History
The airport was opened to commercial traffic on 11 July 1935.
Though planned as a commercial airport, its importance to the military increased dramatically during the following years in the Third Reich. During World War II it was exclusively used for military purposes. An airlift between the airport and Breslau was established to support German troops during the Siege of Breslau in spring of 1945. Attempts to destroy buildings and equipment before the Allied troops could occupy Dresden failed due to the resistance of civil airport employees.
During the following years, the airport was used as an education centre for the Soviet army. It was reopened for commercial traffic on 16 June 1957. In 1959 international air traffic resumed, primarily to countries of the Eastern Bloc.
Between 1955 and 1961, the East German government decided to develop its own aviation industry centred on Dresden. Although this development ultimately failed, it increased the importance of Klotzsche Airport considerably, and has shaped the design and atmosphere of the airport right up until today.
After German reunification, the airport was expanded and flights to western European capitals were added. Traffic increased sevenfold during the first half of the 1990s and a second terminal was opened in 1995.
In 2001 the current terminal was added. This was rebuilt from a hangar formerly used as an assembly hall by the aircraft industry.
Read more about this topic: Dresden Airport
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