Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin
(08.07.1838 - 08.03.1917)
place of birth:  Konstanz
Königreich Württemberg:  Gen à l.s. SM,  Bde-Kdr,  General der Kavallerie ch. z.D.


Württemberg general and renowned airship innovator Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin served as a cavalry officer. Early in his career, Graf von Zeppelin had the opportunity to travel to the United States, where in 1864 he became an observer with the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War. While in the States, he also took note of how hot-air balloons were operationally deployed and even had the chance to go aloft in one. Upon returning to his homeland, von Zeppelin was chosen to serve as Diensttuender Flügeladjutant (aide-de-camp) in His Majesty King Karl's court. He retained a position as a court adjutant until King Karl's death in 1891. As a Rittmeister, von Zeppelin saw action in both the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71.

During peace time, Graf von Zeppelin rose to command 27. Kavallerie-Brigade headquartered in Ludwigsburg. For his exemplary leadership, he had earlier been awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) of Württemberg's highest military order - the K.W. Militär-Verdienst-Orden, later receiving the Grand Cross of the same order. He was dispatched to Berlin in 1887 as Württemberg's special military envoy and plenipotentiary, a high-level diplomatic position he filled for almost three years. Graf von Zeppelin agreed in 1890 to accept command of Prussia's 30. Kavallerie-Brigade in Metz. He was so severely criticized for his handling of the 1890 autumn maneuvers, however, that he was soon forced to retire from active duty as a brevetted Generalleutnant. He nevertheless remained in uniform as General à la suite in King Karl's court. When Karl died in October 1901 and was succeeded by his nephew Wilhelm II., Graf von Zeppelin retained his title General à la suite Weiland, former adjutant to the His Majesty the King of Württemberg, until his death in 1917.

Upon leaving active military service at the age of 52, Graf von Zeppelin was able to devote his time to the development of rigid airships and their potential for wartime engagement. The flight of his first prototype airship, the Luftschiff Zeppelin LZ-1 took place in the summer of 1900 in Konstanz. By the fall of 1908, Kaiser Wilhelm II. and the German government were impressed enough with the LZ line of airships that program became officially sponsored by the Kaiserreich, and von Zeppelin was decorated with the Schwarzer Adler, the Order of the Black Eagle. He additionally was awarded in 1910 the highest Royal Prussian decoration recognizing achievement in science and the arts, the Pour le Mérite WuK.

	General der Kavallerie	05.12.1905  (charakter)
	Kriegs-Denkmünze	Deutscher Krieg 1866  (Königreich Württemberg)
	Eisernes Kreuz II	Deutsch-Französischer Krieg  1870–1871
	Württemberg MVO	01.03.1875  Ritter  (Großkreuz:  21.10.1907)
	Schwarzer Adler	30.11.1908