What if Goethe had taken flight? Today we stand at Flugplatz Weimar-Umpferstedt. It is a special airfield with a history tied to the skies and Weimar’s cultural heart.
Flugplatz Weimar-Umpferstedt lies about five kilometers east of Weimar. This airfield is not just a place for planes. It is a gateway to exploring the legacy of Goethe, Schiller, and the Bauhaus.
In 1994 Peter Herzog and Sören Gathemann founded Flugplatz Weimar. Herzog had been a segelflug instructor. He opened the first commercial UL-Flugschule in Sömmerda in 1990. Gathemann knew of land for sale between Weimar and Jena. They started with a simple field and a dream.
Initially it was just an open field. It lacked electricity and water. Yet, they saw its potential due to its location. It was in the center of Weimar, Apolda, and Jena. They obtained an Außenlandegenehmigung external landing permit. They also acquired a tent for ultralight aircraft in 1994. At first only school planes could land here. That same year, authorities approved it as a special airfield.
The airfield continued to grow. A hangar appeared. A section of the grass runway got asphalted. Container modules formed a building. Pilots could relax, eat, and even stay overnight. The infrastructure grew with the airfield’s use. More students and landings meant more expansions.
Flugplatz Weimar sees about 10,000 starts and landings annually. A quarter of these are from visiting aircraft. Many pilots visit to enjoy one of Germany’s beautiful landscapes. From the hangars, you can see the Thuringian Forest. The Harz and Kyffhäuser mountains are also worth a trip.
The airfield provides bicycles. Pilots can easily reach Weimar’s city center. Weimar attracts pilots with its rich history. The city flourished in the late 1700s. Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther” made him famous. Duke Carl August invited Goethe to Weimar. Goethe joined circles with Schiller, Wieland, and Herder. He became the director of Weimar’s Hoftheater. He also helped establish the University of Jena.
Today, Weimar is a tourist hotspot. Visitors from around the world explore its restored streets. School groups gather before the German National Theater. Statues of Schiller and Goethe watch over them. Horse-drawn carriages roll along the cobblestone streets.
Flugplatz Weimar-Umpferstedt is more than just a landing strip. It connects aviation to Weimar’s vibrant history. It is a place where the spirit of innovation meets cultural heritage. A place where you might just imagine Goethe himself taking to the skies.