Mather, Margaret G. “I Was on the Hindenburg” – Mather was born in Morristown, NJ in 1878. She moved to Italy with her family in 1906, but visited her brother, Frank Mather Jr., at Princeton, a number of times. She was 58 when the Hindenburg crashed at Lakehurst , NJ. The following article is from Harper’s Monthly Magazine, November 1937.

I WAS 0 THE HINDENBURG

BY MARGARET G. MATIIER

l' HAD been my dream to fly across the.1 gray tormy Allantic. wift airplanehad borne me over the Mediterranean,over Grecian islands, and through theGulf of Corinth, 0 er Italy and the Dolo­mi t , 0 er the high ecrets of the Al­banian mountains. I had flown woughGerman and France and over the Af­rican deserts; but it seemed to be m (ateto cr the llantic in increasingly lux­urious teame, whose la. ish comfortand entertainment meant little to a a-ick wTetch.

But wben at last and mo t unexpect­edly, the wa made easy for me torravel by the HindenbuTg from Frankfortto Lakehurst a strange reluctance eizedme. The HindenbuTg was leaving ju twhen I wanted to g , there was plenty froom on it, and by pa inghalf the fare inregistered marks, the price was within mymeans. Why, then, was I not elated, Iwho love lhe air? I tried to analyze myfeeling. It wa n't fear-I had admiredthe great silver hape and longed to beaboard durin i frequent trips to ewYork I l ummel'. I deci.ded lhat I wastired and let it 0 at tbat.

I arrived in Frankfort on the morningof a third, in a gentle rain. I aw thegreat hangar as we flew down. and kedif I might leave m luggage at the airportbut was told 1 m t take it to the ci ,theofficial starting place. the FrankfurterHof.

The bus did not leave at once so I tooka taxi and dro e through ten kilometer:or SO of e woods, most enchantingwith their un green leaves. 'Vb did

the thought come to me "what a beauti·ful farewell to earth"?

hen the officials arrived at the hotelwe had to show tickets and passpor ,andthen the luggage e.xamination began; ilwas courteous but thorough; every inch 01m bags was searched. every bo openedI had to pa for fifteen kilo 0 erweighand tried to anme that point, I1-eighrn en kilos less than the average man,bu 1 was told "it is the rule."

It was seven o'clock, I think, when thepassengers were escorted to three greatbuses, and we were driven through thelovel beech woods to Lhe airpon. Thereby the hangar, tethered to the ground,was the great silver ship, and at the sighta wave of joy S"....ept over me. Gone wereall my doubts and reluctanc ; I felt all theelati n and pleasure that had failed meuntil now. They had merely been de­layed. We had to wait in the hangar formore passport inspection. I was sur­pri ed 0 see how few pa engers therewere and how few women among them.

It had rained on and off during theda and was still drizzling as we crossedthe brief space which separated the Zep­pelin from the hangar. In pite of thisiliere were many speClato ,including aband of little boy azis who had beenallowed to come quite near to inspeathe hip.

] followed the other p n ers up thenarr w gan a and was taken to mcabin which was very tiny but complete.with washstand and cupboards and aloping windm. After a hast look I

went above [0 watch the ca tin 01I.

I WAS ON THE HINDENBURG 591

I heard martial music and saw a branband on the pon side. The musicianswere dressed in blue-and.yellow uniforms,and some of the instruments were deo>rated with streamers of the same colors.In the center WlU an instrument shapedlike a huge lute. but filled with bells. in­stead of strings. It had yellow·and-bluehorse tails hanging from iL

When me mooring ropes were loosedthe band marched back. a few yards, thenturned and halted and the leader liftedhis baton; but we drifted toward themand they had to retreat hastily. Thishappened se\'eral times. but at last thegreat ship began to rise and the band'sfinal salute was "Ein' fute Burg."

The little boy Nazis scurried o\'er thefield as we slowly rose. It was an inde­scribable feeling of lightnl'$5 and buoy­ancy-a lift and pull upward, quite unlikethe take off or an airplane.

A3 I leaned out of an open window towatch the receding earth. I heard short.jerky exclamations of: "Mein Colt! MeinGott!" and saw near me a red-facedelderly man who had evidently been cele·brating his departure with somethingstronger than Rhine wine. and whose ex­citement and enthusiasm found vent thus,His emotion was so intense that he seemedquite alone in it, it surrounded him likean aura, and isolated him; but suddenlyhe became aware of me and cried. "Herr·lich, 'licht wahr1" "I don't speak Ger­man," said I, thinking it more prudent towithdraw, but, "My God! Are you anAmerican?" he cried; "So am Jl" and hethrew an enraptured arm about me.

All the passengers were hanging overthe windows, trying to get a g~impse ofthe Rhine. We were sailing along rap­idly through the dusk. guided by beacons.which Rashed from hill to hill. Wepassed hamlets and villages gleamingjewel-like in the darkness. and came to agreat spreading mass of lights. whichsomeone said was Cologne, and suddenlywe W~ looking down at the cathedral.beautifully clear and dark. amid the glow.

At ten o'clock. a supper of cold meatsand salads was $Cn·cd. As the only un-

attached woman passenger. I was placedat the Captain's right, at a long tablewhere twenty men were seated (marriedcouples and families were gi\'en small sep­arate tables).

Captain Pruss came in late and shookhands with me and with Lhe men nearesLHe ate a light supper. drank a glass ortwo of mineral warer, and hurried back.to rus post. Throughout the trip hen.rely ate more than one COUf'C and neverdrank wine or beer; he was couneous andgenial, but \'ery much on the job.

I was tired and glad to go to bed. Mybunk was narrow but most comfortableand furnished with fine linen sheets andsoft light blankets. The walls of my tinycahin were covered with pearl-gray linen.It was charming. and 1 spent most of thefollowing day there, glad to rest and tolook through my sloping window at theangry waves. whitening the sea so far be­low.

We flew high above the storm, but astrong head wind buffeted and delayedw. It sounded like surf, but the shipsailed calmly through it. Irone look.edattentively at the horizon the slightestvariation {rom the horizontal was percep­tible, but there was no feeling of unsteadi.ness. I told Captain Pruss how much 1WlU enjo)'ing the trip. what a wretchedsailor I was on lhe sea; he was pleased butassured me that it was one of the worsttrips he had made. The wind grewstronger and the second night the captaindid not go to bed at all, but still one feltno motion, though the wind beat likewaves against the sides of the ship. Itwas almost uncanny.

I became acquainted with some of thepassengers. There was an old couplefrom Hamburg, gentle old people who hadbeen flying for twenty-five )'cal'S and wholoved the air so much that they were com­ing over for a week and were planning toreturn on the Hindenburg's next trip.An Englishman had been sent over to re­port on the trip; a number of young menhad been vacationing or slUdying in Eu·rope; my neighbor at table was a younglad from Chicago who had taken a

592 HARPER'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE

manm', vacation to fly about Europe.\\~n I ask~ him which country he likedIxsl. he ~plied. "U.s.A., where )'ou candrink plain water and there's no botherabout passporu." JWI beyond him Silt:l­

merry )'Qung man who mnonstrated withme lor drinking only water while ""'C ",,'erepassing 0\'00 so much walOO. "At Just.hne a dub of winc in it," hie wgM. :mdw~ J accrpted be ga\--e ~ a "dub"{rom hiJ bor.t1e ilt ~'tty mal. stilling myprotests by assuring me that I was Sil\;nghim £rom a drunbrd'J gn\~

An Amttican couple. Mr. and Mrs.- W'tte raurning £rom a brief busi­nea nip. He had flown on the Hinden·burg last summer, and his _'iIe hadaccompanied him this year in order toha\'c the pleasu~ of fiying bad:.. I hadarter-mnner coffee wilh them. and satwith Mrs. -- in the loun~. kniuingor writing letters. Th~ was a family orchiJdtm. a girl and 1""0 bo}"S, whom ""~

liked to watch; mey ..-ere 50 ""'cU-behnedand~ mjoying the trip 50 much.

On Lbe lounge wall was a &Teat map ofthe world. painu~d in so£t colon., showingthe history of navigation, the routes andthe ships of the first e:xploKB, ,,;th theirbillowing wls, and the modem linen,and abcwe the:m all the ~utiful, sih'e:rHintknbu.rg sailing the: great circle:, AUthe: chairs were made of aluminum andwere light as fe:athe:n and most comfort·able,

On the afternoon of the second day wesighted Newfoundland-the slorms hadaha ted, and we flew low and saw numer­ous icebergs, shining while against thestone-gra.y lCa. with pools of vi\id greenin their depths and their forms spl"C'lldinggreen under the pale water, Rainbowssprang from eo.-erywhere. and I watchedone grow and grow till it comple:ted aperfect circle bene2th the ship,

That night I slept like a child andawoke in the morning with a feding ofweU being and happDC55 such as ODerarely experiences after youth has passed.No land was in sight and it was raining,I ate breakla.st. joked with the )'oung men,my me:ssmate5. who were alwa)'s cornpaz--

ing my appetite with thein; I packed myfew lhings, wrote a card or two, and sud­denly we were Oying O\'CI' Boston.

A greal elation seized me, joy that Jhad flown-that J had crossed lhelCa withnone of the usual weariness and distress,"It is ridiculous to feel 50 happy." J saidto the American, who rt:p1ied that herdelight _'2$ at great as mine.

All the ihips in Boston harbor salutedus. and as "'"e fte'W O\'CI' the suburbs we sawan dra.w up by the roadside and tharoccuptDu IC2p out to gut :u us.. Air­planc:s cirded about w and one or t"-oaaompanied w on our way, It was de­lightful to look down on the gardens.Yellow fOQ),thia was in bloom, and somesort of trailing pink: the grass plou werevivid green, and we saw apple trees inblouom and woods full of dogwood and)'oung green leaves. Our passing fright­ened the dOC', who rushed to their hou5CS,and awed a gmt commotion in thcbamyards-espccially among the chickensand pigs; the laner rushed desper.ndy toand fro, and .IC't"mC'd absolutely terrified,and the chickeN 8uuClUl and ran aboutiD pro~bial fashion. Cows and sheepdid Dot noti~us much.

We Dew O\'cr Providence and recog­nized many villages, rh"en, and hal'S. AJoung Yale graduate stood near me. achanning lad. who had studied aviationnnd was much imerested in firing near hisAlma Mater. Lunch was served early sothat we might be (rcc when we sightedNew York. We cruised slowly along thcsound and Mrs, -- showed me the: bayon Long Island where her borne was andtold me that her son was dri\'ing fromth~ to Lakehun! to meet his parents..

New York .lW'am into \'iew. The rainhad stopped. but th~w~ black doudsbehind the ull buildings. We 8cw overthc Bronx and Harlem, then along FifthA\'cnue. past Central Park, then "·cturned wcst and flew O\'CI' the R~JC andother big ships. down to the Batttty.Therc we swung round to the East River.flcw over two or three bridges. then aaossTimes Square, and out 10 Ncw Jersey,

The clouds were black and ominous as

1 WAS ON THE HINDENBURG 593

we flew over Lakehurst. The landingcrew was not there, and the weather wasbecoming worse instead of beuer, so weflew on to the coast and cruised up anddown along Lhe beadl, sometimes flyingout to sea. It was raining again, andthere were flashes of lightning. "Not atall dangerous," somebody said. "A Zep­pelin can cruise about indefinitely abovethe storms. It is not like a plane, whichhas to come down for fuel." Then some­body else told me how the Graf-Zeppelinhad arrived over some South Americancountry during a revolution and hadcircled about and waited a few days tillthe fighting ceased and it was safe to land.

We startled many deer in the sparsepine woods near the coast. They ransingly or in groups of two or three. Nowand again we saw the hangar at Lake·hunt through the driving rain, then welost it for a time, and I blamed the Ameri­can for not keeping watch over it. I wasfeeling foolish with happiness and didn'treally care how long this cruising lasted.The ship was to start back at midnight,but of course we should nOt land beforeit was safe to do so.

We had had an early tea, and at six­thirty sandwiches were passed. I re­fused at first but took one when thesteward told us that we might not landfor an hour or two. All at once we wereover Lakehurst. The ship made a quickswing about and I saw the mooring ropesthrown out. The landing crew drewback until the ropes touched the ground,then rushed forward to draw the shipdown.

Mrs. -- was standing beside me, butsaid she would go down to her cabin andfetch her coat. That was tp.e last time Isaw her.

I was leaning out of an open windowin the dining saloon with many others, in­cluding the young aviator, who was tak·ing photographs. He told me that hehad taken eighty during the trip. Whenthere were mysterious sounds from theengines I glanced at him for reassurance.

At that moment we heard the dull muf­fled sound of an explosion. I saw a look

of incredulous consternation on his face.Almost instantly the ship lurched and Iwas hurled a distance of fifteen or twentyfeet against an end wall.

I was pinned against a projectingbench by several Germans who werethrown after me. I couldn't breathe,and thought I should die, suffocated, butthey all jumped up.

Then the flames blew in, long tonguesof flame, bright red and very beautiful.

IHy companions were leaping up anddown amid the flames. The lurching ofthe ship threw them repeatedly againstthe furniture and the railing, where theycut their hands and faces against themetal trimmings. They were streamingwith blood. I saw a number of men leapfrom the windows, but I sat just where Ihad fallen, holding the lapels of my coatover my face, feeling the flames light onmy back, my hat, my hair, trying to beatthem out, watching the horrified faces ofmy companions as they leaped up anddown.

Just then a man-l think the man whohad exclaimed "Metn Colt" as we left theearth-detached himself from the leapingforms, and threw himself against a railing(arms and legs spread wide) with a loudterrible cry of "Es ist das Ende."

I thought SO too but I continued to pra.teet my eyes. I was thinking that it waslike a scene from a medieval picture ofhell. I was waiting for the crash oflanding.

Suddenly I heard a loud cryl "Comeout, ladyl" I looked, and we were onthe ground. Two or three men werepeering in, beckoning and calling to us.I got up incredulous and instinctivelygroped with my feet for my handbag,which had been jerked from me when Ifell. "Aren't you coming?" called theman, and I rushed out over little lowparts of the framework which were burn­ing on the ground.

One of the passengers, the Englishman,rushed to me with a cry of, "Thank God,you are safe" as I was helped into a wait­ing car which was already filled with myshipmates. I squeezed in by the chauf·

1 WAS ON THE HINDENBURG 593

we flew over Lalehurst. The landingcrew was not there, and the weaLher wasba:oming worse instead of better, so weflew on to Lhe coast and cruised up anddown along the beach, sometimes fiyingout to sea. It was raining again, andthere were flashes of lightning. "Not atall dangerous," somebody said. "A Zep­pelin can cruise about indefinitely abovethe storms. It is not like a plane, whichhas to come down for fuel." Then some­body else told me how the Gra/-Zeppelinhad arrived over some South Americancountry during a revolution and hadcircled about and waited a few days tillthe fighting ceased and it was safe to land

We startled many deer in the sparsepine woods Dear the coast. They ransingly or in groups of two or three. Nowand again we saw the hangar at Lake­hurst through the driving rain, then welost it for a time, and J blamed the Ameri·can for not keeping watch over it. I wasfeeling foolish with happiness and didn'treaBy care how long this cruising lasted.The ship was to start back at midnight,bUl of course we should not land beforeit was safe to do so.

We had had an early tea, and at six­thirty sandwichC3 were passed. I re­fused at first but took one when thesteward told us that we might nOl landfor an hour or two. All at once we wereover Lakehurst. The ship made a quickswing about and I saw the mooring ropesthrown out. The landing crew drewback until the ropes touched the ground,then rushed forward to draw the shipdown.

Mrs. -- was standing beside me, butsaid she would go down to her cabin andfetch her coat. That was tJ1e last time Isaw her.

I was leaning out of an open windowin the dining saloon with manyothen, in­cluding the young aviator, who was tak­ing photographs. He told me that hehad taken eighty during the trip. Whenthere were mysterious sounds from theengines I glanced at him for reassurance.

At that moment we heard the dull muf·Oed sound of an explosion. I saw a look

of incredulous consternation on his face.Almost instantly the ship lurched and I",-as hurled a distance of futcen or twentyfeet against an end wall.

I was pinned against a projectingbench by se\'eral Germans who werethrown after me. I couldn't breathe,and thought I should die, suffocated. butthey all jumped up.

Then the flames blew in, long tonguesof f13.me, bright red and \'Cr)' beautiful.

My companions were leaping up anddown amid the flames. The lurching ofthe ship threw them repeatedly againstthe furniture: and the railing. where theycut their hands and faces against themetal trimmings. They were streamingwith blood. I saw a number of men leapfrom the windows, but I sat just where Ih3.d fallen, holding the lapels of my coato\'Cr my face, feeling the flames light onmy back, my hat, my hair, trying to beatthem out. watching the horrified faces ofmy companions u they leaped up anddown.

JUSt then a man-t think the man whohad exclaimed "Me;n GOIl" as we left theearth-de13ched himself from the leapingforms, and threw himself against a railing(arms ancl legs spread wide) witb a loudterrible cry of "Es ist dos Elide."

1 thought so too but I continued to pro­tect my eyes. I wu thinking that it waslike a scene [rom a medieval picture ofhell. I was waiting for the crash oflanding.

Suddenly I heard a loud cryl "Comeout, ladyl" I looked, 3.nd we were onthe ground. Two or three men werepeering in, beckoning and calling to us.I got up incredulous and instinctivelygroped with my feet for my handbag.which had been jerked (rom me when Ifell. "Aren't you coming?" called theman, and' rushed out over litLle lowparu of the framework which were burn­ing on the ground.

One of the passengen, the Englishman,rushed to me with a cry of, "Thank God.you are safe" as I was helped into a wait­ing car which was already filled with myshipmates. I .squeezed in by the chaul·

594 J;lARPER'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE

leur, and asked him to put me down nearthe ~tnn<:eso th.u J might find my fam­ily. "Can't do iL Orders are to laken'~'()ne to Lbe First Aid Station." NBu t

I am not asking you to go OUt of ,-ourway. Put me down at the nearest point.I'm DOl hunl" "Look at your hands.lady." I looked. felt sid. and said nomo<e.

We "'"Crt~ng the first to arn\"e: at thedressing Ration. I "'~ laken into aroom, wbere a doctor-or a nW2 put pioleacid on my hands. which ",'ere beginningto feel u bad as they looked.

A terribly injured man was seated on at2ble Dcar me-most of his domes and hishair had !xen burned off. Someone toldme he was Captain I,broann

MOI'C: car loads of wounded came in.We mow bowling and groaning. and ourhelpers rushed to succor lbml. leavingthe bottle of picric acid \\;th Captainubmann who sat steadily on the table.wiLh a brgt piece of gauze in ODC bandand the botLle in the olber, swabbing theacid on his bums.

During bi.s infrequent appearancesamong the passengen he bad worn aleather coat with fur lining. upturnedcollar. which partly hid his face. He al­WlI}'I looked alert but genial. with keenblue e)"es. Now his face was gr3\'e andcalm. and not a groan escaped him as hesat there, wclting his burns. His mentalanguish mUSl have been as intense aJ hisphysical pains, but he gaxe no sign ofeither, 3.nd when my bums hearne intol­erable and I would reach {or the bottlehe would hand it to me "ith gra\'e cour­tesy, wait patiently while I wet my handsand retth-e it b:l.ck with a murmured"Dan1r.e schon," It was a strange. quietinterludc. almost as though we were hav­ing tea together. I was impressed by hisstoic calm. but only when I learned o[ hisdeath the next day did I realize hisheroism.

Terribly vrounded people tknl'ed in£rom all sides. and I could not bear thesigbts and sounds. I went oulSide andsaw an ambulantt draw up. I ~'aited tosee if :1Oy of my acquaintances wen: in it.

When the doon were open I saw anum·ber of men piled one upon another like{agots. Two or t.hrce were Wted out,one remain«l. All I could see of himwere his legs. burned and tift tile charredpietts of wood. I felt sick and went OUt

into the rain.The Zeppelin was sull buming and

douds of black smoke soared atx)\'e it. Iwatched it ~·ith anguish. !:\·en in themidst of human suffering and death Icould not but regret the destruction of10 beautiful a thing. 1 thought of thehappiness it had gh-en to me and tomany omen; of the icebergs and rain­bows we had nown over; I thought of howgently it had landed.

Kind people standing near approachedme, women whose hwbands were sta·

tioned at the airporL They tried to leadme bad iDlo the dressing Station. but Isaw the little boy passengers carried in,screaming with pain and terror. and Iwalked farther away,

Whenever people asked what theycould do forme 1would tell them to com·municatc with my £amily-giving namesand addresses-but I refused to be sent toa hospital, as I thought some of themmight be waiting for me. and gladly :ole·ttpted the offer of a lady to ta.ke me tothe entrance in bcr car. 1 waited whileshe walked through the crowds callingout the names I had given her, Whenshe had assured me that my people werenot there she most kindly asked me to re­turn to her house for the night. but Jthought I would wait at the station incase any ,,'ord came.

My hands were hurting terribly. Iwent in to have them dressed a.nd wassent to another building wbere thewomen were housed. but there were nodressings there 50 I returned to the p1:J.ceto which I had been taken finL I t wasempty now, I saw the Englishman whohad helped me into a car carried out on awetcher with his Iq bandaged.

I sat in one of the outer rooms, andsomeone brought me a glass of "'''ater'. Itwas '.cry quiet now. Most of thewounded had ~n tak.en away and most

I WAS ON THE HINDENBURG 595

of the dressings had been exhausted, butsomebody found a tube of vaseline,squeezed it on my hands and wrappedthem loosely with gauze.

I saw one of the stewards walking upand down. He looked absolutely un­scathed, even his clothes were immacu­late. He looked as though he might begoing to pass sandwiches, as he had donean hour or two earlier.

At last someone in authority asked mewhere I should like to go; there was anambulance free, and I was practically thelast of the passengers. 1 could be takento a hospital or to my brother's home.

It was easier to direct them to myniece's home in Princeton. I soon foundmyself wrapped in blankets on the hardambulance stretcher, with two ex-service

men sitting beside me and two in front.They regaled me with tales of the horrorsthey had just seen, but they were mostkind, propping up my aching hands, try­ing to avoid bumps in the road, and whenthe hard couch became too unyieldingthey helped me to sit up. One of themen put his hand a[ my back to supportme, and exclaimed, "Do you know thatyour coat is all burned?" I had notknown it. Indeed. aside (rom myburned hands, I was thinking that I wasas immaculate as the steward whom 1 hadreen.

We stopped frequently to inquire theway and the trip seemed endless, but atlast I recognized the towers of Princetonand in a few more moments I was at myniece's door.