Editing Interflug (section)

===Founding years===
[[File:Bundesarchiv DH 2 Bild-F-04180, Berlin-Schönefeld, Flughafenbau, Il14.jpg|thumb|right|An [[Ilyushin Il-14]] of Interflug at Schönefeld Airport in 1961, when the terminal building was under construction]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-K1027-0032, Berlin, Hochhaus, Interflug.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Interflug office ''Haus des Reisens'' near [[Alexanderplatz]] in central East Berlin, 1971]]
{{main|Deutsche Lufthansa (East Germany)}}
Until 1945, [[Deutsche Luft Hansa]] had served as German [[flag carrier]]. Following the end of [[World War II]] and the subsequent [[Allied-occupied Germany|allied occupation of Germany]], all aircraft in the country were seized and the airline was liquidated. In 1954, [[Lufthansa|a West German company]] acquired the ''Lufthansa'' trademark. In 1955, [[Deutsche Lufthansa (East Germany)|Deutsche Lufthansa]] was founded as a rival East German flag carrier. It soon became obvious that the East German airline would likely lose a lawsuit over the use of the ''Lufthansa'' branding. As a result, Interflug was set up on 18 September 1958 as a "backup" company, initially intended to complement the East German aviation industry by operating chartered flights. In 1963, the East German Lufthansa was liquidated, officially due to poor profitability (though this step foreclosed the imminent stripping of the ''Lufthansa'' name). Its staff, aircraft fleet, and route network were transferred to Interflug, which henceforth served as the East German flag carrier.<ref>{{cite book|last=Breiler|first=Klaus|title=Das große Buch der Interflug|year=2007|publisher=Das Neue|location=Berlin|isbn=978-3-360-01904-2|language=de}}</ref><ref name=Erfurth>{{cite book|last=Erfurth|first=Helmut|title=Das große Buch der DDR-Luftfahrt|year=2004|publisher=GeraMond|location=Munich|isbn=3-7654-7216-6|language=de}}</ref>