Page 81 - All About History - Issue 08-14

History's narrowest escapes

orrified radio broadcaster Herbert The Hindenburg disaster
Morrison was moved to exclaim, “Oh, the brought the era of
humanity!” as he watched the German airships to a fiery end
airship Hindenburg crash to earth on
H 6 May 1937 at the Lakehurst Naval Air
Station in the United States. The huge Zeppelin
had been ferrying passengers in style across the
Atlantic when it was suddenly engulfed in flames
moments before it was due to land and came
crashing down to the ground.
At 245 metres (804 feet) long and 40 metres
(135 feet) wide, the LZ 129 Hindenburg was the
largest man-made object that had ever flown. Yet
it was reduced to cinders in just 37 seconds. At the
time, the hydrogen gas-filled craft represented the
height of glamour but its sudden demise caused
the deaths of 36 people and effectively ended the
airship era, though the exact reasons for the crash
are still not known today.
Despite the tragic loss of life, there were
amazing stories of survival, including that of
Werner Franz, a 14-year-old cabin boy. Back in 1936
Franz, living in Nazi Germany, landed his dream
job aboard the Hindenburg. His role saw him
working in the crew mess, washing dishes, setting from the ground, flames were spotted at the stern which provisions were loaded.
tables, making the beds in the cabins and carrying of the airship, near its fins. As highly flammable As the fire overwhelmed the ship, its nose
out other sundry tasks such as traversing the hydrogen rushed out, the tail of the airship now fell towards the ground, giving Franz his
precarious catwalks criss-crossing the hull. dropped to the ground and the craft was quickly chance. Diving for the hatch he punched his way
On the afternoon of 6 May, Franz was working consumed by the growing inferno. through and jumped. Fortunately, he timed his
in the officers’ mess when he saw the distinctive Franz felt the airship shudder. Then, as the leap to perfection, with the airship now less than
skyscrapers of New York pass underneath them. Hindenburg lurched violently, all the china Franz six metres (20 feet) from the ground. Once on
After waiting for bad weather to clear at Lakehurst, had put away flew out of the cupboard, crashing the airfield, Franz got up and ran as the airship’s
the airship’s destination in New Jersey, Captain to the floor. He ran to the passageway as the ship ghostly frame, consumed with fire, plunged down
Max Pruss ordered the craft to start its landing began to lurch alarmingly upwards. Flames leapt behind him. Incredibly, Franz made it out, his
procedure. Franz continued with his duties in the dangerously towards him so he edged backwards soaking clothes protecting him from the burns
galley, putting washed china away in a cupboard. along the walkway, holding carefully onto its suffered by many others. The day after the disaster
In the past he’d joined crew members who were handrails. As the flames threatened to engulf him he got permission to go back to the smouldering
required to move to the bow of the airship to act he enjoyed a tremendous stroke of luck; a water crash site to look for his grandfather’s pocket
as ballast during the landing process, but on this ballast tank burst somewhere above his head, watch, which had been in his bunk aboard the
occasion Franz was too busy with his mess tasks. drenching him and putting out some of the fire. airship. Amazingly, he found it – still ticking amid
His industriousness saved his life. Franz realised that near him was a cloth-covered the wreckage – and considered how close he had
As the Hindenburg’s engines were reversed, hatch in the starboard side of the airship through come to his time on Earth being over.
bringing it to a stop, lines were dropped from
the airship to the ground crew so that they could “ Franz got up and ran as the airship's
tether the dirigible to a mooring mast. However, ghostly frame plunged down behind him”
with the Hindenburg still 60 metres (200 feet)

l 30 November 1861 l 1 December 1861 l January 1862
l 8 November 1861
Union ship USS San Outraged at a Ill with typhoid, Prince Albert reads through The Union
Jacinto stops the violation of neutrality, the letter, striking out inflammatory passages, releases the two
British RMS Trent Lord Palmerston’s toning down the language and giving the Confederate
in the Atlantic and government drafts Union a way out of this situation if they diplomats it had
apprehends two an ultimatum to make some form of an apology. The cabinet been holding and
Confederate diplomats the United States, accepts Prince Albert’s comments and the British troops
aboard. Britain’s effectively threatening letter is sent, giving Abraham Lincoln’s marching on the
neutrality is called into war if the diplomats are government a way out of the situation. Albert Canadian border are
question by the action. not released. passes away, aged 42, on 14 December. stood down.
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