The remains of the airship let clearly see that the balloon rushed vertically into the deep after the fire. The gondolas along with the heavy, weighing several hundredweight engines have deeply imbedded in the earth, and the short grass, that covers the field, is burned in a radius of about 10 to 15 meters.

A sharp, all-pervading smell of burnt linen, rubber and of corpses pervades the air, so that in the immediate vicinity of the pile of rubble it is hardly to endure.  

The propeller of the front engine gondola are still almost intact. Similarly the drive shafts, which have linked the bolts to the engine. The two powerful engines have deeply imbedded in the ground. They were still hot after an hour. Anything special, however, could not be determined. although they have just been the cause of the terrible disaster. 

The guide gondola, which was placed in the forefront of the “Zeppelin“, right before the first engine gondola, is completely folded and collapsed into itself. The strong aluminum walls are crushed like thin sheet of metal. The central corridor, that linked all three gondolas, can at least still be seen in its outer contours. The thin ribs, that at some spots are barely an inch thick, are lying around completely deformed and bent.

How big the explosion was can already be seen from that such ribs as well as parts of the gondolas, pieces of wood and so on were thrown around 600 meters up to the airport. Here the remains have been piled up to a height of 4 to 5 meter. They buried the gondola in which in the opinion of the experts have yet to find corpses.

The rear has suffered the least. The control cells still show some of their covering and charred linen rag hang around everywhere. The huge fuel tanks are lying around completely empty. Their content has been emptied on the gondolas and inot the interior at the time of the explosion. The massive aluminum barrels but still clearly show their form. 

Here and there lie the clothes of the men who lost their lives. Waistcoats, leather pants and jackets, often completly charred, are offered to the eyes of the terrified observer. The most terrible sight but offered the corpses. Almost all of them burned beyond recognition and difficult to be reconnoitre. Ambulance automobiles and -cars drove constantly over the place and took away the human remains. 

In the pocket of the guide, captain lieutenant Freiyer, they found a list of those persons who have participated in the accident driving.

 Press report about the cause of the crash of Naval Airship L2 (Zeppelin LZ 18) on Johannistal.

In the downfall of the “L 2” it is the effect of the vacuum, of the rarefied space, and its powerful suction. When the flash twitches, it rips a hole in the air, but then the displaced air mass immediately crash again with thunder in the hole. When zeroed on new warships, it occured already, that the through the protection resulting vacuum in the air in front of the turnet has torn the deck. In a speeding car, we can observe something similar:

We do not feel, as one should believe, the air draft forward in the face, but on the back. The car when driving, creates a diluted space, and from all sides of the ingested air rushes on. On the road, we see behind a driving car the turbulence of

twisted skein-shaped raised clouds of dust that make us this process very clearly. On the “L 2” is now a mixture of hydrogen with oxygen in the air, the explosive “explosive gas” that already in contact with a small spark or even a red-hot platinumblows up, and therefor a fire does not require, has been sucked into the front engine gondola. The airship is supported by a number of gas-filled ballonets which are arranged within the frame. Like a in a fist compressed sponge, when if I redeem the pressure gradually, swells up again, does the gas expand when the air pressure is lowered in the area, thus with the rise of the airship. The air burdens with a weight from 1293 grams per cubic meter on the globe and is getting lighter with increasing altitude. To select an image: a dozen quilts presses heavily upon the sleeper, but if he puts on one, so that only the top eleven are, it is even easier, and the more he brings in, the less pressure is felt . In closed

Ballonets the expanding gas would now blow up the shell, so because of this they all have – even like the balloon – down a hole as a safety valve through the escape of excess. For each 80 meters rising 1 per cent of the content area. At the height at which the disaster occurred, the “L 2” must had blown off thus already more than 800 cubic feet of gas. It enters the walkway, and is mixed with air, flushed out the rear, where it finds an opening and evaporates into the free atmosphere. A part of the now explosion gas, however, as indicated in the last of my schematic drawings, has been sucked into the engine gondola.

The bow of the gondola is still increased by a windbreak – panes of isinglass – and pulls air with it. Behind it, a vacuum is created, and at the “L 2” it is the airship body itself so close that the powerful suction draws gas from the passageway. There is no need of carburetor fire, but only of a tiny spark of electricity, and the mixed gas flares. As the airship with the tip upward flies up, the flame runs forward, the front ballonets explod, the now gasless, so heavy fore –

swoops forward, and the stern of the “L 2” rises steeply. In the next second, the flame is running up here and let all the other ballonets explode: Now collapses a blood and meatless giant skeleton on the ground. After the disaster has happened, of course sounds incredibly easy, to say: The gondolas have to hang low and may have no windprotection, so that between them and the airship can pass a free wide air flow and keep the suction away from the shell. Such risk limits merely determin the practice, previously the best professionals have not presumed an explosion. Each construction is a compromise.

‘Impact will override backing!” says our rule for all weapons, and the approach of the gondolas to the airship is done to reduce the cross section and thus the aerodynamic drag, thus increasing the speed of the ship. Of course, only up to the permitted limit, ie within the necessary security – but about this limit they were just mistaken.

How the accident occured:

Probably due to carburetor fire in the front engine gondola, the fuel tanks exploded, a huge flame set fire to the gas cells, and the next moment the air cruiser crashed to the ground. 

About the terrible incident that is impossibly be described in all its details, we learn the following:

Today morning at 10 o’clock captain Freyer, the guide of the airship, wanted to make a test drive with the ship. The balloon that was filled only weakly because they wanted to keep a small altitude was brought out to the field. Duly rose “L 2” up to about 150 meters high, made a loop over the field and then turned westward to Britz to fly from there on over Berlin to Doeberitz.

The pilots who were standing outside the shed, watched the maneuvers of the “L 2” and noticed almost all that the rear engine developed a lot of smoke. Since in this circumstance there is certainly no danger, they did not pay further attention to the smoke of the machines. The airship flew over the Albatross sheds and the behind located houses of Johannisthal. Then it came into the open field, which lies between Johannisthal and Britz. The citizens of Johannisthal stared, as usual, interested after the airship. At a rapid pace, it roared at 150 feet above their heads away. One could hear the humming of the propeller and the noise of the 700-horsepower evolving machinery. Nobody could have guessed that the next moment a horrible, everything ever before seen exceeding catastrophe would occur:

At the moment, as “L 2” crossed the to Rudow’s leading country road, a bright flame suddenly struck up in the front engine gondola. Like a rocket a fine strip of flame shot to the middle of the ship. Then followed a terrible explosion. A crash, which cannot be compared to anything, and which was so strong that in every street of Johannisthal and even in the neighboring towns, as in Rudow and Treptow, all to the field located windows at distances of up to two kilometers were destroyed, then the airship burst.

A huge flame shot 20 to 30 mtr high to the sky. The next moment they saw shapeless lump of iron pieces, canvas and rubber gear, and human bodies flying through the air. The bare aluminum skeleton continue flying some 30-40 Mtr through the air, because the motors were still working and the propeller were spinning. Then the wreck shot perpendicular to the floor, devastating what was still breathing.

The citizens of Johannistal stood stunned at first. Then the cry of alarm flew through the village, “Help, the zeppelin has crashed!” Faster than it can be described, rushed hundreds of people in cars and bicycles with hatchets, axes and spades, armed to the field to help in order to to save what could still be saved. From the airport here, the cars were shooting up at full speed, each carrying 10, 12 men of the Marinedetachements that were already fitted with all life-saving equipment.

The ruins gave a terrible, anyone who has seen it, indelible impression. At first glance, one saw nothing but a tangled towering to the sky mountain of aluminum tubes and frames, between which are inextricably thousands and thousands of wires dragged. The whole place was surrounded by thousands of onlookers, who densely packed, driven in breathless silence surrounded the picture of horror and desolation. All available policemen were only used to shut off in common with the sailors, the debris field by thick ropes. The audience followed the instructions without a murmur. Scheu wichen die Menschen zurück, die in den formlosen Leichnamen, die man an ihnen vorübertrug, Freunde und Bekannte, ja sogar Verwandte vermuteten und vielfach zu erkennen glaubten. Shyly the people receded, who in the shapeless corpses, which were carried past, friends and acquaintances, even relatives presumed and even in many cases believed to recognize.

Second official list of the casualties of the crash of the Naval Airship L2 (Zeppelin LZ 18) 

The second official list of the dead, which was released yesterday evening has the following names:  

1. From Admiralty:

Lieutenant Commander Behnisch, Inspector Neumann, Master-Builder Pietzker, 
Technical Secretaries Lehmann, Prieß, Eisele.

2. Department of the Navy Airship:

Captain Lieutenant Freyer, Captain Lieutenant (Alexander) Trenk, 
Marine Chief Engineers Haussmann, Busch, Pilot Pittelkow, 
Machinist Lasch, Petty Officer Werner, Signal Petty Officer Kluge, 
Chief Machinist Petty Officers Krahmer, Keidel, Dressel, Deckert, 
Fockon, Paethe, Machinist Petty Officers Weber, Fricke, Sailmaker Petty Officer Müller.

3. From Zeppelin Shipyard:

Captain Gluud, Engineer Schüler, Technicians Hohenstein, Bauer.

In addition there is Lieutenant Baron von Bleuel from the 
Queen-Augusta-Gardegrenadier-Regiment No. 4, 
who had only participated as a guest at the unfortunate voyage.

In total 28 persons have fallen victim to the catastrophe. 

Official statement about the crash of the Naval Airship L2 (Zeppelin LZ 18)

The Naval Airship “L 2” was in a test drive ratio since its acquisition by the Navy and should  rise 8 clock this morning for a brief, in the conditions of acceptance designated, altitude drive from Johannisthal.   

On board were of the
 

budgetary crew:

The Commander, the Marine engineer and 13 men; 

furthermore the Admiralty:

The airship decrease Commission, consisting of an officer, 
two higher construction officers, a marine engineer and three technical secretaries;

from the Zeppelin shipyard:

an airship captain, one engineer and two technicians;

furthermore a captain lieutenant as commander student and an army officer as a guest.

All in all 28 persons.

To compensate the through the acceptance personnel of navy and shipyard caused excess weight, there were five persons of the normal crew and also the following items of equipment left behind: All outbord parts and the transmitter of the radio device, headlights and armour.

Shortly after 8 clock in the morning, the ship was taken out of the hall and rised after careful testing of all parts, especially the engines, and after the exchange of a blasting machine in the rear pod  at 10 to 16 minutes in the morning. It soon reached an altitude of about 200 meters.

At 10 clock 19 min was observed by reliable people that during the first third of the front engine car between the car and the shell was a sheaf of flames arised, which first took the bow to the tip on fire. The fire spread quickly from the rear and destroyed the outer shell. For a brief moment, the rear gas cells were visibly uninjured, but were then also taken from the fire.

In at most two or three seconds, the whole ship was engulfed in flames and an explosion was heard from about 700 yards away. At the same time the airship lowered and fell first horizontally, then slowly with the head inclined downward quickly to about 40 meters from the ground. Here a second explosion took place, which was, judging by the black smoke, probably stemmed from gasoline. When impinging on the ground a third, but weaker explosion happened. The skeleton came crashing down.

The ground crew of the Navy airship department ran at the double to the about 700 yards away, at Rudower Chaussee situated place of accident. Here, crews of a in the vicinity practicing pioneer department had already arrived. With these, the rescue operations have been started. Medical personnel were there immediately. After a short time appeared the fire department of Johannistal and several ambulance automobiles of the General Electric Company (AEG). Of the occupants of the airship, two men, lying outside the debris, were found alive; from the ruins the severely wounded Lieutenant Baron von Bleuel was freed. All the other 25 inmates who were found gradually in the wreckage, gave no sign of life from them.

Of the three survivors one died at the accident site, the second died during transport to the hospital Britz, where Lieutenant  Baron Bleuel as the only remaining survivor is still layed low with perilous burns. 

The others located in the airship were still during the crash or at least on impact killed, because most dead showed except burns serious injuries of the trunk and spine, as well as skull fractures.

The accident site was immediately cordoned off and guarded military. From the observations results at first, that the cause of the accident must be sought in an inflammation, which did not originate in the interior of the airship, but at or above the front engine car. It will be tried to get through accurate studies of the remnants of the original cause further details.

The Navy is faced with in a short time a new, serious accident that has robbed them of their newest airship. She mourns the death of many brave men who gave their lives for their country.

Pictures of the commission of the
Naval Airship L2 (Zeppelin LZ 18)

1. Captain Lieutnant Freyer (Commander “L 2”)+, 2. Inspector Neumann +,
3. Navy Chief Engineer Busch+, 4. Captain Gluud+, 5. Captain Lieutenant Trenk,
6. Lieutenant Commander Behnisch +, 7. Navy Chief Engineer Haußmann +.

From the Imperial Navy Office:
Lieutenant Commander Behnisch	Lieutenant Commander Behnisch, who has reached the age of 43 years, stood for 15 years in the naval service. His commission as Lieutenant Commander dated 27 March 1909. He was most recently commander of the gunboat “Panther” and was appointed two years ago in the Imperial Navy, where he served as departmental head for aviation. Behnisch was the son of the 1911 deceased Director of Görlitz engineering and foundry corporation. He attended the Görlitz high school and then joined the Navy. He stayed veryten in Görlitz and visited his, living on the Mühlberg, mother and his married sister. The news of is death reached the relatives in the first hour of the afternoon by a telegram from Berlin.
Baurat Neumann	Navy enginebuilding master Otto Neumann, who on 28 June 1900 joined the Navy, had the rank of  a captain lieutenant. He was just recently detached from the shipyard to Wilhelmshaven to the Imperial Navy Office, where he was placed under the Department for maintenance of ship machinery and ship-building factory. His job during the tests of the “L 2” was to examine the machine Anlagenzu, especially the engines, the message body, etc.
Shipbuilding master Pietzker	Navy shipbuilding master Felix Pietzker was approved in October 1908 by the Imperial Navy-Office as a lecturer in the Department for ship and marine engineering. His specialty were the questions of local strength of the hull. He went on 2 October 1903 in the Navy and on 8 December 1906 the Imperial Navy-Office assigned as a naval architect.Pietzker was in the section for the aviation of the Imperial Navy-Office Technical Advisory Council. Only in the October issue of the “Marine-Rundschau”, he published a very interesting article on the basics of naval aviation. He was also pilot and aircraft designer and repeatedly sent officially to France to study on airplane contests. He is survived by his wife Frieda (geb. Knaths).
	The book of naval ship building master Felix Pietzker, “Festigkeit der Schiffe”, in which he explained how the strength of hulls from this period can be captured arithmetically, is still available as a reprint.
From the Naval Airship Department:
Captain Lieutenant Trenk	Catain Lieutenant Alexander Trenk has been recently airship commander in the Navy airship division under Lieutenant Commander Metzing. He was also the commander of a torpedo boat at the firs Torpedo Division. Trenk, who already belonged to the department for several months, should take the next naval air cruiser after it was completed under his command He joined the Navy 2 April 1900.
Navy Chief Engineer Busch	Particularly tragic is the fate of the Navy chief engineer Busch, who was killed in the accident. Chief engineer Busch joined the Navy Corps of Engineers 1 April 1893. His patent dated 22 March 1910. Two years later he was detached to the Imperial Navy Office, where he worked in the department for naval equipment.He actually belonged to the crew of the naval Airship “L1” that was wrecked in Heligoland. Busch should also participate in that unfortunate trip, but he was assigned at the last minute to attend the first great voyage of the “L2” from Friedrichshafen to Johannistal. That time he ecaped the certain death. Busch was married and leaves behind besides his widow, two sons aged two and four years.
Navy Chief Engineer Haußmann	The killed in the accident Navy chief engineer Haußmann belonged to the Navy since 1 April 1898. His patent dated 22 March 1910. Two years later he was detached to the Imperial Navy, where he worked in the department of naval equipment. On 22 March 1913 he was assigned to the Naval Air Division. He was unmarried.
From the Zeppelin Shipyard:
Captain Gluud	Captain Ferdinand Gluud was an employee of the Zeppelin airship construction company. He had the leadership of the “Z IV” as the decrease commission visited the airship. Mrs. Captain Gluud reached the terrible news of he death of her husband when she returned home from a visit to the Countess Zeppelin. Captain Gluud was on request of his wife buried in his hometown Bremen. Captain Gluud leaves beside of his wife a six year old daughter behind.