The crew of the Hindenburg LZ 129

It was really something special to be a crew member on an airship. The Zeppelin men were surrounded by an aura of adventure and foreign shores. Everyday working life,  however, was often less romantic.
Between 50 and 60 men were required for a trip with the Hindenburg lasting several days. With 50 paying guests this represented a ratio of approx. 1:1. On the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin there were even 40 crew members for 20 passengers. The crew was divided into officers and lower ranks, and also into different areas of responsibility. Based on the seagoing model there were three watches on board the airships: watch, standby watch and below watch. For officers, engineers and radio operators these watches lasted four hours each, while for helmsmen, riggers and mechanics it was two hours during the day and three at night. The duty became very exhausting due to the constant time differences. The Hindenburg crew’s working and recreational areas were separated strictly from the guest area. Only the commander, the officers and the stewards had access to the passenger decks.