Plot

A chronicle of the Hindenburg disaster in which a zeppelin burst into flames.

This film is a compendium of the facts and fiction of the events leading up to the disaster. For dramatic effect, Sabotage was chosen as the cause, rather than electricity lashing out at a couple of tons of hydrogen.—Charles Holland <charley@themovies.com.au>

The Hindenburg is the pride of Nazi Germany, a dirigible with regular flights from Frankfurt to Lakehurst, New Jersey. When the Germans receive a warning that the Hindenburg will be destroyed by a bomb as it flies over New York City, they assign Luftwaffe Colonel Ritter to travel on the airship as its security officer. There are many passengers on board - a German countess, a circus clown, two card sharks and many others - and Ritter is kept busy keeping an eye on them as well as the crew. When they learn that the person who reported the threat is actually a self-styled psychic, there is some question as to whether they may be chasing shadows. Ritter soon learns otherwise.—garykmcd

A fictional account of the events leading to the explosion of the German airship, the Hindenburg, while it was attempting to dock at Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6, 1937 is presented. Such hydrogen-powered airships, built by Frankfurt-based Zeppelin, are flouted by the Nazis as a symbol of their global power, despite Zeppelin officials largely and openly not being Nazi supporters. Although the Germans have received crank reports of such before, they believe that a letter they receive from Kathie Rauch of Milwaukee stating that a time bomb will explode aboard the Hindenburg while flying over American soil to be genuine in its threat because of the specificity of her claims. As such, the Nazi Ministry of Propaganda, which corroborates that the letter's claims support their own intelligence, employs Luftwaffe Colonel Franz Ritter to act "quietly" as chief of security for the next Germany to US flight, when the explosion is to occur. The Nazis do not know that Ritter is not a supporter of their policies, he who would leave the German military if he could, but he does tell them that he believes such airships, even the Hindenburg, to be "flying dinosaurs". What the Nazis don't tell him but what he learns once on board is that the Gestapo have also enlisted an operative, Martin Vogel, for that flight, he who is undercover as the staff photographer. Ritter and Vogel are often at odds with each other on the approach to take on the process of identifying and dealing with a bomber. Although Mrs. Rauch is ultimately identified as a crackpot, Ritter does believe that there truly is a bomber on board, based on evidence he and Vogel collect of the disparate group of passengers and the crew, many of who seem to have the ability or motive to blow up the Hindenburg. What Ritter decides to do is based largely on his anti-Nazi feelings, but his actions may be compromised by Vogel's own strong Nazi leanings.—Huggo

Nazi Germany's prized airship is threatened with sabotage, so Col. Franz Ritter is charged with its safety. As the massive zeppelin lifts off for a journey to the United States, Ritter investigates the passengers, looking for a potential bomber. Could it be anti-Nazi Countess Ursula von Reugen, suspicious gambler Emilio Pajetta, shifty advertising man Edward Douglas or even the pilot, Capt. Pruss?—Jwelch5742

May, 1937. Kathie Rauch from Milwaukee, Wisconsin sends a letter to the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. claiming the Hindenburg zeppelin will explode after flying over New York. In the meantime, Luftwaffe Colonel Franz Ritter (George C. Scott) boards with the intention of protecting the Hindenburg as various threats have been made to down the airship, which some see as a symbol of Nazi Germany.

Ritter is assisted by a Nazi government official, SS/Gestapo Hauptsturmführer Martin Vogel (Roy Thinnes), who poses as official photographer. However, both operate independently in investigating the background of all passengers and crew on the voyage. Ritter has reason to suspect everyone, even his old friend and former mistress, Countess Ursula von Reugen (Anne Bancroft), who vehemently opposes the Nazi regime.

Other prime suspects include card sharks Emilio Pajetta (Burgess Meredith) and Major Napier (Rene Auberjonois), Edward Douglas (Gig Young), a suspicious German-American ad executive, as well as several crew members and even the Hindenburg captains Pruss (Charles Durning) and Lehmann (Richard A. Dysart).

As the Hindenburg makes its way to Lakehurst Air Field, events conspire against Ritter and Vogel. They soon suspect the rigger Karl Boerth (William Atherton), a former Hitler Youth leader who has become disillusioned with the Nazis. Ritter attempts to arrest him. Boerth resists. He requests help from Ritter, whose son was killed a year before. Boerth's girlfriend, Freda Halle, was killed while trying to escape arrest as the Hindenburg crossed the Atlantic. Boerth, upon hearing the news of Halle's death, plans to commit suicide by staying aboard the airship as the bomb goes off.

Ritter eventually agrees with Boerth to set the bomb to detonate at 7:30 p.m., when the airship should have landed and passengers disembarked. While setting up the bomb (a small C-4 plastic explosive), Boerth drops a knife, which was later revealed to have been stolen from Rigger Ludwig Knorr. Vogel starts to work behind Ritter's back, arresting Boerth and confiscating the Countess's passport.

As the airship approaches Lakehurst Naval Air Station at 7:00, Ritter now realizes the landing has been delayed and searches for Boerth to ask where the bomb is. Vogel is caught by Ritter torturing Boerth and gets into a fight with Ritter and is knocked unconscious. An injured Boerth tells Ritter the bomb is in the repair patch of gas cell 4. Ritter attempts to defuse the bomb, but is unable to do so in time and is spotted at the last few seconds by a now awakened Vogel. The bomb explodes, killing Ritter instantly and sending Vogel flying down the walkway. Vogel survives, being carried by ground crewmen, while Boerth dies of his burns.

At this point the film changes to monochrome in order to match up with the actual newsreel footage of the disaster. Passengers and crew struggle to survive the fire. The disaster scene ends when the camera pans over wreckage, towards a strip of burning fabric that says "Hindenburg" on it. The following day, with the fire cleared, a list of passengers who died or survived is described briefly, while the wreckage is examined for the inquiry before being cleaned up.

The film ends with a tribute to Herbert Morrison's radio commentary, with the memorable quotation, "Oh the humanity," as the Hindenburg flies once again, only to disappear again in the clouds.