Hindenburg Disaster an Important Part of History That We Still Study

Read-Aloud Play/Historical Fiction N1: People all over the An Unforgettable world dream of traveling in Disaster this fast and fancy airship: The explosion of the the Hindenburg. Hindenburg was the first major disaster captured on film: Scene 1 Photographs and N2: Werner Franz and his film footage of the brother, Günter, live in tragedy shocked Germany. people around the world. These N1: Werner needs a job. The incredible powerful images Werner Franz: Günter, are helped ensure that any hotels hiring? true story of the largest the event would Günter Franz: Not that I never be forgotten. airship ever built—and know of. a terrifying disaster that Werner: Hmm. Maybe I can get a job at a restaurant. will never be forgotten Günter: Look up in the sky! Here comes the Hindenburg! Werner: It’s amazing! The Günter: I wonder if you can get a job on that airship. Werner: That would make me the luckiest boy in the whole world. Scene 2 UP Text features As you read this play, N2: Seven months later, Werner’s dream Hindenburg CLOSE look closely at the dramatic photos and comes true. detailed captions. How do they help you N1: He becomes the new cabin boy on the understand this historic disaster? Hindenburg. By Kate Marks Look for Word Nerd’s 7 terms IN BOLD N2: Chief Kubis gives Werner a tour of the Disaster ship. Heinrich Kubis: Here are the sleeping rooms. Prologue It is your job to make the beds. Characters N1: A giant silver aircraft soars through the sky. Werner: There won’t be a single wrinkle in the Circle the character you will play. (Note: All characters are based on real people.) N2: It looks like a flying cruise ship. sheets! N1: Inside, celebrities and millionaires relax Kubis: I like your attitude. [HINE-rik his wife *Narrator 1 (N1) *Heinrich Kubis *Mrs. Doehner: in large, comfortable rooms as they float N1: Kubis leads Werner up a flight of stairs. KOO-bis] chief steward on *Narrator 2 (N2) : Irene: their daughter, 16 through the clouds. Kubis: This is the dining room, where the Hindenburg N2: This might seem like a scene from the passengers enjoy fine food and fantastic *Werner Franz [VEHR-ner Walter: their son, 10 [PROOSS] future, but it is a scene from the past. views. frahnts]: a 14-year-old boy Max Pruss : captain of the Hindenburg Herbert Morrison: a reporter N1: It is 1936. For the past 30 years, airships, Werner: It feels just like being in a hotel. Günter [GOON-ter]: also called zeppelins, have ruled the skies. Kubis: It’s better! Our hotel can float through Mr. Doehner [DAY-ner]: a Werner’s older brother N2: Germany has just built the largest one ever the clouds. passenger *Indicates large speaking role P opper f oto/ G etty I m a ges ( H indenburg) made. It is nearly three football fields long. Werner: Incredible!

4 storyworks storyworks.scholastic.com • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 5 Kubis: Just make sure none of the passengers Kubis: Our cabin boy will help you with your N1: Unlike airplanes, zeppelins float up gently Kubis: Oh, no! have matches or lighters. luggage. into the air. N2: Kubis grabs the toy. a n)

N2: The Hindenburg is filled with hydrogen, N1: Werner carries away the family’s expensive tt Walter: Mama, he took my truck! Make him which makes it float. But this gas burns easily. bags. Scene 4 give it back! Kubis: A single spark could turn our entire Mrs. Doehner: Look at the velvet curtains! N2: For the next two days, the passengers enjoy Kubis: I am very sorry, but I can’t do that. A airship into a ball of flames. Irene: I wonder if any movie stars are on a smooth voyage. tiny spark could cause a terrible fire on our N1: Captain Pruss walks by. board! N1: But thunderstorms delay the airship’s airship. Max Pruss: Don’t scare the boy, Kubis. It’s his Mrs. Doehner: This airship looks beautiful, but landing in New Jersey. first day! it feels dangerous. N2: Captain Pruss orders the crew to circle New Scene 5 Kubis: Madame, zeppelins are the safest way to York City while he waits for the weather to N1: After several hours, the Hindenburg floats Scene 3 travel. improve. toward Lakehurst, New Jersey. N2: Werner loves his job. Mr. Doehner: When are we going to take off? N1: The passengers enjoy the amazing views. Pruss: The weather isn’t perfect, but we can’t N1: He enjoys several voyages on the Hindenburg. Irene (laughing): Father, we took off 10 minutes Irene: Look, there’s the Empire State Building! wait any longer. Tell everyone we will be N2: On May 3, 1937, the Doehner family arrives ago! Mrs. Doehner: Walter, come see the big landing shortly. at the airship for a trip across the Atlantic Mr. Doehner: What?! buildings! Kubis: Yes, sir. Ocean, from Germany to the United States. N2: Mr. Doehner looks out the window. He is N2: Her son is busy playing with his toy truck. N2: Back in the lounge, the passengers look out a nce/ Ga mm - K eystone/ G etty I m a ges ( B uilding the H indenburg); A P O ver Ma nh Pruss: Welcome aboard. surprised to see that the ground is far below N1: He pushes it along the carpet and it makes the windows.

: Thank you, Captain! them. K eystone-Fr a spark. : Aren’t you glad we took the Hindenburg, Mr. Doehner A P I m a ges ( K itchen); O FF/AF / G etty I m a ges ( D ining R oom); C orbis nside H indenburg) Irene Mother? Mrs. Doehner: I’ll be glad when we are on the Floating Luxury ground. The Hindenburg N1: Outside, people wave at the passengers. traveled at twice the speed of the fastest Irene: Look at the reporters! steamship in the N2: Walter makes faces at the 1930s. Passengers crowd. slept in cozy Walter: Ha ha! You can’t ride in the bunkbeds, ate hearty meals, and gathered zeppelin! to sing around a Mrs. Doehner: Walter, stop that lightweight piano. right now. The airship was Mr. Doehner: My camera is out of ingeniously designed to be strong but film. I’ll be right back. light. Thousands of N1: Mr. Doehner rushes to his steel beams (shown cabin to grab more film. below) were covered Irene: Hurry! You don’t want to miss the by a fabric skin. landing. Scene 6 N2: Meanwhile, Werner cleans up the kitchen. N1: BOOM! Suddenly, the airship shakes. N2: Werner falls to the floor in a pile of broken dishes. Werner: What was that? N1: WHOOSH! A ball of fire rushes toward him.

6 storyworks storyworks.scholastic.com • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 7 Werner: Fire! Chief N2: Fire roars toward them. Epilogue Kubis! There is a fire N1: Mrs. Doehner and Kubis jump out the N1: What caused the fire that destroyed the in the kitchen! window just in time. Hindenburg on May 6, 1937? N2: The ship tilts N2: Was it sabotage? sideways. Then it Scene 8 N1: Maybe a spark made leaking hydrogen begins to sink to the N2: On the ground, Werner cries in fear. catch on fire. ground. N1: Kubis runs by, carrying an injured N2: Recently, a Lucky Survivor N1: Werner slides toward passenger. scientist came One day after the crash, the flames. Kubis: Werner! Pull yourself together. Go and up with another Werner returned to the Werner: Help! see if you can help anyone. theory. The wreckage to search for his beloved pocket N2: Suddenly, a water N2: Werner runs toward the airship. Hindenburg’s watch—and found it. tank explodes and puts N1: But the zeppelin is burning fast. silver paint could Franz died out the fire around N2: In just 30 seconds, the Hindenburg is gone. have caught in 2014 at him. N1: A news reporter, Herbert Morrison, talks on fire because the age of 92. N1: Soaking wet, Werner The Last Airship One minute after the explosion, the dazzling Hindenburg into his microphone. of the static snaps to his senses. was little more than a flaming pile of metal. Experts agree that the deadly Herbert Morrison: Oh, the humanity! This is electricity in the air. N2: He looks around for disaster ended the age of the zeppelins and opened up a new chapter in the the worst thing I’ve ever witnessed! N1: The true cause remains a a way to escape. history of travel. Just two years after the Hindenburg crash, the first passenger : The sky fills with smoke. mystery. airplane crossed the Atlantic Ocean. N2 Werner: The supply N1: Thirty-five people are dead, including N2: One thing is certain: hatch! to be very brave. Irene and her father. News coverage of the N1: He runs to a large door in the floor. Walter: OK, Mama. disaster shook the world. Normally, it is used to load the kitchen with N1: She picks up Walter and dangles him out of Scene 9 N1: Nobody could forget food. the window. N2: The next day, the entire world hears the pictures of the N2: But today, it is Werner’s only hope. He N2: She spots Captain Pruss on the ground. Morrison’s radio broadcast about the disaster. Hindenburg bursting kicks open the hatch. Mrs. Doehner: Captain Pruss, can you catch Morrison: It has burst into flames, and it’s into flames. N1: Outside, the ground rushes toward him. my son? crashing! Get out of the way! N2: The dream of flying Werner: We’re crashing! Pruss: Yes! Hurry! N1: Back in Germany, Werner’s family gathers in a zeppelin turned N2: He waits until the last possible second. N1: She drops Walter, holding her breath as he around the radio to listen. into a fiery nightmare. Werner: Three. Two. One! falls through the air. Günter: How could this happen to the After the disaster, people N1: Werner jumps out and lands on the Pruss: I got him! Hindenburg!? stopped traveling by muddy earth. N2: Mrs. Doehner quickly pushes her daughter N2: They wait nervously for news about airship. N2: The flaming airship bounces off the ground toward the ledge. Werner. Finally, the doorbell rings. N1: But Werner always as Werner runs to safety. Mrs. Doehner: It’s your turn, Irene. N1: Werner’s parents turn pale with fear as fondly remembered his time Werner: I made it! I’m alive! Irene: Where is Father? Günter races to the door. working on the Hindenburg. Mrs. Doehner: We can’t look for him now. We Günter: It’s a telegram from Werner. He’s alive! Werner: Those were the Scene 7 have to jump. N2: Everyone in the family cries tears of joy. best days of my life. N1: The back of the airship crashes to the Irene: Not without Father. ground, but the front is still 20 feet in the air. Mrs. Doehner: Irene, please. We’re running out write to win N2: Inside the lounge, the fire grows bigger. of time! Kubis: Everyone stay calm. We need to exit N1: Irene doesn’t listen. She runs into the Why is the Hindenburg disaster an important part of history that we still study

a nz) today? Answer in a well-organized paragraph, using evidence from the through the windows. smoke. a sh) Mrs. Doehner: Walter, come quickly. Irene: Father! Where are you? play and the text features. Send it to “Hindenburg Contest” by March 15, 2015. Ten winners will each receive a copy of The Lost Kingdom by find an Walter: Mama, did my toy cause the fire? Mrs. Doehner: Irene, stop! Come back! activity Matthew J. Kirby. See page 2 for details. online! B ettm a nn/ CORBIS ( C r Mrs. Doehner: No, sweetheart. Now I need you Kubis: We have to go NOW! A P I m a ges (Werner Fr

8 storyworks storyworks.scholastic.com • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 9