Before Drones Over NJ, There Was A Blimp Crash: Mahwah Museum To Host Hindenburg Talk

MAHWAH, NJ — Ninety-seven years before New Jersey residents expressed concerns over drones in the sky, there was a blimp on fire.

One reporter uttered the famous phrase "O, the humanity" when the giant Hindenburg blimp caught fire over Lakehurst, N.J. in 1937.

The Mahwah Museum will host a talk about the lingering questions regarding the tragedy.

The museum will present "The Hindenburg Disaster: Accident or Sabotage?" with James Calaski on Sunday, Feb. 2, from 3-4:30 p.m.

They noted, "Hindenburg was the largest flying object ever constructed by man. It was a modern marvel of luxury and technology, a literal ocean liner in the sky."

On May 6, 1937, it became engulfed in flames.

Thirty five passengers and crew members died, another person was killed on the ground, and 62 on board survived.

"Two separate investigations, one US and one by Nazi Germany, failed to concretely determine its cause. Like any good mystery, conspiracy theories abound. Was it sabotage? Was it pilot error? Was it lightning? Was it a cover-up?"

Calaski is a historian, speaker, researcher, writer and genealogist. He will take a deep dive into the event.

Registration is required for this event, and open now. It's free for members and $5 for non-members.

Visit www.mahwahmusuem.org to reserve your spot.

The Mahwah Museum is open from 1-4 pm on Saturdays, October-June. Admission to Mahwah Museum is $5 per person. Admission is free for children 18 and under, students, and Mahwah Museum members. The Museum is located at 201 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah, NJ.