Hannes Lindemann

Hannes Lindemann's Klepper Aerius II

It is not easy to find a point to take a picture of Hannes Lindemann's Klepper Aerius II in which he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1957. It is exhibited in the "Deutsches Museum" in Munich, and crowded together with other exhibits. You may want to go to the first floor of the nautical section, to have the best view from the top looking down the atrium. I know the Klepper Aerius from kayaking on the rivers in Germany as a teenager. I am not easy with such claims, but it is designed by a genius. The list of world records is a long one and many of them are still standing. The boat gains a lot of its stability from the air tube around the upper body. The moment this tube dives into water, it pushes the boat back and prevents a deeper dive. Hannes Lindemann (1922-2015) was a medical doctor in Bad Godesberg and a man who liked self experiments. His experiences from the Atlantic crossing are described in "Allein über den Ozean" (Alone at sea). I met him twice in events on autogenic training in Bonn, a field he was very active in. It is a relaxation and body awareness exercise, which is not very popular outside Germany. In principle, it seems to me a form of meditation. I never really actively picked it up, but found it interesting. Today it is most commonly applied for stress relief. I have no real idea, why people have stress, and what it actually means to have it. But good, that a good old explorer's technique helps even people dwelling in a cubical these days. What ever their adventures may be. 

The Klepper Aerius II in which Hannes Lindemann crossed the Atlantic ocean in 1957. Exhibit in the Deutsches Museum (Munich).

The Klepper Aerius II in which Hannes Lindemann crossed the Atlantic ocean in 1957. Exhibit in the Deutsches Museum (Munich).