The story
From the erroneous belief that this knot was used by the Germans to secure Zeppelins to the ground moorings.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
zeppelin bend
Today it means: A type of bend knot used to join lines and cords, for its ability to maintain line strength and security, along with ease of release. Also known as the Rosendahl bend. Full definition →