Editing LZ 129 Hindenburg (section)

===''Die Deutschlandfahrt''===
[[File:Deutschlandfahrt leaflet 1936.jpg|thumb|upright|Propaganda leaflet dropped from ''Hindenburg'' during the ''Deutschlandfahrt'', quoting Adolf Hitler's March 7 Rhineland speech in the ''Reichstag'']]

Although designed and built for commercial transatlantic passenger, air freight, and mail service, at the behest of the [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda (''Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda'' or ''Propagandaministerium'')]], ''Hindenburg'' was first pressed into use by the Air Ministry (its DLZ co-operator) as a vehicle for the delivery of Nazi propaganda.<ref>"Propaganda 'attack' made by Zeppelins." ''The New York Times'', March 29, 1936.</ref> On March 7, 1936, ground forces of the [[German Reich]] had entered and occupied the [[Rhineland]], a region bordering [[France]], which had been designated in the 1919 [[Treaty of Versailles]] as a [[Demilitarized zone|de-militarized zone]] established to provide a buffer between Germany and that neighboring country.

[[File:Wahlzettel-3.-Reich.jpg|thumb|left|March 29, 1936 plebiscite ballot]]

In order to justify its [[Remilitarization of the Rhineland|remilitarization]]—which was also a violation of the 1925 [[Locarno Pact]]<ref>"Belgium Insistent on Locarno Terms", ''The New York Times'', March 12, 1936.</ref>—a ''post hoc'' [[1936 German election and referendum|referendum]] was quickly called by Hitler for March 29 to "ask the German people" to both ratify the Rhineland's occupation by the German Army, and to approve a single party list composed exclusively of Nazi candidates to sit in the new [[Reichstag (Weimar Republic)|Reichstag]]. The ''Hindenburg'' and the ''Graf Zeppelin'' were designated by the government as a key part of the process.<ref>"Two Reich Zeppelins on Election Tour", ''The New York Times'',  March 27, 1936.</ref> As a public relations ploy, Propaganda Minister [[Joseph Goebbels]] demanded that the Zeppelin Company make the two airships available for a tour of Germany (Deutschlandfahrt), flying "in tandem" around Germany over the four-day period prior to the voting with a joint departure from Löwenthal on the morning of March 26.<ref>[http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/exhibits/haldick/images/hd-propa.JPG Photograph of ''Hindenburg'' and ''Graf Zeppelin'' preparing to depart Löwenthal on ''Die Deutschlandfahrt''.] ''specialcollections.wichita.edu''. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref>

The Zeppelin Company chairman, Dr. Hugo Eckener, disapproved of this propaganda use of his craft.  According to American reporter [[William L. Shirer]], "Hugo Eckener, who is getting [the Hindenburg] ready for its maiden flight to Brazil, strenuously objected to putting it in the air this weekend on the ground it was not fully tested, but Dr. Goebbels insisted.  Eckener, no friend of the regime, refused to take it up himself, but allowed Captain [Ernst] Lehmann to.  [Goebbels] is reported howling mad and is determined to get Eckener."<ref>William L. Shirer, ''Berlin Diary'', ©1941 reprinted 2011 by Rosetta Books, entry for March 29, 1936</ref>

While gusty wind conditions on the morning March 26 threatened a safe launch of the new airship, ''Hindenburg''{{'}}s commander, Captain [[Ernst Lehmann]], was determined to impress the politicians, Nazi party officials, and press present at the airfield with an "on time" departure and thus proceeded with its launch despite the adverse conditions. As the massive airship began to rise under full engine power she was caught by a 35-degree crosswind gust, causing her lower vertical [[Vertical stabilizer|tail fin]] to strike and be dragged across the ground, resulting in significant damage to the bottom portion of the [[airfoil]] and its attached [[rudder]].<ref>Lehmann 1937, p. 326.</ref><ref>[http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/exhibits/haldick/images/hd-fins1.JPG Photograph by Harold Dick of damaged lower vertical tail fin.] specialcollections.wichita.edu. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref> Hugo Eckener was furious and rebuked Lehmann.<ref>Eckener 1958, pp. 150–151.</ref>

''Graf Zeppelin'', which had been hovering above the airfield waiting for ''Hindenburg'' to join it, had to start off on the propaganda mission alone while LZ 129 returned to her hangar. There temporary repairs were quickly made to its [[empennage]] before joining up with the smaller airship several hours later.<ref>[http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/exhibits/haldick/images/hd-fins2.JPG "Photograph by Harold Dick of temporary repair to lower vertical tail fin."] ''specialcollections.wichita.edu''. Retrieved January 11, 2010.</ref> As millions of Germans watched from below, the two giants of the sky sailed over Germany for the next four days and three nights, dropping propaganda leaflets, blaring martial music and slogans from large loudspeakers, and broadcasting political speeches from a makeshift radio studio aboard ''Hindenburg''.<ref>Lehmann 1937, pp. 326–332.</ref>

On March 29, as German citizens voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Rhineland re-occupation, the ''Hindenburg'' was aloft over Berlin.  Later, Hugo Eckener privately mocked Goebbels by telling friends, "There were forty persons on the ''Hindenburg''.  Forty-two 'yes' votes were counted." William Shirer recorded: "Goebbels has forbidden the press to mention Eckener's name."<ref>''Berlin Diary'', entry for April 1936 (undated)</ref>