A list of passengers and crew aboard the Round-the-World flight (Weltfahrt) of the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin from August 7, 1929 to September 4, 1929.
Based on Max Geisenheyner’s Mit “Graf Zeppelin” um die Welt, with additional research.
PASSENGERS
Lakehurst-Lakehurst (the “American Flight”)
- Lady Grace Drummond-Hay (journalist for the Hearst organization)
- Robert Hartmann (photographer for the Hearst organization)
- William B. Leeds (American millionaire and socialite)
- Lieutenant Jack C. Richardson (U. S. Naval observer)
- Commander Charles E. Rosendahl (U.S. Naval observer)
- Karl von Wiegand (journalist for the Hearst organization)
- Sir Hubert Wilkins (Australian polar explorer; writer for the Hearst organization)
Friedrichshafen-Friedrichshafen (the “German Flight”)
- Heinz von Eschwege-Lichberg (journalist for Verlag Scherl, publisher of Die Woche)
- Lt. Col. Christof Iselin (Zurich, Switzerland)
- Max Geisenheyner (journalist for the Frankfurter Zeitung and Das Illustrierte Blatt)
- Gustav Kauder (journalist for Verlag Ullstein)
- Dr. Jerónimo MegÃas (personal physician to King Alfonso XIII of Spain)
- Heinz von Perckhammer (photographer for Verlag Scherl, publisher of Die Woche)
- Leo Gerville-Reache (journalist for Le Matin, Paris)
- Joachim Rickard (American-born journalist for Spanish newspapers; Madrid, Spain)
- Heinrich Seilkopf (meteorologist, Deutsche Seewarte)
LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin made “two” Round-the-World flights. The trip’s American sponsor, William Randolph Heast, insisted that the flight begin and end in America, so the “American flight” began and ended at Lakehurst, New Jersey. But Germans believed that their ship should begin and end its flight in Germany, and so the “German flight” was from Friedrichshafen-Friedrichshafen.
Some passengers were onboard only for particular legs of the flight:
Friedrichshafen-Tokyo
- Dr. Enti (journalist for the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper, Tokyo)
- Professor Karklin (representative of the Soviet government)
- Lt. Cdr. Fujiyoshi (Head of Aviation for the Japanese Imperial Navy; representative of the Japanese government)
- ____ Kitano (journalist for the Asahi Press, Tokyo)
Tokyo-Los Angeles
- Lt. Cdr. Ryunosuke Kusaka (representative of the Japanese government; later an Admiral involved in the planning of the Pearl Harbor attack and the Battle of Midway)
- Major Schinichi Shibata (Japanese Army, representative of the Japanese government)
- Dofu Shirai (journalist for Nippon Denpo news service)
OFFICERS AND CREW
Commander:
Navigation Department:
Captain Ernst A. Lehmann
Captain Hans Curt Flemming
Captain Hans von Schiller
Navigator Anton Wittemann
Navigator Max Pruss
Navigator Hans Ladwig
Navigator/Engineer Albert Sammt
Helmsman Knut Eckener
Helmsman Richard Mueller
Assistant Helmsman Kurt Schonherr
Assistant Helmsman Franz Bartschat
Assistant Helmsman Heinrich Bauer
Hans von Schiller, Ernst Lehmann, Hans Curt Flemming
Engineering Department:
Chief Engineer Wilhelm Siegle
Chief Rigger Ludwig Knorr
Engineer Karl Rosch
Engineer August Grozinger
Engineer Hermann Pfaff
Engineer Karl Beuerle
Mechanic Albert Thasler
Mechanic Oskar Rosch
Mechanic Adolf Wenzler
Mechanic Albert Leichtle
Mechanic Eugen Schauble
Mechanic Bruno Weber
Mechanic Martin Christ
Mechanic Josef Schreibmuller
Mechanic Richard Halder
Mechanic Wilhelm Fischer
Mechanic Raphael Schadler
Mechanic German Zettel
Mechanic Johannes Auer
Mechanic Wilhelm Dimmler
Mechanic Josef Braun
Electrician Philipp Lenz
Radio Department:
Chief Radio Operator Walter Dumke
Radioman Willy Speck
Radioman Leo Freund
Passenger Department:
Chief Steward Heinrich Kubis
Steward Ernst Fischbach
Cook Otto Manz
did the officers smoke their pipes in the control car while on watch?
What an excellent question. On the one hand, smoking was obviously prohibited, and Huge Eckener was a stickler for strict observance of safety protocols, and so probably not. But on the other hand, the officers would have known that hydrogen cannot flow downward into the control car, and that the real danger from smoking below the hydrogen was risk of setting something else on fire and creating a fire that could not be controlled, which would have been very unlikely, so it is POSSIBLE that rules were bent.
Does anyone have a map showing track in the UK for 1929?
I have a picture of the zeppelin in 1928, I was wondering if there is a passenger list from then
I have a Cartier tank watch inscribed to my grandfather William Weber commemorating the Atlantic crossing in August 8-10 1929. However, I cannot find his name on any passenger lists.
A seasoned crew who made this incredible flight
My personal physician is Dr. Horst K. Schirmer, MD
https://www.jerseyshoreonline.com/ocean-county/son-hindenburg-engineer-recalls-history/
Met him at the 80th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster. A very special man indeed
I met him at the 80th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster. A true gentleman. Get in touch.
[email protected]
We are researching a passenger from Columbus Ohio, by the name of Donald Casto, who was on the flight from Lakehurst to Germany, that departed late October, 1928. This was the flight with the stow away, Clarence Terhune. Can you confirm Mr. Casto was on board, or provide a passenger list? We have a vintage telegram offering him a seat for $3,000. We have pictures of him in Lakehurst. Looking for confirmation he was on board.
Hi Tom,
I typed “donald casto graf zeppelin” into Google and it came up with two contemporary newspaper articles (possibly the same article syndicated) that seem to suggest that he was indeed on board for that flight.
The links are:
The Indianapolis Star
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/104980057/
The Lincoln Star
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/62125065/
Both links won’t allow you to open them unless you sign up for a Free Trial, which I am afraid I did not bother with, being a lazy Brit with no direct personal interest. But probably well worth giving a shot from your point of view.
Best wishes,
Alastair
There is a 1958 book titled “Graf Zeppelin” listed on Amazon Marketplace that is inscribed by Donald Casto to another passenger on board the October 1928 flight from Lakehurst to Friedrichshafen. Inscription reads, “To My Dear Friend Joe Jessel who made the first commercial flight from the New World to the Old in History with me on the Graf Zeppelin in 1928. Don Casto.” This book is listed at the following site:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00BHCHCQ0/ref=tmm_hrd_collectible_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=collectible&qid=&sr=
There is a vintage book titled “Graf Zeppelin” providing confirmation that Donald Casto was on board. A copy available on Amazon is signed by Casto as a presentation gift to another passenger with a personal note commemorating their flight.
Somewhere,i have read that Hearst invited Sir Hubert Wilkins, just married to the Australian actress Suzanne Bennet invited both as Honymoon tour onboard. In that case, Lady Grace Dummond-Hay was not The oly Female on board
Wilkins’s wife was not on the Round-the-World flight.
Lady Grace Drummond-Hay was indeed the only woman aboard during the Trip-Around-the-World. Wilkins married Suzanne Bennett shortly after he returned from the trip. However, you are correct that Suzanne Bennett did get to ride the Zeppelin. Hearst sent Sir George and Lady Suzanne on a later voyage on the Zeppelin as a present for their honeymoon.
Surreal and stunning documentary! How much of the film footage was origional? As a pilot I am so envious of the ‘bridge’ space (not cockpit) of the Graf, passenger accommodation too.
How the Graf ascended and descended (performed), how they navigated uncharted territory – at night too – would have been worth a whole subsequent documentary.
Excellent!
@Steve Higgins, Much of the footage was “original” but not all of it shows LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin; “Farewell” misleadingly includes film of other airships, including Hindenburg and U.S. Navy airships (look for crew members wearing typical white U.S. Navy uniforms).
Thank you so much Dan! I love old movies. In “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” there’s a line: “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” I’ll keep this in mind regarding the stow-away! Too bad. The “documentary” sure played with the facts. Oh well, it was a nice story. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Wonderful site!