Between Heaven and Earth: a selection of the most interesting and perilous airship journeys of the aeronaut Paul Spiegel from Chemnitz in 1905. The history of air travel dates back to the 19th century. In the 19th and especially in the first half of the 20th century, airships held far greater significance than they do today. They are the pioneers of air transport. Airships consist of a primarily aerodynamically shaped lifting body that contains the lifting gas. Depending on the design, one or more gondolas are attached to it. In this gondola, and in some large airships also within the lifting body, there is space for the crew, passengers, cargo, and equipment. Engines provide thrust, and control surfaces are used for steering. The lifting gas gives airships their static lift, as it has a lower density than air. Airships float in the air, similar to a submarine in water. Therefore, in technical jargon, it is often referred to as "driving" rather than "flying." Illustrated with 12 black-and-white images. Reprint of the original edition from 1905.