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On March 27 and 28, 1910, sisters Elsbeth and Margarete Grosse of Meisen, Germany made an ascent in the "Graf Zeppelin" balloon that was piloted by Karl Hackstetter. This collection consists of a logbook and three letters written by the Grosse sisters to Hackstetter.
On March 27 and 28, 1910, sisters Elsbeth and Margarete Grosse of Meisen, Germany made an ascent in the "Graf Zeppelin" balloon. The balloon was piloted by Karl Hackstetter (1876-1932), a balloonist, aeronaut, and designer of airships and airplanes. Margarete Grosse later wrote a book, Frauen auf Ballon- und Bergfahrten (Women in Balloons and Mountain Climbing), dedicated to her sister and published in 1951.
NASM.XXXX.1171
1910
Unknown, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.1171
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of a logbook entitled "Dresdener Wallfahrt 1910 - Wallfahrt des sächsischen ballon 'Graf Zeppelin', 27 u. 28 März 1910" ("Dresden Pilgrimage 1910 - Pilgrimage of the Saxon balloon 'Graf Zeppelin', March 27-28 1910"). The log contains entries (written in German Sütterlin script) written from 5:57 AM, March 27 to 3:23 AM, March 28. It is not known if the log was kept by Hackstetter or by either of the Grosse sisters. Also included in the collection are three letters written by the Grosse sisters to Hackstetter, dated April 4, 19 and 20, 1910, with an account of their balloon ascent.
Collection is arranged by type of material, with the letters in chronological order.
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Elsbeth and Margarete Grosse Balloon Ascension Collection, NASM.XXXX.1171, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Balloons
Aeronautics
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Logbooks