This extraordinary commemorative porcelain plate documents one of the most significant milestones in early aviation history: the first successful east-to-west transatlantic flight on April 12-13, 1928. Aboard the Junkers W 33 aircraft “Bremen,” German pilot Captain Hermann Köhl, Irish aviator James Fitzmaurice, and Baron Ehrenfried Günther Freiherr von Hünefeld accomplished what had previously been considered nearly impossible: crossing the Atlantic against the prevailing westerly winds.
The historical significance of this achievement can hardly be overstated. While transatlantic flights from America to Europe benefited from favorable wind conditions, the east-to-west route presented a far greater challenge. The prevailing winds in the North Atlantic blow from North America towards Europe, making headwinds a major problem for those flying west. On April 12, 1928, at 05:38, the Bremen, loaded to a weight of five tonnes with 520 gallons of petrol, took off from Ireland's Baldonnel Aerodrome, destination: New York. After 36.5 hours, the crew reached Greenly Island, a small Canadian island, safely. The reception in New York on April 30 was triumphant – the flyers were honored with a tickertape parade. On May 2, 1928, the 70th United States Congress authorized President Calvin Coolidge to confer the United States Distinguished Flying Cross on the Bremen Flyers. Back in Ireland on June 30, 1928, they were bestowed the Freedom of the City of Dublin in recognition of their trans-Atlantic flight achievement.
This commemorative plate was produced around 1928 by the Rheinische Porzellanfabrik Mannheim G.m.b.H., a porcelain factory that existed from 1887 to 1933 and was founded in 1899 by Hugo Sterner as a limited liability company. The factory produced mostly standard household goods but also a small range of decorative and promotional items. This plate was commissioned by Junkers-Werke Dessau as an exclusive presentation gift.
The artistic design reflects both the technical and human dimensions of this pioneering achievement. The white glazed porcelain plate, with a diameter of 30.5 cm, features elaborate hand-painted decoration with rich gold decoration and a surrounding gold rim. The center depicts the D-1167 during its Atlantic crossing, flanked by gold-painted maps of North America and Europe with the airports New York and Dessau marked. The top section features portraits of the three brave aviators with the date April 13, 1928. At the bottom, the large Junkers company emblem appears in silver, flanked by golden laurel wreaths. The rim inscription in gold reads: “Europa-Amerika - Einmotoriges Ganzmetallflugzeug 'Bremen' 350 P[S]. Junckers-Werke Dessau”.
The back bears the manufacturer's marking along with a handwritten inscription: “Erster Flug über den Nord-Atlantik von Ost nach West der deutschen Flieger, Hauptmann Köhl, Freiherr v. Hünefeld und dem irischen Major Fitzmaurice 13. April 1928, Flugzeug 356 1/2 Stunden - Entwurf + handgemalt Fritz Lammertz Mannheim 1928”.
This plate does not belong to mass-produced commercial souvenirs but rather to an extremely limited series of presentation gifts. Junkers-Werke had these plates manufactured to honor select individuals associated with the historic flight. Likely recipients would have been the three aviators themselves, Junkers company officials, government representatives, or major sponsors and supporters of the flight. The exact production number of these commemorative plates is not documented, and the rarity of the object underscores its significance as a historical witness.
The Bremen itself experienced a varied history after its triumph. The aircraft was transported to Bremen, then to Dessau, and displayed at the 1928 International Air Show (ILA) in Berlin. Baron von Hünefeld offered the Bremen as a gift to the Deutsches Museum in Munich, which refused as the machine had historical significance but did not represent a “technically important stage of development.” Hünefeld then bequeathed the aircraft to the New York City Museum. Today, the Bremen belongs to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and is currently on display in a hangar at the Bremen Airport Museum.
