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Historical picture

J

Jaxon

virtually there
Hi, I just found a very interesting picture and want to share.

It is obvious, that these two liners are liying in Hamburg, probably somewhat between 1937 and September 1939.

The color of the ships show, that these belong to different companies/organisations, and I have never seen them in this constellation before. Furthermore, the pic was taken just in front of my home, so to speak.

But now to the ships, who are bundled together in history, because both have the same tragical fate:

I the front we see the Wilhelm Gustloff, in KdF livery
Behind is the Cap Arcona of Hamburg Sued

Both sank in 1945 with huge death tolls (~9000 & 4600) resulting, they lead the sad list of worst ship-desasters ever.

EDIT: I have attached the pics from wikipedia, because these models represent just the appearance of the ships at that time.
Update: Though the Wilhelm Gustloff was owned and operated by the KdF-organisation, her tours and cruises were planned and managed by Hamburg Sued as well. So seeing them together is not as rare as it might look on the first view. Anyhow, I have never seen the pic before.
 
Thanks for that Jaxon. I heard the story of the Cap Ancona's sinking some years ago. There is some controversy over the exact circumstances, but what cannot be disputed is that the huge loss of life was tragic.
 
I saw a documentary on the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustolff some months back. Tragic loss of life. They did some computer modeling based on the eye witness accounts of the survivors and were able to "show" the time line of the sinking and why so many people lost their lives.

OBIO
 
I think that the KdF (Kraft durch Freude or Strength through Joy) also used ships like these to ferry German soldiers and airmen to Spain during the Spanish Civil War. The KdF ships brought the returning Kondor Legionares back to Germany in style at the conclusion of the civil war.
 
Thank's for sharing the pic's great stuff Jaxon:jump: Watching all that shipping growing up must of been something, thank's again:)

Skipsan:kilroy:
 
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