Interview Directory 

ART/IN FOCUS

Name: Barbara Waibel, Historian and Head of Archives, Zeppelin Museum

Name: Mara Kölmel, Curator and Head of Art, Zeppelin Museum

Ebb.global & Neil Beloufa, mock ups of AI generated images based on a dataset of zeppelin images from the Zeppelin Museum, work in progress, 2024.

Why does the history of zeppelins fascinate so many people?

Barbara Waibel: As the head of the archive, I work extensively with our image archive, and the reactions to these images are often very emotional. This is certainly due to the unique aesthetics and aerodynamic shape of the zeppelins. Particularly, images from the construction phase appear almost abstract, like works of art. Photographers deliberately designed these images to initially seem unfamiliar, which enhances their impact. Additionally, there are images of zeppelins over distant lands, which evoke dreams of travel. Zeppelins stood for glamour, as they were often used by high society. At the same time, they were employed by governments and companies for propaganda, which continues to shape their visual language today.

“It was ideal for conveying ideologies and shaping public perception—whether for military superiority, global connectivity, or political propaganda.“

Mara Kölmel: The zeppelin was a projection surface for a wide range of aspirations: technological innovation, national grandeur, power, or the conquest of the skies. Over 40 years, spanning the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, and National Socialism, it was used in all three eras to portray a technologically advanced, power-conscious nation. It was ideal for conveying ideologies and shaping public perception—whether for military superiority, global connectivity, or political propaganda.

Screenshot aus Christelle Oyiri – Sky is the limit, 2025, gefördert durch DRE-SEARCH. Das ZF-Forschungsstipendium 2025 © Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen, courtesy of the artist 

Bild und Macht. Zeppelin-Fotografie im Fokus, 2025, Installationsansicht Christelle Oyiri, Sky is the Limit, 2025, gefördert durch RE-SEARCH. Das ZF-Forschungsstipendium 2025 © Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen, Foto Markus Tretter

How do you manage your image archive?

Barbara Waibel: Our extensive image archive is the heart of the exhibition. It partly originates from the photographic department of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH, which produced images for postcards, magazines, or calendars. We selectively purchase images from agencies or auctions to expand the collection. Our zeppelin calendar uses these images to keep the history alive.

“However, the connection to the Nazi regime is undeniable.“

How do you feel about zeppelins often being associated with the Nazi regime?

Barbara Waibel: As a museum team, we primarily view zeppelins in the context of the 1920s, where they stood for peace, international connectivity, and progress. However, the connection to the Nazi regime is undeniable. The government held shares in the Luftschiffbau-Gesellschaft and heavily influenced its operations. From 1933, the swastika was painted on the zeppelins—a “flying billboard” that enabled global displays of power. Images of the Hindenburg over New York or Rio evoke travel dreams on one hand, but on the other, they were part of propaganda that veiled the aggressive policies of the Nazi state. The zeppelin, for instance, carried the Olympic rings to promote a peaceful image, while during Reich Party rallies or election campaign flights in 1936—such as over Danzig—it dropped propaganda leaflets, broadcast speeches, and played march music to support Hitler’s policies.

LZ 56/LZ 86 am Landeplatz in Königsberg, Winter 1915/1916 © Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen

Ebb.global & Neil Beloufa, mock ups of AI generated images based on a dataset of zeppelin images from the Zeppelin Museum, work in progress, 2024.

“As a loyal military man of the Kaiser, he was conservative, but how he would have reacted to the Nazi regime remains unclear.“

What was the founder’s stance on this?

Barbara Waibel: Count Zeppelin had already passed away during the First World War, so we can only speculate. As a loyal military man of the Kaiser, he was conservative, but how he would have reacted to the Nazi regime remains unclear. At that time, Hugo Eckener led the company. He was an ambivalent figure—not a convinced Nazi, but a national conservative. To establish transatlantic traffic, he accepted compromises and used regime funds. Later, in his memoirs published in 1949, he portrayed himself as an opponent of the Nazi regime, allowing him to distance himself from accusations.

Why is Eckener often seen as an opponent?

Barbara Waibel: This stems from his memoirs, in which he deliberately distanced himself from the Nazi era. This narrative was successful after the war, despite his compromises.

“Alongside the glamorous journeys to America, we also highlight the role of zeppelins in the First World War or as propaganda instruments.“

What does it mean for the museum to engage with this history?

Barbara Waibel: As a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), we have an educational mandate. It is essential to critically examine this history. Our upcoming exhibition “Airships under the Swastika” is dedicated precisely to this period. Especially in times of rising nationalism, this is an urgent topic.

Mara Kölmel: In the past, the zeppelin history was often glorified without questioning its problematic aspects. Since the museum has been scientifically managed, our aim is to debunk myths. Alongside the glamorous journeys to America, we also highlight the role of zeppelins in the First World War or as propaganda instruments. Since 1986, there has been a section on the First World War, which was crucial for their technical development.

Did entrepreneurs back then have any room for maneuver?

Barbara Waibel: This must be considered in a nuanced way. From today’s perspective, it’s easy to judge, but history shows the constraints and possibilities that existed. It’s important to understand these gray areas.

Were there images specifically used for propaganda?

Barbara Waibel: The sheer size of zeppelins was ideal for propaganda—in all eras. Whether in the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, or the Nazi regime: such a gigantic aircraft impressed and conveyed messages. Even today, these images have a strong impact.

“Many associate zeppelins with danger, although modern airships use non-flammable helium. The accident, broadcast live on camera, shapes their perception.“

Let’s turn to the Hindenburg disaster on May 6, 1937, when the airship Hindenburg burst into flames during landing in New Jersey. What emotions does it evoke, and how is it presented in the exhibition?

Barbara Waibel: The Hindenburg disaster is a central part of our museum, and in the permanent exhibition, we begin with these images because they emotionally engage visitors. Many associate zeppelins with danger, although modern airships use non-flammable helium. The accident, broadcast live on camera, shapes their perception. We dedicate a specific section to it, which also addresses media staging and the power of images.

Aziza Kadyri, Lighter than the Words We Share, 2025 

AM: Why did the success story end?

Barbara Waibel: After the Hindenburg disaster, it was clear that passenger transport with hydrogen-filled airships could not continue. Negotiations for helium deliveries from the USA failed because the Americans, given the political situation, refused to supply helium to Nazi Germany. This made transatlantic traffic impossible.

“Yet sources reveal: it was a failed start, the airship sank, and the altitude control was defective.“

AM: Your exhibition theme is historical image manipulation and deepfakes.

Mara Kölmel: Images are never neutral; they convey targeted messages. Whether propaganda from the 1910s to 1930s or modern deepfakes—we aim to promote media literacy. Visitors should learn to question images: What was their intention? What is their context?

Barbara Waibel: An example is the image of the first zeppelin ascent 125 years ago in Friedrichshafen. It appears optimistic, showing the airship rising to the sky. Yet sources reveal: it was a failed start, the airship sank, and the altitude control was defective. Three boys in the water seem to marvel at the ascent, but this image only surfaced in the 1970s, not in contemporary sources. Such manipulations show how important it is to critically examine images—then and now.

Mara Kölmel: We promote image, technology, and digital literacy to recognize manipulations. A study shows that 57% of people cannot distinguish between advertising and journalistic content. Especially young people source information from social media, where images are often perceived as “true.” We use playful approaches to convey these skills.

AM: How did you select the artists for your exhibition?

Mara Kölmel: We wanted to create new works that engage with the archive. Eight artists were invited to submit proposals that connect art, technology, and society—the DNA of our museum. We selected artists with critical, feminist, or non-Western perspectives, including Christelle Uyiri, Aziza Khadiri, and the EBB Global collective around Neil Beloofer. They explored our archive and developed contemporary works that reinterpret historical images.

AM: Which approach fascinates you personally—the power of media or the mythologization of the zeppelin?

Mara Kölmel: The artistic works are very diverse. Aziza Khadiri was inspired by eyewitness accounts that describe zeppelins as mythical creatures—like dragons or whales. These poetic attributions are also evident in her sculptural installation: a three-part aluminum construction that oscillates between object and meaning: a mythical creature, an airship skeleton, a floating shell? In addition, she created an AI-based fable reminiscent of Central Asian miniature painting. In doing so, the artist also highlights the invisible work of women who sewed Zeppelin and balloon shells during the First World War. As an artist with Uzbek roots, she weaves these images from the archive into a speculative visual world in which female collectivity and the invisible work of women become visible.

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Abbreviated, editor's note

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Bild und Macht. Zeppelin-Fotografie im Fokus, 2025 © Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen, Foto Markus Tretter