On May 20, 1936, the world was awed by the Hindenburg. The German dirigible successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the United States in 78 hours and 27 minutes, one of 17 trans-Atlantic flights this flagship of the Zeppelin fleet made in its first year of operation.
Slightly less than one year later, on May 6, 1937, the world watched in horror as the Hindenburg caught fire, leading to the death of 35 people on the airship and one person on the ground in New Jersey. Most died due to the flames, but a few died by jumping from the airship while it still hovered above ground. Most survivors from the dirigible were seriously injured; there’d been 36 passengers on the airship, 13 of whom died. Of the 61 crew members on board, 22 perished.
Here’s a look back at the Hindenburg’s May 20, 1936 arrival in North America, along with a clipping from a feature called The H Files, compiled by long-time Herald researcher/librarian Norma Marr and originally published in May 1998.
This May 9, 1936 photo shows the Hindenburg dumping water to assist in a smooth landing in New Jersey. During its 14 months of operations, the Hindenburg sported the then-recently changed German flag — the swastika flag of the Nazis. AP photo. The Hindenburg flies over New York on May 6, 1937, just a few hours before a fire erupted and killed 36 people. AP photo History buffs will remember the haunting words of an on-air reporter who said, “Oh the humanity” as he watched the demise of the Hindenburg. Postmedia archives. AP and a partner, the newsreel archive British Movietone, published 550,000 video stories spanning more than 1 million minutes and 120 years to its YouTube channel, including this footage from the Hindenburg disaster, 1937. Credit: Associtated Press/British Movieton // 0725 feat archives Local Input~ AP and a partner, the newsreel archive British Movietone, published 550,000 video stories spanning more than 1 million minutes and 120 years to its new YouTube channel. This footage is from the The Hindenburg disaster, 1937. Credit: Associtated Press/British Movieton // 0725 feat archives H Files historic clipping from the Calgary Herald.
