Görries airfield: Schwerin's airy history between glory and ruins

Görries airfield: Schwerin's airy history between glory and ruins

Schwerin, a place known for its aviation history, experienced a real boom at the beginning of the 20th century. The Görries airfield was ceremoniously opened in 1913, and that was just the beginning. This development was strongly linked to the name of the renowned aircraft designer Anthony Fokker, who played a central role in the aviation history of this region. How Northern Courier reported, the history of the airfield goes back to the German sightseeing flight of 1911, in which Schwerin was an important stage location. As interest in aviation continued to grow, the city decided to build its own airfield.

The “Mecklenburg Airfield Company Görries-Schwerin mbH” was founded at the end of 1912. The entire airfield infrastructure was built in just a few months: spectator stands, a restaurant and an aircraft hangar were completed by Easter 1913. In March 1913, Fokker moved his factory from Berlin to Schwerin and in May opened a flying school with six of his so-called “spiders”. Görries quickly developed into an important production location, especially for seaplanes.

Fokker's influence on aviation

The city of Schwerin not only provided Fokker with land, but also created a significant part of its manufacturing infrastructure. In 1913, a hall was built on Lake Schwerin by “Thiedes Flugzeugfabriken und Hallenbau”. This supportless design is still part of the heritage of Fokker Flugzeugwerke today. Hamburg metropolitan region points out that part of this hall has been preserved to this day and was originally used for the final assembly of seaplanes.

Fokker was not only a visionary designer, he also brought innovative technologies with him to Germany. During the First World War, around 3,400 aircraft were produced under his leadership. The idea of ​​sourcing wings from piano factories was another clever move to increase the quality and capacity of its productions.

The decline of the airfield

But like all good things, the aviation history in Görries also had its dark sides. After the First World War, the Fokker Works withdrew to the Netherlands due to the Treaty of Versailles. The usual flight operations decreased and in 1927 the airfield's operations finally ceased. From 1932 onwards, the airport was initially used for civilian purposes, but soon underwent a military conversion.

The strategic importance of the airfield made it a target for Allied bombing raids during the Second World War, which caused extensive damage to many parts of the site. A milestone in history was the evacuation of the air base on April 30, 1945, when American troops took over the place. What remains of the once flourishing airfield is now a commercial area in which some old buildings, such as the hangars and the old control center, are partly listed buildings.

The memory of Fokker

Although the Schwerin-Görries airfield has largely been forgotten today, its legacy lives on in the hearts of aviation enthusiasts. Anthony Fokker, born on April 6, 1890 in Java, left a lasting impression with his innovative ideas and designs, such as the famous Fokker Dr.I, which made history. How Wikipedia reports, Fokker was not only a pioneer in aviation, but also a significant figure who had a lasting influence on the development of fighter aircraft during the First World War.

The memory of Görries airfield and the outstanding achievements of Anthony Fokker shows us how far aviation technology has advanced and encourages us to reflect on the roots of these successes.