Civil Aviation in Türkiye and the Activities of the Lufthansa Company (1928-1933)

Although airplanes were initially used for military purposes, they soon came to the fore in mail and passenger transportation due to their fast and unobstructed features. Some attempts had also been made in the Ottoman Empire in parallel with the world’s first civil aviation trials. On February 9, 1914, the first postal shipment within Ottoman borders was made successfully from Osmaneli to Bilecik. The first postal service to European and Balkan states from within Ottoman borders started shortly after the signing of the Armistice of Mudros in 1918. The newly established Republic of Türkiye also took important steps in civil aviation. New air lines were created by signing agreements with foreign companies, as experience could not be gained in this area due to long-lasting wars. This study discusses the activities of Lufthansa Company in Türkiye, which has an important place in this field despite not being the first, by making use of archival documents, research works, periodicals, and resources shared by the company.