Oh, The Humanity!

Dec 12, 2012 | 0 comments

A friend sent me a link to an Atlantic article about the 75th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster. It included many previously unseen photos of the great airship, like the one below.

On May 6, 1937, the massive German airship caught fire while attempting to land near Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 people aboard, plus one ground crew member. Of the 97 passengers and crew members on board, 62 managed to survive. The horrifying incident was captured by reporters and photographers and replayed on radio broadcasts, in newsprint, and on newsreels.

News of the disaster led to a public loss of confidence in airship travel, ending an era. The 245 m (803 f) Hindenburg used flammable hydrogen for lift, which incinerated the airship in a massive fireball, but the actual cause of the initial fire remains unknown.

It’s amazing what these airships used to do, crossing the Atlantic from Germany to the U.S. In the photos you can see that the passengers rode in style.

The Hindenburg over NYC

A Good Goodbye