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Hugo Eckener

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Aviator

The Resume

    (August 10, 1868-August 14, 1954)
    Born in Flensburg, Germany
    Airship designer and pilot
    Piloted the Graf Zeppelin
    President of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin (1917-35)

Why he might be annoying:

    During his first flight, he launched the Deutschland II despite strong winds, which pushed the zeppelin into the hangar, causing serious damage (May 16, 1911).
    He complained about the Nazis slapping swastikas on his zeppelins, but he accepted 2 million marks from Joseph Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry (and 9 million marks from Hermann Goering's Air Ministry) to complete construction of the Hindenburg.
    He was pressured into making a public statement that the Hindenburg had definitely not been sabotaged before he even began an investigation into what caused the craft to catch fire.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was known for his calm during a crisis.
    He would stay on the bridge of the Graf Zeppelin for days at a time during difficult flying conditions.
    He was such an expert at meteorology that crew members claimed, ‘If the old man says the weather’s going to clear, it’s going to clear. The sky wouldn’t dare do otherwise.’
    He was openly disdainful of Hitler and the Nazis.
    The Nazi government eventually declared him persona non grata and banned any mention of him in the press.
    He allegedly avoided a worse fate only because Chancellor von Hindenburg demanded that Hitler promise that no harm would come to Eckener.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying