The passenger ship "Vaterland" was laid down on the stocks of the German shipyard as a product under the number 212, and was launched on 13 April 1913. The liner was larger than its predecessor and at the time of completion was the largest passenger ship in the world. Its total displacement was 66800 tons, and the length of the hull-289,6 meters.
On her maiden voyage to new York, the passenger ship "Vaterland" departed on may 14, 1914, and before the outbreak of the first world war, the liner managed to perform only three transatlantic flights.On July 29, 1914, the passenger ship Vaterland sailed out of new York Harbor for the fourth time, and three days later hostilities began. British ships were ordered to detain all German liners in an attempt to break into Germany. Among other German steamers, the Vaterland remained moored in new York Harbor for nearly three years.
After the United States entered the war on 6 April 1917, the passenger ship "Vaterland" was confiscated by the American government. The German crew were so attached to their liner that they did not commit sabotage to destroy the steamer. They could not destroy this handsome man. Soon the liner received a new crew and a new captain Joseph Wallace Oman, and on September 6, 1917 the passenger ship " Vaterland "was renamed by the American President Woodrow Wilson to"Leviathan".Already in December, the passenger ship safely delivered American troops to the English port of Liverpool, where she stood up for repairs. As a result, the liner received artillery weapons for self-defense.
In February 1918, the passenger ship "Leviathan" returned to the United States, but after a second voyage with troops to Liverpool again embarked on modernization in March 1918. During the repairs, the liner was painted in a camouflage color, and this unusual color she wore until the end of the war. Then this fast military transport began to carry out regular flights between the United States and France, bringing on Board to Europe up to 14,000 troops. By the time the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, the passenger ship Leviathan had transported more than 119,000 soldiers. After that, the transport was repainted gray and resumed transporting soldiers between December 1918 and September 8, 1919, but in the opposite direction.
From 29 October 1919, the passenger ship "Leviathan" was moored, waiting for the decision of its fate. In April 1922, the liner became the flagship of the American commercial fleet. The passenger ship was completely refitted to American taste and post-war standards. The contract to refit the former German flagship was awarded to a new venture, Gibbs Brothers Inc, headed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs, who a few years later would become famous for the construction of the passenger liner "SS United States". After modernization for 8000000 us dollars, in 1923 "Leviathan" appeared before the world as a completely new vessel.
Passenger ship "Leviathan" remained very popular until the mid-30s and remained a record among the statistical number of passengers transported per flight. Great commercial damage to the passenger ship caused the so-called "American PostScript", when the liner was under the influence of "prohibition". Many American passengers in this period gave preference to the European aircraft. Alcoholic beverages were freely sold on Board these ships, and some passengers even managed to cruise the Atlantic several times, quenching their thirst with alcohol.
In the early 30s, the North American continent was hit by the Great depression and the liner "Leviathan", among many passenger ships, began to bring losses. From 1933 the ship was periodically moored, and on 10 October 1937 the liner " Leviathan "was sold to the British firm" Metal Industries Ltd.» for scrap. The passenger ship was towed to Scotland and was broken up over the next two years. Thus ended the fate of the great ship, the name of which has already entered into our everyday life as a meaningful word and no one thinks about its origin.
tragic finale..
On her maiden voyage to new York, the passenger ship "Vaterland" departed on may 14, 1914, and before the outbreak of the first world war, the liner managed to perform only three transatlantic flights.On July 29, 1914, the passenger ship Vaterland sailed out of new York Harbor for the fourth time, and three days later hostilities began. British ships were ordered to detain all German liners in an attempt to break into Germany. Among other German steamers, the Vaterland remained moored in new York Harbor for nearly three years.
After the United States entered the war on 6 April 1917, the passenger ship "Vaterland" was confiscated by the American government. The German crew were so attached to their liner that they did not commit sabotage to destroy the steamer. They could not destroy this handsome man. Soon the liner received a new crew and a new captain Joseph Wallace Oman, and on September 6, 1917 the passenger ship " Vaterland "was renamed by the American President Woodrow Wilson to"Leviathan".Already in December, the passenger ship safely delivered American troops to the English port of Liverpool, where she stood up for repairs. As a result, the liner received artillery weapons for self-defense.
In February 1918, the passenger ship "Leviathan" returned to the United States, but after a second voyage with troops to Liverpool again embarked on modernization in March 1918. During the repairs, the liner was painted in a camouflage color, and this unusual color she wore until the end of the war. Then this fast military transport began to carry out regular flights between the United States and France, bringing on Board to Europe up to 14,000 troops. By the time the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, the passenger ship Leviathan had transported more than 119,000 soldiers. After that, the transport was repainted gray and resumed transporting soldiers between December 1918 and September 8, 1919, but in the opposite direction.
From 29 October 1919, the passenger ship "Leviathan" was moored, waiting for the decision of its fate. In April 1922, the liner became the flagship of the American commercial fleet. The passenger ship was completely refitted to American taste and post-war standards. The contract to refit the former German flagship was awarded to a new venture, Gibbs Brothers Inc, headed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs, who a few years later would become famous for the construction of the passenger liner "SS United States". After modernization for 8000000 us dollars, in 1923 "Leviathan" appeared before the world as a completely new vessel.
Passenger ship "Leviathan" remained very popular until the mid-30s and remained a record among the statistical number of passengers transported per flight. Great commercial damage to the passenger ship caused the so-called "American PostScript", when the liner was under the influence of "prohibition". Many American passengers in this period gave preference to the European aircraft. Alcoholic beverages were freely sold on Board these ships, and some passengers even managed to cruise the Atlantic several times, quenching their thirst with alcohol.
In the early 30s, the North American continent was hit by the Great depression and the liner "Leviathan", among many passenger ships, began to bring losses. From 1933 the ship was periodically moored, and on 10 October 1937 the liner " Leviathan "was sold to the British firm" Metal Industries Ltd.» for scrap. The passenger ship was towed to Scotland and was broken up over the next two years. Thus ended the fate of the great ship, the name of which has already entered into our everyday life as a meaningful word and no one thinks about its origin.
tragic finale..
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