1962 to 1989

Picture gallery

Il-18 aircraft in the 1960s
1960s: An Il-14P at Dresden-Klotzsche after a domestic flight
1964: Refuelling a Tu-104 of the Russian airline Aeroflot
c. 1966: An Interflug An-24 preparing for a domestic flight
1964: A Tu-104 from Berlin-Schönefeld makes an unscheduled stop for refuelling
1970: A BAC 1-11 of the Rumanian airline Tarom makes an unscheduled stop
1968: A Il-14 P of Cargo Squadron 27 in front of hangar 219, the present-day Dresden Airport Terminal
Life goes on as usual at the Dresden Aircraft Repair Works post-1961: servicing Il-14s and manufacturing potato planting machines
Winter 1973/1974: Reconstruction of Hansa House and construction work on the tarmac
1974: Central hall with check-in desks in the reconstructed Hansa House
1974: Transit lounge in the reconstructed Hansa House
1974: Front view of the reconstructed Hansa House
1974: Air traffic resumes between Dresden and Moscow after complete reconstruction of Dresden Airport
1978: Tu-154 of the Bulgarian airline Balkan in Dresden
Late 1970s: Tu-134s of Interflug and Aeroflot in Dresden
1978: Timetable for the Dresden-Leningrad route
1979: Dresden Staatskapelle returns from a USA tour in a PanAm Boeing 707. This is the first non-stop flight between New York and Dresden.
Winter timetable 1978/79: flight times on the Dresden-Tatry (in present-day Slovakia) route
1980s: Assembly shop for MiG-23s at the VEB Dresden aircraft works
C. 1980: Passengers boarding a Tu-134 of the East German airline Interflug
1980s: Tu-134s of Interflug and Malev outside Hansa House
1982: Preparing to welcome Afghan President Karmal
1980s: Malev Hungarian Airlines advertisement for their Dresden airport office
1982: Tu-134s of Aeroflot and Interflug in Dresden
1980s: Interflug Tu-134 approaching Dresden
Dresden Airport’s 1984 summer timetable
1987: Advertisement in a Stuttgart daily newspaper for day trips to Dresden by air
1987: First landing of the Soviet Il-86 wide-bodied aircraft in Dresden
1988/89: Construction work closes Dresden Airport for months
1989: The Sächsische Zeitung newspaper reports on diversions caused by the reconstruction and closure of Dresden Airport
  • Il-18 aircraft in the 1960s
  • 1960s: An Il-14P at Dresden-Klotzsche after a domestic flight
  • 1964: Refuelling a Tu-104 of the Russian airline Aeroflot
  • c. 1966: An Interflug An-24 preparing for a domestic flight
  • 1964: A Tu-104 from Berlin-Schönefeld makes an unscheduled stop for refuelling
  • 1970: A BAC 1-11 of the Rumanian airline Tarom makes an unscheduled stop
  • 1968: A Il-14 P of Cargo Squadron 27 in front of hangar 219, the present-day Dresden Airport Terminal
  • Life goes on as usual at the Dresden Aircraft Repair Works post-1961: servicing Il-14s and manufacturing potato planting machines
  • Winter 1973/1974: Reconstruction of Hansa House and construction work on the tarmac
  • 1974: Central hall with check-in desks in the reconstructed Hansa House
  • 1974: Transit lounge in the reconstructed Hansa House
  • 1974: Front view of the reconstructed Hansa House
  • 1974: Air traffic resumes between Dresden and Moscow after complete reconstruction of Dresden Airport
  • 1978: Tu-154 of the Bulgarian airline Balkan in Dresden
  • Late 1970s: Tu-134s of Interflug and Aeroflot in Dresden
  • 1978: Timetable for the Dresden-Leningrad route
  • 1979: Dresden Staatskapelle returns from a USA tour in a PanAm Boeing 707. This is the first non-stop flight between New York and Dresden.
  • Winter timetable 1978/79: flight times on the Dresden-Tatry (in present-day Slovakia) route
  • 1980s: Assembly shop for MiG-23s at the VEB Dresden aircraft works
  • C. 1980: Passengers boarding a Tu-134 of the East German airline Interflug
  • 1980s: Tu-134s of Interflug and Malev outside Hansa House
  • 1982: Preparing to welcome Afghan President Karmal
  • 1980s: Malev Hungarian Airlines advertisement for their Dresden airport office
  • 1982: Tu-134s of Aeroflot and Interflug in Dresden
  • 1980s: Interflug Tu-134 approaching Dresden
  • Dresden Airport’s 1984 summer timetable
  • 1987: Advertisement in a Stuttgart daily newspaper for day trips to Dresden by air
  • 1987: First landing of the Soviet Il-86 wide-bodied aircraft in Dresden
  • 1988/89: Construction work closes Dresden Airport for months
  • 1989: The Sächsische Zeitung newspaper reports on diversions caused by the reconstruction and closure of Dresden Airport
 

Cold War and capacity bottlenecks

After aircraft construction ceased, the Nationale Volksarmee (the East German Army) took over the airfield in 1962 and the aircraft factory became the Dresden Aircraft Repair Works where military aircraft were maintained. Meanwhile Deutsche Lufthansa der DDR, later renamed INTERFLUG, continued to operate domestic flights, and was now able to handle passengers directly at the airport.

On 3 May 1967 the first international flight route was launched. Over the next few decades this connection between Dresden and Budapest would go on to become Dresden Airport’s most popular route. Dresden also took on an important role as the airport to which flights to and from East Germany’s main airport, Berlin Schönefeld, diverted in poor weather. Every now and then the additional traffic took Dresden Airport close to the limits of its capabilities.

Dresden’s development as a military airport - a rear echelon unit had been stationed here since 1963 - took place amidst the conflict of interests between the air force, the aircraft repair works and civil air traffic. While domestic air traffic dwindled and was finally discontinued in 1980, the international network was beginning to expand. By the late 1970s Dresden was offering scheduled flights to Budapest, Moscow, Leningrad, Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Tatry and other destinations, bringing the holiday destinations popular with East Germans within easy reach. In addition, Dresden Airport was enjoying brisk charter traffic, including from countries in Western Europe - albeit only for their citizens.

With the steadily increasing volume of traffic - a seven-fold increase from around 54,000 passengers in 1962 to nearly 390,000 in 1985 - the airport was almost constantly operating at the edge of its capacity. A complete rebuild was called for, and on 31 October 1989, just before the fall of the Berlin Wall, the airport re-opened after a months-long closure.

1989 to 2000: Passenger numbers multiply, airport undergoes comprehensive modernisation

Illustration: A journey through the history of aviation in Dresden

Click on the image to download (PDF file, 455 kB, German only)