airtrafic rolling.
1.
Don't had to be profitable. LH was a state controlled line and under conditions of war profit was neglectable.
2.
To most destinations yes, deppending on available aircraft.
In south america, yes, as long as the americans let them...
3.
The routes changed but the overall volume of airtrafic was steady because not enough DC2, DC3 where available.
Many of the German aircraft of LH where taken into Luftwaffe duty (as VIP transport). Some also where only deligated to LH during peactime
and had to be returned to the Luftwaffe (i.e. Ha139).
As replacement, captured DC2, DC3 where given to LH for keeping the comercial airtrafic rolling.
no, WITHIN Southamerica local.
LH operated a regional airline in Southamerica called Condor. That name is given to todays LH's aircargo daughter in rememberance of that.
Condor closed its service in dec. 1941 as the last of the 3 foreign airlines operated by LH.
Eurasia's operations where terminated by the chinese Government already 1 year earlier.
And DERULUFT was terminated on March 22. 1941 by the russians.
LH's South Atlantic Airmail Service was already discontinued in 1939. With outbreak of the war, the long range flying boats had to be returnd to the Luftwaffe.
LH operated a regional airline in Southamerica called Condor. That name is given to todays LH's aircargo daughter in rememberance of that.
Condor closed its service in dec. 1941 as the last of the 3 foreign airlines operated by LH.
Eurasia's operations where terminated by the chinese Government already 1 year earlier.
And DERULUFT was terminated on March 22. 1941 by the russians.
LH's South Atlantic Airmail Service was already discontinued in 1939. With outbreak of the war, the long range flying boats had to be returnd to the Luftwaffe.
ohrdruf
What Condor Airline you are talking about? Must be a different one...
Lufthansa's Condor daugther was forced to close it's service mid-december 1941, because no fuel was sold to them anymore.
In early 1942 Syndicato Condor was confiscated by the Brazilian government. It continued domestic service under the name: SERVICIOS AEREOS CRUZEIRO DO SULL LTD. until the line was taken over by Varig in 1975.
The aircraft taken over were 2 FW200 and 13 Ju52/3m and some FW Weihe and W34.
Further 3 Ju52/3m were sized by the government of Ecuador from the Condor sister SEDTA and 2 by Peru from Lufthansa Peru.
None of these is suitable for transatlantic flights...
Syndicato Condor was operating in Brazil not Argentina...
The transatlantic part of the passenger travel was done by the italian airline LATI. Condor took the passengers and shuttled them to the varoius destinations in south america.
The brazilian government confiscated also a SM81 and 3 further LATI aircraft in Feb. 1942.
I will belive that the few "Graf Spee" crewman that were able to get out of internment before the LATI service was closed, returned home that way.
What Condor Airline you are talking about? Must be a different one...
Lufthansa's Condor daugther was forced to close it's service mid-december 1941, because no fuel was sold to them anymore.
In early 1942 Syndicato Condor was confiscated by the Brazilian government. It continued domestic service under the name: SERVICIOS AEREOS CRUZEIRO DO SULL LTD. until the line was taken over by Varig in 1975.
The aircraft taken over were 2 FW200 and 13 Ju52/3m and some FW Weihe and W34.
Further 3 Ju52/3m were sized by the government of Ecuador from the Condor sister SEDTA and 2 by Peru from Lufthansa Peru.
None of these is suitable for transatlantic flights...
Syndicato Condor was operating in Brazil not Argentina...
The transatlantic part of the passenger travel was done by the italian airline LATI. Condor took the passengers and shuttled them to the varoius destinations in south america.
The brazilian government confiscated also a SM81 and 3 further LATI aircraft in Feb. 1942.
I will belive that the few "Graf Spee" crewman that were able to get out of internment before the LATI service was closed, returned home that way.
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ChrisMAg2
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[quote="Auseklis"]...
LH operated a regional airline in Southamerica called Condor. That name is given to todays LH's aircargo daughter in rememberance of that.
...quote]
Nowerday's Condor isn't/ was never an aircargo company. The cargo section of LH is "Lufthansa Cargo". Condor is/ was the touristic (charter) section of Lufthansa.
Recentely Condor merged with Thomas Cook.
Regards
Christian M. Aguilar
LH operated a regional airline in Southamerica called Condor. That name is given to todays LH's aircargo daughter in rememberance of that.
...quote]
Nowerday's Condor isn't/ was never an aircargo company. The cargo section of LH is "Lufthansa Cargo". Condor is/ was the touristic (charter) section of Lufthansa.
Recentely Condor merged with Thomas Cook.
Regards
Christian M. Aguilar
I try to answer this but will stick with the occupied countrys.
(Still looking for a good source about Swissair in WW2!)
Lufthansa took over aircrafts of the following (then closed) airlines:
Ceskoslovenske Statni Aeroline (CSA)
Ceska Letecka Spolecnost (CLS)
ÖLAG (Ancestor of Austrian Airlines)
LOT (I'm not shure about aircrafts)
KLM
Air France (after occupation of southern France)
Ala Italiana (ex Ala Littoria)
Linee Aeree Transcontinentali Italiane (LATI)
Avio Linee Italiane (ALI)
Airlines that continued operation during the occupation:
DDL (Danmark)
Other:
SABENA managed to escape with most aircraft to the UK. Continued service on it's Belgian-Congo routes. Some other planes ended up in italian service and finaly got their Luthansa markings anyhow.
AIR FRANCE continued service in all Vichy-controlled territory until Vichy was discontinued... (more informations appreciated!).
(Still looking for a good source about Swissair in WW2!)
Lufthansa took over aircrafts of the following (then closed) airlines:
Ceskoslovenske Statni Aeroline (CSA)
Ceska Letecka Spolecnost (CLS)
ÖLAG (Ancestor of Austrian Airlines)
LOT (I'm not shure about aircrafts)
KLM
Air France (after occupation of southern France)
Ala Italiana (ex Ala Littoria)
Linee Aeree Transcontinentali Italiane (LATI)
Avio Linee Italiane (ALI)
Airlines that continued operation during the occupation:
DDL (Danmark)
Other:
SABENA managed to escape with most aircraft to the UK. Continued service on it's Belgian-Congo routes. Some other planes ended up in italian service and finaly got their Luthansa markings anyhow.
AIR FRANCE continued service in all Vichy-controlled territory until Vichy was discontinued... (more informations appreciated!).
Re: Lufthansa during the war
Found this Lufthansa flight schedule for late 1941.
Interestingly there seem to be lack of domestic services with exception of just a few...
Berlin-München was well covered with three flights per day, flight time - 2 hours. Express train needed 11-12 hours!
As for international connections, surprising 4 flights per day, 1 hour flight, between Wien and Budapest... By train - 4 hours.
Clink on to see in full resolution!
Interestingly there seem to be lack of domestic services with exception of just a few...
Berlin-München was well covered with three flights per day, flight time - 2 hours. Express train needed 11-12 hours!
As for international connections, surprising 4 flights per day, 1 hour flight, between Wien and Budapest... By train - 4 hours.
Clink on to see in full resolution!