The Hindenburg on the Web

It was 66 years ago yesterday the hydrogen-filled German dirigible Hindenburg burned and crashed at Lakehurst Naval Air Station. A granite marker stands at the site in memory of the 35 of the 97 people on board and a Navy crewman on the ground who died.

Newsreel cameras captured the disaster on film and a young radio reporter named Herbert Morrison described it in one of history's most famous recordings. The cause of the disaster has been in dispute.

Investigations revealed the probable cause was a hydrogen leak in the aft section, complicated by looming thunderstorms and a spark of static electricity. Unsupported tales of sabotage continue to fuel conspiracy theories.

You can read all about it and decide for yourself what you think. There are many websites that are dedicated to the Hindenburg disaster. Here are some of them:

The Hindenburg Disaster (www.vidicom-tv.com/tohiburg.htm): This site has some video (available in Quicktime or RealVideo 56+ and 28.8) and photos and is an advert for a 29 minute documentary. This is great if you want to see a really short sample of the documentary and read a quick blurb about the disaster. There's not much to it, but it's good video.

Navy Lakehurst Historical Society (www.nlhs.com/hindenburg.htm ): This is a comprehensive and informative site that deals with the history of the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst. There is a section at the website on the Hindenburg disaster. The reason I like this site so much is that there are so many really detailed photographs and technical information. There is also audio that goes with the photographs, including the live radio broadcast "Oh the humanity".

My favorite Hindenburg site is Hindenburg (www.hindenburg.net ): This site has the most comprehensive information about the Hindenburg and the Lakehurst disaster. It has a section on the background of the airship; a section on the final crossing of the Hindenburg; a minute-by-minute breakdown of the disaster, along with a transcript of the famous "Oh the humanity" radio broadcast and an audio clip and photos; theories of why the Hindenburg suffered such a tragic fate; a list of the passengers and crew that includes their age, their hometown, whether or not they survived the crash, and for some, detailed biographical information; and a "Requiem" section that talks about what happened afterward.

This is a really comprehensive site that has a ton of information, graphics, and sound. It's well laid out and easily navigated.

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Author: C. Cohen/6 ABC-AP