Funnily thanks to the Hindenburg disaster the airship is much more popular worldwide (outside of Germany and maybe the immediate vicinity) than the person it was named after. Which is kind of unfortunate because Paul von Hindenburg is a fascinating figure with an enormous impact on world history.
Not only was he a highly successful field marshal on the Eastern Front in WWI (after being brought out of retirement to replace the panicking previous commander there), he later became de facto dictator of Germany for the remainder of the war (until it was time to surrender, then he threw the dumpster fire over the wall to the civilian politicians). (Of course as his second, Ludendorff, wouldn't miss to tell anyone after the war, Hindenburg's role was more one of moral authority, calming presence and coordination, the actual war plans being made by the people under him, most notably Ludendorff who was really pissed after the war Hindenburg took all the credit).
However he's even more interesting after WW1, when his popularity brings him to being elected as President, being in de facto control of Germany again thanks to a constitutional workaround, and then working to stop Hitler from getting to power before finally being convinced to give him the chancellorship. After his death, Hitler also took over the presidentship, and that was that. So Hindenburg was the only man who could stop/delay Hitler from taking power, and he failed.
Not only was he a highly successful field marshal on the Eastern Front in WWI (after being brought out of retirement to replace the panicking previous commander there), he later became de facto dictator of Germany for the remainder of the war (until it was time to surrender, then he threw the dumpster fire over the wall to the civilian politicians). (Of course as his second, Ludendorff, wouldn't miss to tell anyone after the war, Hindenburg's role was more one of moral authority, calming presence and coordination, the actual war plans being made by the people under him, most notably Ludendorff who was really pissed after the war Hindenburg took all the credit).
However he's even more interesting after WW1, when his popularity brings him to being elected as President, being in de facto control of Germany again thanks to a constitutional workaround, and then working to stop Hitler from getting to power before finally being convinced to give him the chancellorship. After his death, Hitler also took over the presidentship, and that was that. So Hindenburg was the only man who could stop/delay Hitler from taking power, and he failed.