Hindenburg Explosion from 1937: New Scientific Theory and Joan’s Reaction

There is news about the Hindenburg disaster from 1937.  A news report tells us a theory just devised which argues for the true cause of the accident:  static electricity.  Read about the theory here and see a video from the catastrophe.

Joan often mentions events of the day in her journals. She writes about hearing about the burning up of the famous zeppelin.

Thursday 5/6/37, Age 14

Hello!  The German zeppelin Von Hindenburg crashed not three hours ago at Lakehurst, New Jersey.  That great new sister ship to the Graf Zeppelin!! Just burnt up like that.  The radio announcer said it was ‘cause the lightening set fire to the explosive hydrogen in the ship and then it exploded.  Airships seem to have a curse or something – to everyone except the Graf Something disaster has happened.  Now the Graf is the only one left.  The Herald Examiner said 100 people were killed, but as it’s a Hearst paper, 50 is a safer guess. They always exaggerate!  Ho-hum—must read about Renaissance art now— um—um.

Good Night!

The announcer’s eyewitness report is heartbreaking and famous.  Listen to the report Joan heard on the radio here.