World's worst shipping disaster, KdF Wilhelm Gustloff

[TMurray]

Thought these photos of the wreck might be of interest. The Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk on 30th January 1945 by a Soviet submarine (S13) with the estimated loss of 5,000-9,400 lives.
http://www.deepimage.co.uk/wrecks/wi...reckimages.htm
there has been speculation that The Amber Room, removed from from Konigsberg Castle, was on board the ship when it sank.

[VtwinVince]

Very interesting. The latest computer models of this disaster give the actual casualties at approx. 10-12,000, making it by far the worst maritime disaster, even compared to the Goya and Steuben. The Russians apparently dynamited the wreck in the 50's, looking for loot. I believe the "Amber Room" was destroyed during the August, 1944 bombing of Koenigsberg. BTW my father's neighbours all were lost on the Gustloff, fortunately my family got out by train in October, 1944.

[J.von Canon]

I have been collecting memorabilia of the Gustloff disaster for many years.I have amassed quite a collection as so many people(outside Germany anyway)are unfamiliar with it.
I think this tragedy is one of the remaining "sleeper" events of the Second World War.E-mail if having a mutual interest...

[Michael Loeke]

Hello,
that is very interesting.

It surprissed me positiv, that these worst maritime desasters are known
in Australia,Canada and USA.

What I know:
The Gustloff picked up about 10.582 people at Gotenhafen-Öxhöft.
8956 are refugees, the restmostly wounded soldiers.
After being on sea for over 7 hours it was hit at about 9.16pm by 3 torpedos of a russian sub.
About 45 minutes later the ship has sunk. Over 9.000 people got killed.

I just know one german book from Heinz Schön about the Gustloff desaster.

Bye
Michael

[TMurray]

J, do you have any photos you could share with us?

I have been collecting memorabilia of the Gustloff disaster for many years.I have amassed quite a collection as so many people(outside Germany anyway)are unfamiliar with it.
I think this tragedy is one of the remaining "sleeper" events of the Second World War.E-mail if having a mutual interest...

[TMurray]

Hi Michael, I hadnt heard of this disaster until I saw a documentary on it, I was suprised at the loss of life, more than 10,000 people. I believe there were several mine sweepers or torpedo boats that attended the scene with at least one Kapitan receiving the Knight's Cross for his actions.

Hello,
that is very interesting.

It surprissed me positiv, that these worst maritime desasters are known
in Australia,Canada and USA.

What I know:
The Gustloff picked up about 10.582 people at Gotenhafen-Öxhöft.
8956 are refugees, the restmostly wounded soldiers.
After being on sea for over 7 hours it was hit at about 9.16pm by 3 torpedos of a russian sub.
About 45 minutes later the ship has sunk. Over 9.000 people got killed.

I just know one german book from Heinz Schön about the Gustloff desaster.

Bye
Michael

[J.von Canon]

Can't post pics

Yes;but not being a member-cannot post pictures-unless sent to a member who who is willing & can...
Also,several other German passenger ships were sunk at this time with similar(thousands) of casualties.

[ErichK]

CrabWalk

Hello;
Gunther Grass wrote a novel which uses the Willhelm Gustloff - from it's beginning as a KDF cruise ship thru it's sinking and aftermath- as the setting forhis novel. It's not straight history but is well worth reading IMO. Grass is one of Germanys most respected writers so the book is not just pulp.
Regards,
Erich

[J.von Canon]

Gustloff references

Compared to the Titanic sinking there are only a relatively small number of books about the horror of the Gustloff sinking.
Here are some published works:
THE DAMNED DON'T DROWN,by A.V.Sellwood(Naval Institute Press,Annapolis,1973) -it's in English...

DIE GUSTLOFF KATASTROPHE,by Heinz Schoen(name w, umlauts) Motorbuch Verlag,Stuttgart,1994. probably the best account,to date-in German...

S.O.S.-WILHELM GUSTLOFF,DIE GROESTE SCHIFFSKATROPHE DER GESCHICHTE,by Heinz Schoen(umlauts),Motor buch Verlag,Stuttgart,1998;many photos...

HITLERS TRAUMSCHIFFE,by Heinz Schoen,Arndt Verlag,Kiel,2000.
More photos,including other KDF ships sunk in 1945...

[Vadim K]

Here are some published works:
THE DAMNED DON'T DROWN,by A.V.Sellwood(Naval Institute Press,Annapolis,1973) -it's in English...

Another English source is Christopher Dobson's The Cruelest Night, published in 1979 or 1980, unfortunately I think both Sellwood's and Dobson's books are out of print.

[Jägermarty]

Hi Michael, I hadnt heard of this disaster until I saw a documentary on it, I was suprised at the loss of life, more than 10,000 people. I believe there were several mine sweepers or torpedo boats that attended the scene with at least one Kapitan receiving the Knight's Cross for his actions.

Was this a recent documentary? Just about the Gustloff?
I saw it was mentioned on one of the Guido Knopp doco'd played on SBS last year.... curious

[J.von Canon]

There was a brief article with pictures of the wreck in a recent National Geographic Magazine a few months ago.
Will send some pics(thanks for offers to post from several)as soon as I can get my Gustloff stuff out of storage.

What do you want to see?

Have ship dining programs
Trip tickets(I think)
Many passenger photos of ship & activities
cap tallies of crewmen (summer & winter types)
Many postcards of the vessel
Ship's canteen albums
Passenger albums
etc.,etc...

[Jägermarty]

JvC, that article was on the Steuben wreck from early 05, the Nat Geo site has some good info about that expedition. Very sad

[TMurray]

Was this a recent documentary? Just about the Gustloff?
I saw it was mentioned on one of the Guido Knopp doco'd played on SBS last year.... curious

It was an episode on 'The Sea Hunters' (Clive Cussler et al), here's a link
http://www.shipwreckcentral.com/about6.htm#gustloff