Disaster in the Air

“Oh the humanity.” The simple but indelible words of Herbert Morrison captured one of the greatest tragedies to occur over American soil. The fiery crash of the Hindenburg was a media sensation (one of the first disasters to be captured on film) whose images and radio report remain buoyant all these years later.


The pinnacle of air travel, the Hindenburg disaster brought with it an end to the era of giant balloon airships (though, as we will see, the industry was in its twilight). The Hindenburg crash also became one of America’s great mysteries of the 20th Century. 


Theories abounded as to why the tragedy occurred, and questions about the fire and its source remain unanswered to this day. The Hindenburg disaster was a horrible loss, capable still of capturing our attention and imagination.