Sharing Family Stories Prompted by a Hindenberg Documentary

The Hindenberg Zeppelin airship exploded on its landing approach in New Jersey in 1937 after a transatlantic trip.  

Background:  The news broadcast of the explosion was widely shared and horrified the public unaccustomed to real time broadcast of a tragic event.
However, all video was taken from the same location by official news cameramen. 
So analysis did not yield any explanation of how and why the explosion occurred. All videos showed a fire already in progress.

80 years later the discovery of am 8mm home movie made by an ordinary citizen watching from an airplane hangar revealed more clues as to what actually happened.
The different vantage point gave investigators the data they needed to do experiments and reach a conclusion.

Much of the program was devoted to the movie camera that was used.  A Kodak Eight – Model 10 and the remarkable fact that the camera and film still existed.

It was marketed to the public at the time encouraging them to record not only personal experiences but “IMPORTANT PUBLIC EVENTS”
The precursor of ‘youtube?”  See something happening? Record it on your phone!

As I watched the documentary with my granddaughter, I told her I HAVE that exact same movie cameras.
I even know where it is!

This is my granddaughter learning how home movies were made 80 years ago
No batteries required.  You turned a crank to get it ready to use and when it "ran down" you cranked it up again.

That’s my Dad’s picture next to mine at age 14 displayed on my grandma’s treadle sewing machine.

 

Dad also bought a still camera to record life in the 1930s and later his experiences during WWII. 
Dad was the youngest of 4 brothers to enlist.  He joined the Navy on the advice of his brothers to avoid THEIR choice of the army.
By the time the sailors went ashore, no one was shooting at them so Dad compliled quite an album.

In 2007 I created a website as a tribute to my Dad and all those who served in the USS Philadelphia CL-41

USS Philadelphia CL-41

The crew held annual reunions from 1964 – 2019. 
Over the years I became the repository of everyone’s mementos and my website grew.
Finally time caught up with old sailors and Covid put an end to that era.

Amazingly I am still regularly contacted by people who saw a picture of a loved one or themselves.
The “Philly” is sailing on in cyberspace forever 

The lesson of all this, keep taking those photos and videos.  You never know who will be interested in them.

One caution however:  Don't get SO caught up in recording every event that you neglect to really experience it yourself.  Balance is key!