ZEPPELIN CRASH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 185, 23 August 1937, Page 5

ZEPPELIN CRASH

Hitler Relused Supplies of Helium Gaa SECRETS REVEALED A statement that the recent crash of the German Zeppelin Hindenburg was d'ue to ihe action of Hefr Hitler in depriving ihe designer of ihe airship, Gount von Eekener, of the supplies of non-inflaminable helium gas aVailable, thus fofcing liilu to fly 'the giaut airship to America on hydx-ogen, Was made by Rotari'an K. McLeay at the iuilcheon this afternooii of the Napier Rotary Club. ... .. "My inforlnailb was liofe ah Englishmaii and this is not geherally kiiown iii Ehgland,'1 s'aid Mr MoLedy. '"Owiilg to the la'ct of the Press being present I c-annot giVe yoii ihe soiirce of lhy infqrmation." Mr McLeay stated that Cotmt von Eekener, who had almost completed the cottstruetion of a new Zeppelin, was appfoached by Herr Hitler with a request. that it be hamed "Adolf Hitler/' The inventor de'elined on the gfounds that his airshxps were buili for purely commercial piirpose, and that to comply With the reqtiest wpuld meaii the loss ti British ahd American passengers. Later, When the aitship had been completed, Herr Hitler made the request tlxat it be fiown over Berlin as part of Herr Hitler' s birthday celebratioiis. Ottee mofe the request '7as declined for the same "reas'oa. The next ! move came from the dietator whoi ietaliated by depiiving Oount von Eekener of available supplies of helium gaa. When the airship crashed in America with the loss of a n'umber of lives no official recognxtion of the fact was made by Germany pno flagfs were flown half-mast and no church services were held. Yet when |;he Gerfixaix warship Deuchland was bombed near Spaxn flags throughout the country were flown at lialBmast, serviees were held in most of the churches and a speeial vessel was sent from Germany .to bring baek the bodies of the dead 'sailors.