Aviation history

The history of aviation in Tempelhof begins with gas balloons at the end of the 19th century. A few decades later, in the 1950s, the airport was already one of the largest in Europe in terms of passenger volume besides London and Paris.

Previous flight attempts

Previous flight attempts

As military parade and training area, the Tempelhof field is a stage for previous flight attempts, in which the Berlin public takes part enthusiastically.

Read more
Civil aviation

Civil aviation

Due to the armament in the First World War, powered flight develops rapidly and also brings about significant advancement for civil aviation. The slow and costly airships could not keep pace.

Read more
Tempelhof airport

Tempelhof airport

Petrol engines and propellers remained the only feasible propulsion methods of aircrafts until the discovery of jet propulsion.

Read more

You might find this interesting

Chronicle

Chronicle

From parade ground to international airport - an overview of the history of Tempelhof Airport

Read more
National Socialism

National Socialism

The history of the Tempelhof field also provides an insight into the ideology and reality of the National Socialist regime. The premises were a stage for propagandistic mass rallies and a location for the only official Berlin concentration camp. The new airport building with its characteristic features of NS architecture was used for arms production and forced labour during the Second World War.

Read more
Symbol of freedom

Symbol of freedom

The airlift and flight of many thousand people from the Soviet sector or GDR made Airport Tempelhof an international symbol of defence of freedom during the Cold War.

Read more