[Explosion of the Hindenburg, Lakehurst, New Jersey, May 6, 1937]

Charles Hoff American

Not on view

On May 6, 1937, twenty-two news photographers gathered in Lakehurst, New Jersey to record the landing of the Hindenburg after its eleventh transatlatic crossing. The giant silver vessel floated in from the Atlantic at dusk, when suddenly flames shot out from the hull, setting off a spectacular explosion that left thirty-six dead. Charles Hoff, on assignment for the Daily News, made only one exposure during the forty-seven seconds in which the Hindenburg disappear in flames. His film holder was immediately flown to Newark, where a waiting messenger picked it up and rushed it to the newspaper's darkroom. The next day, Hoff's photograph, and others like it, startled millions around the world.

[Explosion of the Hindenburg, Lakehurst, New Jersey, May 6, 1937], Charles Hoff (American, 1905–1975), Gelatin silver print

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.