Volume 1: Between World War I, the Treaty of Versailles and rearmament

After the First World War, the victorious powers imposed a series of prohibitions and restrictions on Germany through the Treaty of Versailles. These also affected aviation, with the aim of preventing military rearmament, and applied to the Institute of Model Testing of the Motorised Airship Study Society, founded in 1907 but renamed the Aerodynamics Research Institute (Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt; AVA) in 1920. Despite this, the DLR predecessor continued its research activities, as the results of this study demonstrate. Militarily relevant work continued indirectly through civil aviation projects, industrial collaborations and even related fields such as vehicle engineering and wind energy research. As a result, aerodynamic knowledge was not only preserved but actually advanced during the interwar period. This was made possible by institutional and personnel continuity within the organisation, which formed the basis for the subsequent expansion of aviation research under National Socialism. Throughout this period, the AVA was closely networked with government bodies, military actors, industrial companies and scientific institutions. There was also broad consensus among politicians, scientists and sections of society that aviation was strategically important for Germany's national strength. Overall, the history of the AVA illustrates how closely intertwined scientific research, political frameworks and military interests were during the interwar period.