Lufthansa, founded on January 6, 1926, as “Luft Hansa,” celebrates its 100th anniversary today. The history of the German airline is almost as turbulent as aviation itself.

From a technological pioneer in the 1920s to an active role during the Nazi regime, Lufthansa grew into Europe’s largest airline group, at least in terms of revenue.

Adventurous pioneer

Deutsche Luft Hansa AG was founded in 1926 on the initiative of the German government. The company was created through the merger of competitors Junkers Luftverkehr and Deutscher Aero Lloyd to unite the German aircraft industry.

Flying was still a real adventure at that time. The stars did navigation, although later a separate navigator was brought on board, and flights were made in aircraft with a closed cockpit, such as the Junkers Ju 52, nicknamed Tante Ju.

But Lufthansa was indeed a technological pioneer with night flights and early long-haul routes. Particularly spectacular were the mail flights across the Atlantic Ocean, in which seaplanes were launched from ships by catapult.

Nazi period

The darkest chapter in the company’s history is undoubtedly the Nazi period. Lufthansa became part of the Nazi regime and played an active role in the German war machine, or the Reichsluftfahrtministerium, Hermann Göring’s aviation ministry.

Aircraft were used to transport materials, soldiers, and wounded personnel, or were converted for use by the Nazi air force. Thousands of forced laborers, including prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates, were deployed to maintain the aircraft.

Historians are currently investigating the exact role of the company during World War II, partly because its Nazi past was initially deliberately downplayed, and Lufthansa only acknowledged its involvement decades later – it also participated in the German compensation fund for victims.

Two Lufthansa aircraft

After the Allies completely dissolved Lufthansa in 1945, the old Lufthansa was liquidated in 1951, and two years later, the Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf (LUFTAG) was founded, which later acquired the brand name Deutsche Lufthansa AG and was permitted to resume operations in 1955.

However, travelers in those Cold War days had to be careful when booking a ticket, because the GDR (East Germany) also established a national airline that year and named it Deutsche Lufthansa as well – in the beginning, they even used similar symbols, such as the crane, which added to the confusion.

Later, West German Lufthansa secured the international naming rights, and the GDR Lufthansa had to relinquish the name and was renamed Interflug.

The comeback

The airline rapidly expanded its international network, partly thanks to its entry into the jet age with the Boeing 707. Frankfurt grew into an important European hub, and Lufthansa made a name for itself, thanks in part to German reliability, safety, and service – even the coffee on board was measured with “German precision” – service with discipline.

In 1990, Lufthansa became a private company, with the cargo company Lufthansa Cargo and the maintenance division Lufthansa Technik operating as independent entities.

Lufthansa Cargo has grown into one of the largest in the world, and Lufthansa Technik is a global leader in aircraft maintenance. In 1997, it also co-founded Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance.

In the new millennium, Lufthansa expanded further with the acquisitions of the Swiss airline Swiss and the Austrian airline Austrian Airlines. Brussels Airlines also became part of the group: in 2008, Lufthansa acquired a minority stake, followed by a complete takeover in early 2017.

Meanwhile, the Germans also have a minority stake in the Italian airline ITA Airways and are eyeing a stake in the Portuguese airline TAP.

Dark moments include the fatal crash of a plane belonging to Lufthansa subsidiary Germanwings in France in 2015, a deliberate act by the co-pilot that cost 150 lives, and the COVID-19 crisis, during which Lufthansa and its subsidiaries were kept afloat with billions in state aid.

It even moved some of its aircraft to desert airports, such as Teruel in Spain and Alice Springs in Australia, because the dry air causes less corrosion and costs are lower than at busy European hubs.

Festivities

In 2024, the Lufthansa Group carried more than 130 million passengers and generated revenue of 37,6 billion euros, although it continues to face fierce competition from low-cost airlines.

Currently, more than 100,000 people work for the group, even though a few months ago it announced that 4,000 jobs would be cut, mainly in Germany. Indeed, frequent labor disputes are a recurring feature in the company’s history.

At the same time, the group is engaged in “the largest modernization of its fleet in the company’s history” – read: investments in more fuel-efficient aircraft, such as A320neo, A350, and Boeing 787.

The major celebrations for Lufthansa’s centenary, under the motto “We are the Journey,” are planned for April. Among other things, there will be a new permanent visitor and conference center, “Lufthansa Group Hangar One,” at Frankfurt Airport.

Two historic propeller planes will be on display there: a Junkers Ju 52 from 1936 and a Lockheed Super Star from 1958. Lufthansa is also painting six aircraft in an anniversary theme, often featuring cranes as the central symbol.

Or to sum up the festivities in the words of Jens Ritter, CEO of Lufthansa Airlines: “With more individuality, greater comfort, and distinctive Lufthansa Signature Moments, we are building on what has characterized us for 100 years: being an attentive and unique host above the clouds.”