Ernst A. Lehmann
A daring pioneer of the skies, his lifelong passion for airships ended in the fiery catastrophe of the Hindenburg.
1886–1937 (age 51)·German Zeppelin captain·Birthday: May 12·The Lost Generation
Biography
Ernst Lehmann was a figure synonymous with the grandeur and peril of rigid airship travel. As a captain for the Zeppelin Company, he commanded numerous pioneering flights, including the first commercial transatlantic passenger service on the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin. His showmanship and confidence, however, sometimes edged into recklessness; his superior Hugo Eckener frequently criticized his risk-taking with the fragile vessels. Lehmann's faith in the technology was absolute, even as the rise of hydrogen-filled airships like the LZ 129 Hindenburg introduced grave dangers. He was on board as the commanding officer during the Hindenburg's fateful landing attempt at Lakehurst, New Jersey, in 1937. Severely burned in the inferno, he died the following day, his death marking the effective end of the passenger airship era.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Ernst was born in 1886, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ernst Was Born
The biggest hits of 1886
Ernst's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1886Born
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1891Started school
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Became a teenager
President: William McKinley
1902Could drive
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1904Could vote
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Turned 21
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Turned 30
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 40
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 50
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1937Died at 51
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
Key Achievements
- Served as captain on the Graf Zeppelin during its historic round-the-world flight.
- Was a key figure in establishing the first regular transatlantic passenger airship service.
- Commanded over 100 flights of rigid airships, accumulating vast experience in the field.
Did You Know?
He was portrayed by actor Alan Scarfe in the 1975 film 'The Hindenburg'.
Just before the Hindenburg disaster, he assured a reporter, 'Hindenburg is the safest airship ever built.'
He helped train US Navy personnel in airship operation after World War I.
His body was cremated and his ashes returned to Germany aboard the steamer Hamburg.
“You must always face the wind.”
