1923: Germany Seizes French Plane

The Germans introduced not too long ago that they’d seize any French airplane that occurred to return down of their territory. Event supplied itself for implementing the menace on Friday, when one of many industrial planes flying from Prague to Strasburg needed to alight close to Nuremberg on account of engine hassle. The machine and its contents have been impounded, and two passengers and the pilot have been despatched on by rail after interrogation.

Protest has been entered by the French Embassy in Berlin with a requirement for the discharge of the aircraft. Based on Article 313 of the Treaty of Versailles French planes could fly over and descend in German territory and revel in the identical rights as German planes, “particularly in case of misery at sea or by land.” The Treaty of Versailles offered additionally that Germany ought to adhere to a global air conference by January 1, 1923. Germany rejected the conference after the occupation of the Ruhr, and claims to have a free hand.

— The New York Herald, European Version, Might 21, 1923