Robert Petschow

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Robert Petschow (born March 1, 1888 in Kolberg , † October 17, 1945 in Haldensleben ) was a balloonist, photographer and sports official.

On August 11, 1911, Robert Petschow became a stud. ing in Danzig free balloon pilot in the West Prussian VfL. During the First World War , Petschow was a captive balloon observer with the rank of lieutenant in Poland, France and Belgium. Possibly it was his activity as a balloon observer that brought him together with photography, in which he had been working as a freelance since 1920. His pictures appeared in the renowned photographic yearbook “Das deutsche Lichtbild”, in which he was presented together with photographers such as Karl Blossfeldt , Albert Renger-Patzsch , Chargesheimer and Erich Salomon . The illustrated book "Land der Deutschen" (Land der Deutschen), which was published by Robert Diesel in 1931 and contains many photographs by Petschow, even had four editions - rather unusual for a photo illustrated book . In 1931 he also took the airship LZ 127 , the "Graf Zeppelin", to Egypt . He took part as an unofficial member of the crew to take photographs of the journey. In 1936, at the age of 48, Petschow entered the air force with the rank of captain and ended his work as a senior editor at the daily newspaper "Der Westen", which he had exercised since 1930. There is no information on Pechov from the following years.

Robert Petschow died at the age of 57 on October 17, 1945 in Haldensleben after he had to leave his apartment in Berlin-Steglitz due to the war. There he left a picture archive with around 30,000 aerial photographs that fell victim to the war. His contemporaries described Petschow as a humorous person with a great talent for storytelling.

Balloon sport

Hugo of Abercron

Robert Petschow renewed his license as a free balloon pilot with one trip in 1922. On October 11, 1925, he undertook the 1000th balloon ascent from the launch site in Bitterfeld . With Hugo von Abercron and Richard Schütze, Petschow was one of the most active German balloonists between the wars. Robert Petschow also worked for the association. From 1926 he was the chief editor of the magazine “ Die Luftfahrt ” and in 1927 he became a member of the free balloon committee of the German Aviation Association (DLV) and its managing director. In 1930 he was the first free balloon pilot to receive the DLV's large eagle plaque, the highest award of the Reich Committee for Physical Activity . In 1931 Robert Petschow was also named as the head of the balloon group of the Berlin Association for Airship Travel. On December 14, 1935, he made his 400th trip from Bitterfeld. It was one of the balloonists with the most trips in Germany in the 1930s.

Sporting successes

  • 11./12. February 1914 from Bitterfeld with balloon "Leipzig II" together with Rode and Schilling in 10:08 h to Filipstad / Sweden 950 km away .
  • April 11, 1926 1st place in a target race of the Bitterfeld Aviation Association with the "Bussard" balloon
  • May 16, 1926, 1st place in a long-distance race of the DLV with the "Bussard" balloon in 7:51 h to Zierenberg near Kassel, 214 km away
  • 1929 1st place in the DLV Cup from Bitterfeld with the “Bitterfeld IX” balloon to Reims / France, 670 km away .
  • May 10, 1930 1st place in the elimination run for the DLV challenge cup in Bitterfeld
  • September 30th, 1933 1st place in the challenge price for hydrogen balloons from Bitterfeld with balloon "Union" with Richard Jahre from Berlin VfL in 23:40 h to Gletschendorf / Holstein 300 km away .
  • September 15, 1935 1st place at the DLV challenge price with balloon "Bruno Lörzer" in 8:09 h in Mückenberg, 250 km away

literature

personal data
SURNAME Petschow, Robert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Balloonist and photographer
DATE OF BIRTH March 1, 1888
PLACE OF BIRTH Kolberg
DATE OF DEATH October 17, 1945
Place of death Haldensleben