Objekt des Monats
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November 2025
Flight ticket, 1952
Historical Context
On October 6, 1952, Johann Diedrich Segelken emigrated with Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) from Bremen to New York. Although transatlantic flights became increasingly popular in the early 1950s, many emigrants still traveled by ship. Air travel was expensive and unfamiliar to many. At the German Emigration Center, our visitors can discover the diverse experiences of migrants who traveled by sea. But what was it like for those who took to the skies earlier? The flight ticket provides insight into the era of commercial air travel and gives a glimpse of what Diedrich’s journey might have looked like.
Short Biography
The decision to emigrate by Johann Diedrich Segelken in 1952 was supported by the fact that several family members were already living in the USA. What might have further motivated him can only be speculated – he was thirty years old and had a tumultuous life behind him.
Diedrich was born on June 7, 1922, in Weyerdeelen, in what is now Lower Saxony. His family ran a riding stable and bred Trakehner horses. After nine years of schooling, he completed an apprenticeship as a farm laborer and briefly worked for the Lower Saxony Farmers’ Association before he was drafted into the Reich Labor Service. During World War II, he was stationed at various locations including Strelno (Poland), Sevastopol (Crimea), and Crete. After the war, he was captured as a prisoner of war in Siberia and walked back to his parents’ home in Worpswede between 1948 and 1951. In 1952, Diedrich met his future wife, Gerda Filax, at a dance event, and they quickly became engaged. On October 6, 1952, Diedrich emigrated to the USA; Gerda followed him by ship on November 2, 1953, aboard the “America”. Together, they had two children: Kerstin and Lorenz, and returned to Germany after about 30 years, where they also passed away.
Significance of the object
From the groundbreaking flight of the Wright brothers in 1903 to the first scheduled passenger service in 1914 and the introduction of jet engines in the 1950s – the rapid development of aviation fundamentally changed how people travel, connect, and explore the world. Amidst this upheaval, Diedrich flew.
Diedrich traveled aboard a Douglas DC-6B – one of the most advanced propeller-driven aircraft before the rise of jet technology. Built by the Douglas Aircraft Company between 1946 and 1958, the DC-6 had a capacity of 54 to 102 passengers and was faster and more powerful than its predecessors. It could reach Europe or parts of South America from New York in 15 to 24 hours – with several stops for refueling. Diedrich’s journey confirms this historical picture. According to a flight schedule brochure from SAS dated April 1952, his planned flight in October – flight number SK 901 – had the following route:
Stockholm 13:25 – Copenhagen 15:05_15:55 – Bremen 17:10_17:55 – Glasgow 20:35 21:35 – Gander 03:50 04:35 – New York 07:10
Bremen was one of several stopovers. The total journey was planned to take about 14 hours.
The brochure also shows that flying in the 1950s meant more than just buying a ticket. International air travelers – especially non-Americans – needed various documents. Besides a passport, visa, and proof of funds, Diedrich also had to present a smallpox vaccination certificate, X-rays, and serological blood tests. These requirements remind us of the health checks that ship travelers had to undergo at their destinations in the early 20th century.
A look at the ticket reveals further details. The note “OW TF” stands for One Way Tourist Fare [German: Einfacher Touristenfahrpreis]. The tourist class, often referred to as the “lower class,” cost Diedrich 313.10 US dollars, about 20 to 25 percent less than a ticket in first class. In 1952, first class still meant true luxury: five-course meals and crew uniforms designed by fashion designers. The tourist class was significantly simpler – with less space and limited service.
This raises an intriguing question: Why did Diedrich choose to fly at all? For roughly the same price, he could have enjoyed a luxurious four-week voyage on an ocean liner in first class. Was it due to time constraints? A special opportunity? Or curiosity? His daughter Kerstin could not provide an answer – she only remembered that the trip was funded by relatives in the USA. However, a look at the ticket might shed some light: Under Date and Place of Original Issue[Deutsch: Datum und Ort der Ausstellung] it states Aug 22. 52 NYC. This could suggest that the American relatives not only collected the money but purchased the ticket directly and then sent it to Germany. Still, the motivations behind Diedrich’s unusual decision to fly in the early 1950s remain a mystery.
Do You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de