1927 German Glider Launch in Rossitten – Rare Original Photo of Early “Kranich” Glider at Hohen Düne

This rare original 1927 photograph captures an important moment in early aviation history: the launch of a “Kranich” glider from the Hohen Düne (High Dune) in Rossitten, East Prussia—now Rybachy, Russia. The image is part of a documented glider testing event at one of Germany’s earliest and most influential soaring sites, captured by photographer Alex Stöcker and published by Presse-Illustrations-Verlag, Berlin.

Rossitten was a critical hub for glider innovation during the interwar period. With its strong ridge winds and natural terrain, it served as a proving ground for designs that would shape future aviation—including the techniques and aerodynamic principles that influenced both WWII gliders and postwar soaring aircraft.

The Kranich glider featured in this image was an early Königsberg-based design—not to be confused with the later DFS Kranich of the 1930s. This model featured a high-wing, single-seat configuration, with a streamlined fuselage and minimalist control surfaces, all characteristics typical of experimental German gliders of the 1920s.

Caption Information (translated):

• Event: Glider testing and launch, Rossitten, 1927

• Glider: “Kranich” from Königsberg

• Location: Hohen Düne (High Dune), Rossitten

• Photographer: Alex Stöcker

• Publisher: Presse-Illustrations-Verlag, Berlin

Historical Significance:

• Rossitten was a preeminent site for early glider research, alongside the Wasserkuppe.

• The glider movement in 1920s Germany was not only a technological response to post-WWI restrictions on powered flight, but also a driver of aerodynamic advancement.

• Photographs from this era—particularly with location, glider identification, and press attribution—are exceedingly rare and of high interest to aviation historians and collectors.

• This image predates the more formalized glider schools and organizations that emerged in the 1930s, offering a glimpse into pre-war experimental flight culture in natural, uncontrolled environments.

Key Features:

• Date: 1927

• Glider Model: “Kranich” (early Königsberg design)

• Location: Rossitten, Hohen Düne (now Rybachy, Russia)

• Photographer: Alex Stöcker

• Publisher: Presse-Illustrations-Verlag, Berlin

• Medium: Original vintage photograph with caption

• Condition: Well-preserved for its age; high historical clarity and documentation