Sinking of Wilhelm Gustloff (Ship) (1945 to 1945)

The ship had been built for cruises, but a possible use as a hospital ship had also been considered from the beginning. The lifts were designed for hospital beds and the cabins were fitted with pipes for oxygen supply. After a short period of operation as a cruise ship, the "Wilhelm Gustloff" was handed over to the Kriegsmarine as a hospital ship.

The last and tragic voyage of the ship begins at the end of January 1945 as the Soviet army approaches. The "Wilhelm Gustloff" is to bring refugees and wounded from East Prussia to the West. She is painted grey, although the colour white was prescribed for neutral ships. 7,956 people are registered on board, but the crew lost the controls and so another 2,500 refugees came on board. The ship could only take four of its 18 motor lifeboats. Four captains were on the ship and wrestled for hours about which route to take. In the end it was decided that the ship should sail through deeper waters because of its overload. Because German minelayers are on the way, position lights are set to avoid collisions. The "Wilhelm Gustloff" is now also visible to the enemy.  In the evening of January 30, shortly after 9 pm, she was hit by three Soviet submarine torpedoes.

One of the three torpedoes hit the empty swimming pool in the lower deck, the emergency accommodation of many naval aides. A terrible scene is taking place there. Many dead were already lying on the ground and masses of men, women and children were trampled down. Since the ship was catastrophically overcrowded, many have already died on the deck on the way. The survivors began to fight for a place in the lifeboats. Officers with drawn pistols and access denied the men and let only women and children into the boats. An SOS was sent to ask for help. Torpedo boats picked up castaways. 

The hurrying helpers drove through a field of corpses. 10,582 people were on board: 8,956 refugees from East Prussia, West Prussia, Danzig and Pomerania, about 5,000 of them children. 918 officers, NCOs and crews of the 2nd Submarine Training Division Gotenhafen. 373 naval auxiliaries. 162 seriously wounded in the army. 173 crew members of the merchant navy who were conscripted for war. 9,343 people died, 1,239 were saved. The ship tilted to one side and sank within an hour. In the end all the lights came on and so the "Wilhelm Gustloff" disappeared in the floods.

Alexander Ivanovich Marinesko, commanded the submarines and was with the sinking of the "Wilhelm Gustloff" the most successful submarine commander. Because of discipline problems he was later dishonorably discharged from the army. He died in 1963 and was posthumously awarded the title "Hero of the Soviet Union" in 1990.