Hindenburg Disaster – List of Officers and Crew

In addition to its 36 passengers, Hindenburg carried 61 other persons on its last flight; the regular crew of 40, plus 21 additional individuals who were aboard as observers or in training for upcoming assignment to Hindenburg’s sister ship, LZ-130, which was nearing completion.

Captain Max Pruss was in command, with three other qualified captains as watch officers; Captain Albert Sammt (who would later command LZ-130 Graf Zeppelin),  Captain Heinrich Bauer, and Captain Walter Ziegler.  Two other airship captains were also on board as observers; Captain Ernst Lehmann, who had commanded Hindenburg on many flights and was director of the DZR, and Captain Anton Wittemann, who was the regular captain of LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin.  (Wittemann would have been in command of Graf Zeppelin at the time of the Hindenburg disaster, but he had switched positions with Captain Hans von Schiller, who took Graf Zeppelin on a roundtrip to South America so he could attend a reunion in Germany.)  In all, there were six qualified zeppelin captains in the control car when Hindenburg crashed at Lakehurst.

The following list of officers and crew appeared as part of the Accident Investigation report published by the the United States Department of Commerce in the Air Commerce Bulletin of August 15, 1937 (vol. 9, no. 2):

* Indicates those who died as a result of the crash

OFFICERS
Captain Max Pruss, Commanding
Captain Albert Sammt (watch officer)
Captain Heinrich Bauer (watch officer)
[Captain] Walter Ziegler, Watch Officer
Captain Ernst Lehmann (observer)*
Captain Anton Wittemann (observer)

NAVIGATORS
Max Zabel, Navigator
Christian Nielsen, Navigator
Franz Herzog, Navigator
Kurt Bauer, Navigator

RADIO OFFICERS
Willy Speck, Chief Radio Officer*
Herbert Dowe, Radio Officer
Franz Eichelmann, Radio Officer*
Egon Schweikart, Radio Officer

ENGINEERING OFFICERS

Rudolf Sauter, Chief Engineer
Eugen Schäubel, Engineering Officer
Wilhelm Dimmler, Engineering Officer*

ELEVATORMEN
Ludwig Felber*
Ernst Huchel*
Eduard Boetius

HELMSMEN
Alfred Bernhard*
Helmut Lau
Kurt Schönherr

ELECTRICIANS
Philip Lenz, Chief Electrician
Joseph Leibrecht
Ernst Schlapp*

ENGINE MECHANICS
Walter Bahnholzer*
Eugen Bentele
August Deutschle
Rudy Bialas*
Jonny Doerflein
Adolf Fischer
Albert Holderried*
Richard Kollmer
Robert Moser*
Alois Reisacher*
Theodor Ritter
Raphael Schädler
Willy Scheef*
Josef Schreibmuller*
Wilhelm Steeb
Alfred Stöckle*
German Zettel

RIGGERS
Ludwig Knorr, Chief Rigger*
Hans Freund
Erich Spehl*

STEWARDS
Heinrich Kubis, Chief Steward
Wilhelm Balla
Fritz Deeg
Max Henneberg
Severin Klein
Eugen Nunnenmacher
Max Schulze*
Emilie Imhoff (Stewardess)*

SHIP’S DOCTOR
Dr. Kurt Rudiger

COOKS
Xaver Maier, Chief Cook
Richard Muller*
Albert Stöffler
Alfred Grözinger
Fritz Flackus*
Werner Franz (mess boy)

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Joyce PrussLidianeC. T. Dillon, Capt,USA, Ret.Jeremy MurrayArff Recent comment authors
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Joyce Pruss
Joyce Pruss

I would like to know more about Max Pruss. My husband’s last name is Pruss and his family is from Germany.

Lidiane
Lidiane

I would like to know if anyone from the Nash family was involved in this accident

Lidiane
Lidiane

Tem alguem da família Nash envolvida nesse acidente?

C. T. Dillon, Capt,USA, Ret.
C. T. Dillon, Capt,USA, Ret.

How many crew served in WWII for Germany?

Jeremy Murray
Jeremy Murray

I wonder if the crew had brass plaques above thier quarters. Like first steward, second steward and such. I have a brass plaque that says 2nd steward. I was told it was recovered by Fritz Deeg. I cant find any pictures to prove or disprove what i was told.

Lopes
Lopes

Were the two engine gondolas (port and starboard) required to be maned at all times?

Kay Lau Wimmer
Kay Lau Wimmer

Would like to know more about Helmsman Helmut Lau. I think he was a relative of my Father.

Robert L. Miner
Robert L. Miner

Would like to see a list of the Naval land crew that was on duty that day. Looking for William C Miner

Trent
Trent

My grandfather, William Malano, was on the ground crew of the Hindenburg. Had some pieces, silverware, etc. Just curious if there is any information on the ground crew you found?

Pam Deep
Pam Deep

I heard stories that my grandfather was one of the navy men on the ground helping the Hindenburg land. Maybe was to hold one of the moors? Is there a way to find a list of the navy men who were working the ground crew that day? I would love… Read more »

Robert L Miner
Robert L Miner

I too would like to get more information about the ground crew. I was present at the time of the disaster. I was in my mother’s arms as the Hindenburg crashed. My father was part of that ground crew that helped bring her in.

Kathryn E. Jones
Kathryn E. Jones

My last name is Jones and so is my mother and my father last name is Sears I am doing a school project on the Hindenburg. I was wondering if anyone from the crash was a relative of mine. It would be cool for my project if I talked about… Read more »