Recall the dreams of flight. The Luftschiff-Pionier Ernst Georg Baumgarten Stele stands as a testament to a visionary. It honors Ernst Georg August Baumgarten. He was no ordinary forester. He dared to dream of the skies.
The Luftschiff-Pionier Ernst Georg Baumgarten Stele marks a spot of innovation. Baumgarten lived from 1837 to 1884. He was born in Johanngeorgenstadt in the Ore Mountains. He died in Colditz. He dedicated himself to the then-new field of balloon construction.
Baumgarten studied forestry in Tharandt from 1857 to 1859. He became a forest ranger in Plei\u00dfa in 1869. After the war in 1870 and 1871, he moved to Gr\u00fcna near Chemnitz. His fascination with rigid airships began in Plei\u00dfa.
He built his first model there. It was a meter long cigar shape. It had a light wooden frame. Small children’s balloons filled its cells. He experimented with small test balloons. A children’s steam engine powered a propeller.
His fifth test balloon reached 20 meters. It was egg-shaped. Its skin was made of rubberized cotton. Baumgarten patented his creation in 1879. He called it a “wing airship with steering.” He modified Ressel’s propeller screw from 1827. Four horizontal wings were under the gondola. These wings provided vertical movement via hand cranks.
Test flights in Gr\u00fcna in 1879 were short and dangerous. Baumgarten sacrificed his fortune for his experiments. The government rejected his requests for support. However, Leipzig publisher H. W\u00f6lfert actively supported him.
In 1880, Baumgarten built a new balloon in Leipzig. It was 26 meters long. It held about 550 cubic meters of gas. It had three gondolas and 24 wing screws. These screws were powered by hand cranks.
Baumgarten’s work sparked interest. In 1881, Angerstein, Broszus, and others founded the Association for the Promotion of Aeronautics in Berlin. Baumgarten and W\u00f6lfert presented a new balloon in 1882. They showed it to the association, general staff, and war ministry members. The demonstration failed.
Despite disappointments, Baumgarten continued. He worked on rigid airships. He envisioned an internal skeleton and turning wings. The Luftschiff-Pionier Ernst Georg Baumgarten Stele is a reminder of his determination.
Baumgarten’s story is one of innovation. He persevered despite challenges. The Luftschiff-Pionier Ernst Georg Baumgarten Stele honors that spirit. It reminds us to reach for the sky.