What happened on this day in history: The Hindenburg disaster ends the age of airship travel, Ariel Castro's victims are rescued, and more from May 6th.
1856: Sigmund Freud Is Born
Neurologist and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud is born in Freiberg, a Morovian town within the Austrian Empire. Freud is best known for founding the discipline of psychoanalysis, a collection of therapeutic techniques that deal with the unconscious mind. Some of his most famous ideas include the Oedipus complex and the psychic structure of the id, ego, and super ego. A Jewish man, Freud fled Austria in 1938 to avoid Nazi persecution, and he died in London the following year at the age of 83.
1937: The Hindenburg Bursts Into Flames
Wikimedia CommonsThe Hindenburg airship explodes in as it attempts to dock in New Jersey.
The Hindenburg airship bursts into flames above New Jersey, killing 36 people. It’s believed that a leak allowed the hydrogen inside the airship to mix with oxygen outside, and the gas was ignited by a static spark as the Hindenburg attempted to dock. The Hindenburg disaster brought about a swift end to the age of airship travel.
1994: English Channel Tunnel Opens
The Channel Tunnel, also known as the “Eurotunnel” or the “Chunnel,” opens to train traffic. The longest undersea tunnel in the world, the Channel Tunnel took six years to build. It connects Folkestone, England to Sangatte, France, and allows passenger and freight trains to travel between the island of Great Britain and the European mainland in as little as 35 minutes.
1998: Steve Jobs Introduces The iMac Computer
Steve Jobs introduces the iMac computer to the world for the first time. At Macworld, Jobs announced that the new consumer desktop computer would allow users to access the internet quickly, present a sleek design unrivalled in the market, and even change the education field. And he was right.
The iMac hit the market at $1,299 dollars and became the best selling computer that year. The iMac reassured consumers that the Apple brand was relevant, reliable, and worth buying from.
2013: Ariel Castro’s Victims Are Rescued
Wikimedia CommonsThe home where Ariel Castro held three women — and later a child — for over a decade.
The victims of Ariel Castro, the “Monster of Cleveland,” are rescued after spending more than 10 years imprisoned in their abductor’s home. Between 2002 and 2004, Castro had kidnapped Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus and kept trapped in his basement, repeatedly raping them and even fathering a young girl with Berry. On May 6, 2013, Castro forgot to lock an inside door, and Berry made it to a window and screamed for help. All four victims safely escaped the home with the help of neighbors and police.
