The Wilhelm Gustloff as an Accommodation Liner
2nd U-Boat Training Division
1940 - 1945
2nd U-Boat Training Division
1940 - 1945
After her stint as a hospital ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff was converted over to an accommodation liner for the 2nd U-Boat Training Division in late 1940. In the issue of SOS Schicksale Deutscher Schiffe Nr. 23, 1953 (Collection magazine shown right), the Gustloff can be seen having her wartime grey paint being applied with the Lowe in the foreground (the escort ship to play a crutial role in saving the Gustloff's survivors.)
From 1940 until 1943, the Gustloff trained new recruits for the war efforts. As Germany invaids Russia and the front lines begin to fall towards Gotenhafen. Operation Hannibal becomes a mass exodus attempting to evacuate tens of thousands who crowd in the port trying to remain away from the Russian forces. The Gustloff's engines begin to hum to life for the first time in years as her first refugees board on January 22nd, 1945.
When the Gustloff leaves port on January 30th, 1945, there are nearly 10,500 refugees onboard a former cruise liner which is now a legitimate military target.....
From 1940 until 1943, the Gustloff trained new recruits for the war efforts. As Germany invaids Russia and the front lines begin to fall towards Gotenhafen. Operation Hannibal becomes a mass exodus attempting to evacuate tens of thousands who crowd in the port trying to remain away from the Russian forces. The Gustloff's engines begin to hum to life for the first time in years as her first refugees board on January 22nd, 1945.
When the Gustloff leaves port on January 30th, 1945, there are nearly 10,500 refugees onboard a former cruise liner which is now a legitimate military target.....
Wilhelm Gustloff Hansa
Photographs from the Wilhelm Gustloff
as an accommodation liner.
as an accommodation liner.
The above photo has been seen on several websites being listed as the last known photo of the Gustloff. What is interesting is that according to SOS Schicksale Deutscher Schiffe Nr. 23, 1953, this is false, as the photo was taken in 1943 - 2 years before she sunk.
Above: 30. Januar 1945, Untergang der 'Wilhelm Gustloff' Schiffsschicksale Nr.7
Officer onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, January of 1945. Source: Der Landser Grossband, Nr. 11
Deutsche Feldpost II. WK. - Kommando
2. Unterseeboots Lehrdivision Gotenhafen "Wilh. Gustloff", inkl. Inhalt, 1942
2. Unterseeboots Lehrdivision Gotenhafen "Wilh. Gustloff", inkl. Inhalt, 1942
Feldpost at Gotenhafen 7.7.42
Two postcards, both sent from Gotenhafen on August 26, 1944.
2.U.L.D.Crew Photograph onboard the accommodation ship Wilhelm Gustloff - December 1944.
Presented here is a one of a kind photograph of a crew meeting onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff in her Wintergarden, dated December of 1944. During this time, she was accommodating U-boat crews in the Baltic port of Gotenhafen, which is present day Gdyna in Poland. What makes this photograph so interesting is that it was taken only one month before she was torpedoed and several of these men were onboard that fateful night!
*From the information we have, it is evident that these crew members all belonged to the 2nd U-Boat Training Division whose members were quartered aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff which served as a floating barracks at the time. These U-boat trainees received their practical training at sea on boats of the 22. Uboot-Flottille, also stationed at Gotenhafen, which was specifically formed as an Ausbildungsflottille. One of its Schulboote (training boats) was U-143 commanded by OLzS Walter Kasparek. In January 1945, before the arrival of the Red Army at Gotenhafen, 22.U-Fl. including U-143 was transferred to a port in the western Baltic (which one is not quite sure - Stettin, Swinemünde or Kiel perhaps.) It is an opinion that, with the exception of Kasparek, Bluhm and von Köster, the men on the photo, all eager young Leutnants zur See, were watch officer candidates going through the demanding lessons of preparing for duty on a Frontboot (boat on active war patrol).*
At the top of the album page is a complete crew photo with the heading "Crewtreffen im Dezember 1944, 'Gustloff' im Wintergarten." At the bottom of the photo is the caption, "Wolfgang Bluhm, Jurgen Esselmann, "Bah", Caspras und Axt. Gotenhafen." There is also a signature below the photograph which appears to be the name of "Hurst Schwisll" or "Hurst Schwall."
A second photo was originally cut up into eight pieces according to person and their names typed underneath. They are listed below along with any information was found about each. A special thanks to Gert for helping to fill in the information on these crewmembers:
Wolfgang Bluhm: Served on the U-181 & U-143. Deceased 2005.
Jurgen Esselmann: Lt.z.S, Member of the 2nd U-Boat Training Division (2.U.L.D.), Survived the sinking.
Caspras: Nickname, OL.z.S. Walter Kasparek, Commander U-143.
Walker: Probable Lt.z.S, 2.U.L.D
Gunther Reuter: Lt.z.S. (Leutnant zur See or Ensign), U-3527
(Walter) v. Koster: If correct, Lt.z.S, destroyer Z-35, 6.Zerstörer-Flottille, Gotenhafen, which hit a mine and sank in the Eastern Baltic on December 12, 1944. This would mean the photo was taken in the first 11 days of the month.
Kurt Rullmann: Lt.z.S, 2.U.L.D - Lost with the ship. 1/30/45
Horst Krockert: Lt.z.S. U-930 (Commissioned on 12/6). As of 12/44, U-Flottille, Stettin, Ausbildungsboot. (Crew under training) Most likely transferred there from 2.U.L.D. Gotenhafen in early December.
Horst Hoppe: Not on a U-Boat, but survived the sinking.
Horst Riege: Probable Lt.z.S, 2.U.L.D
Dieter Halstenbach: Lt.z.S, 2.U.L.D., Wuppertaler, Survived the sinking and picked up by the torpedo boat TS 8/M375. Still living as of 10/29/08.
By all historical accounts, the tally of the people which were officially embarked on the Wilhelm Gustloff on 1/30/45 stopped around 5,000. This is a period newspaper clipping with a photograph of the actual list from that fateful day! The tally translates:
Soldaten (Soldiers) 918
**(The 918 soldiers mentioned were all from the 2. U-Boot-Lehrdivision and should have been brought to Kiel to fight on.)
Besatzung (crew) 172
Mar. Helfer (abbreviation for marine volunteer) 373
Verwund (abbreviation for wounded people) 73
---------
1537
Flüchtl (Abb. for refugee) 3121
---------
4658
+2-300 (An additional 200 to 300 / from) Gillau (Village in former Ostpreussen)
Wilh. Gustloff is written in blue pen on the paper. The article at the bottom translates:
"A yellowed slip of shows the number of people carried on the Gustloff: 4,958. This list was handed over by the First officer, Louis Rese, (Photo) shortly before the Gustloff's departure. The number of stowaways was never determined."
Soldaten (Soldiers) 918
**(The 918 soldiers mentioned were all from the 2. U-Boot-Lehrdivision and should have been brought to Kiel to fight on.)
Besatzung (crew) 172
Mar. Helfer (abbreviation for marine volunteer) 373
Verwund (abbreviation for wounded people) 73
---------
1537
Flüchtl (Abb. for refugee) 3121
---------
4658
+2-300 (An additional 200 to 300 / from) Gillau (Village in former Ostpreussen)
Wilh. Gustloff is written in blue pen on the paper. The article at the bottom translates:
"A yellowed slip of shows the number of people carried on the Gustloff: 4,958. This list was handed over by the First officer, Louis Rese, (Photo) shortly before the Gustloff's departure. The number of stowaways was never determined."
Three letters from a Wilhelm Gustloff 2.U.L.D. sailor. The first 1 page front & back letter (left) was written on April 18th, 1941 and posted on April 20th. The sailor thanked his mother for a package and told her all was fine onboard.
The second 2 page front & back letter was written and posted on February 11th, 1941.
The third letters (below on the sailboat stationary) were written and postmarked April 7th, 1941.
The second 2 page front & back letter was written and posted on February 11th, 1941.
The third letters (below on the sailboat stationary) were written and postmarked April 7th, 1941.
Few items from the Gustloff are made as reproductions, but the above is one such item. It is a reproduction boarding pass that would have been distributed to passengers on January 30th, 1945 on her fateful voyage. Professionally made, I have seen at least one where the bottom was cut off and it was sold as an 'original'. The bottom left has 'Faksimile Edition' (Reproduction Edition); followed by the document number and information. In order to cut off this reproduction giveaway, one would also have to cut off '2. Unterseebootslehrdivision' to get a clean straight cut. If the bottom right only has Kommando, the item is not an original.
Dated June 23rd, 1942
The above photo originally came from a collection belonging to one of the nine survivors of U-77 which was sunk of the Spanish coast by British Hudson airplanes on March 28, 1943.
Letter sent from the Wilhelm Gustloff in Gotenhafen. Written and posted December 13th, 1941.
2.U.L.D. Officer onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff
Dated: April 4th, 1943.
Dated: April 4th, 1943.
Wilhelm Gustloff 2.U.L.D. Telegram - June 1941
949 Ingolstadt Do 1 22 16 1530
San Maat Georg Kratzer
7/2 U L D Gotenhafen Wilhelm Gustloff
Komme Samstag Zwischen 21 Und 23 Uhr in Gotenhafen an = Lydia ++
San Maat Georg Kratzer
7 / 2 U L D Gotenhafen Wilhelm Gustloff
Come Saturday between 21 and 23 clock in Gdynia on = Lydia + +
21 23 7 2 ++
949 Ingolstadt Do 1 22 16 1530
San Maat Georg Kratzer
7/2 U L D Gotenhafen Wilhelm Gustloff
Komme Samstag Zwischen 21 Und 23 Uhr in Gotenhafen an = Lydia ++
San Maat Georg Kratzer
7 / 2 U L D Gotenhafen Wilhelm Gustloff
Come Saturday between 21 and 23 clock in Gdynia on = Lydia + +
21 23 7 2 ++
Wilhelm Gustloff Accommodation Liner & U-Boat Training Photo Album - Medium Souvenir Album Onboard the U-708 - Gotenhafen & Danzig, December of 1942.
Souvenir Photos: 17 - Accommodation Liner / Training Photos: 96 = Total 113
Souvenir Photos: 17 - Accommodation Liner / Training Photos: 96 = Total 113
Presented here is a very unique photo album from the Wilhelm Gustloff of her days as an accommodation liner. The album shows severe damage after all these years and was seemingly kept with the sailor(s) onboard as it was being assembled. It features 12 souvenir photos of the Gustloff, 1 of the Robert Ley, 4 souvenir photos of Danzig, and 96 personal photos.
This album highlights the training of the U-708's crew during her time in Gotenhafen & Danzig. A type VIIC u-boat, she was completed July 24th, 1942 and entered training under the 8. Flottille with Oblt. Werner Heintze commanding her. "The officer on the bridge with the binoculars wearing the white hat is definitely the captain of the boat. Whether he is in fact OLzS Werner Heintze, commander of U-708, is open to question."
"U-708 was temporarily attached to 22. U.Flotilla from February of 1943 as a training boat while nominally still with 8 U-Fl. at Danzig." "For the remainder of the year, the U-708 was undergoing her own testing, training and acceptance trials and there were a number of bases that had to be visited to complete it." Gotenhafen was one of those bases.
A special thanks to u-boat author Dr. Axel, who quickly identified the U-708. It was known that she had a sea horse emblem during her time at sea, but the Chinese dragon emblem was shown during her time as a training u-boat. (The yellow stripe on the conning tower depicts she was in training.) Another photo of the U-708's emblem and damaged conning tower can be seen HERE. This damage resulted from a collision with a target vessel during the same month & year, causing minor crumpling.
Photo Album Sequence
After the souvenir photos, there are images of Kriegsmarine members in a bar, then of the same group training in the snows of Danzig. Afterwards, they board a train and arrive in port (probably Gotenhafen) and there are images around the area - and at one point, onboard the General Osorio. (The photo in the cabin looks like the Gustloff, but perhaps it is the General Osorio.) The sailors mentioned in this album - Hans, Willi, & Walter - assembled it during their entire training, though not necessarily in order. The photo before the officers and crew on the U-708 is dated March of 1942 - 4 months before the U-708 was to be commissioned.
The album then shows the u-boat and its crew in formal attire for a ceremony of sorts. "The photos of the crew assembled on deck for some special ceremony clearly indicate that the boat was based at Danzig: The buildings seen in the background of these pictures are not congruent with the architectural silhouette of Gotenhafen but rather that of the city of Danzig." There are several photos of the u-boat crew's Christmas dinner onboard what appears to be the Wilhelm Gustloff and onboard the U-708. "The pictures of the Christmas party suggest that the crew of U-708, having travelled by train from Danzig, were invited as a special treat to celebrate another Kriegsweihnacht (War Christmas) in the warm and cozy salons on board the Gustloff (the quarters of the 8. U-Flottile at Danzig were not so cosy) with plenty of good food and drink."
All the remaining photos are of the u-boat crew training onboard and of the captain and officers out on the water. There are a few snapshots around Gotenhafen's harbor featuring the Gustloff, Hamburg, Hansa, and another unknown ship. The album ends back on the u-boat with the crew doing everything from working the deck gun to peeling potatoes on the dock and cutting up fish on the u-boat's deck.
This album highlights the training of the U-708's crew during her time in Gotenhafen & Danzig. A type VIIC u-boat, she was completed July 24th, 1942 and entered training under the 8. Flottille with Oblt. Werner Heintze commanding her. "The officer on the bridge with the binoculars wearing the white hat is definitely the captain of the boat. Whether he is in fact OLzS Werner Heintze, commander of U-708, is open to question."
"U-708 was temporarily attached to 22. U.Flotilla from February of 1943 as a training boat while nominally still with 8 U-Fl. at Danzig." "For the remainder of the year, the U-708 was undergoing her own testing, training and acceptance trials and there were a number of bases that had to be visited to complete it." Gotenhafen was one of those bases.
A special thanks to u-boat author Dr. Axel, who quickly identified the U-708. It was known that she had a sea horse emblem during her time at sea, but the Chinese dragon emblem was shown during her time as a training u-boat. (The yellow stripe on the conning tower depicts she was in training.) Another photo of the U-708's emblem and damaged conning tower can be seen HERE. This damage resulted from a collision with a target vessel during the same month & year, causing minor crumpling.
Photo Album Sequence
After the souvenir photos, there are images of Kriegsmarine members in a bar, then of the same group training in the snows of Danzig. Afterwards, they board a train and arrive in port (probably Gotenhafen) and there are images around the area - and at one point, onboard the General Osorio. (The photo in the cabin looks like the Gustloff, but perhaps it is the General Osorio.) The sailors mentioned in this album - Hans, Willi, & Walter - assembled it during their entire training, though not necessarily in order. The photo before the officers and crew on the U-708 is dated March of 1942 - 4 months before the U-708 was to be commissioned.
The album then shows the u-boat and its crew in formal attire for a ceremony of sorts. "The photos of the crew assembled on deck for some special ceremony clearly indicate that the boat was based at Danzig: The buildings seen in the background of these pictures are not congruent with the architectural silhouette of Gotenhafen but rather that of the city of Danzig." There are several photos of the u-boat crew's Christmas dinner onboard what appears to be the Wilhelm Gustloff and onboard the U-708. "The pictures of the Christmas party suggest that the crew of U-708, having travelled by train from Danzig, were invited as a special treat to celebrate another Kriegsweihnacht (War Christmas) in the warm and cozy salons on board the Gustloff (the quarters of the 8. U-Flottile at Danzig were not so cosy) with plenty of good food and drink."
All the remaining photos are of the u-boat crew training onboard and of the captain and officers out on the water. There are a few snapshots around Gotenhafen's harbor featuring the Gustloff, Hamburg, Hansa, and another unknown ship. The album ends back on the u-boat with the crew doing everything from working the deck gun to peeling potatoes on the dock and cutting up fish on the u-boat's deck.
*Also highlighted in a red box on the dining room table is a Krupp-Berndorf silver coffee pot. This coffee pot is identical to the one removed from the Robert Ley on her home page on the site.
Above Right - After photographing the album, it was clear that most of the glue holding the photos was deteriorating to the point where the photos were simply falling off the pages. This blessing in disguise uncovered 4 photos in the album that have writing on the back.
Left to Right:
Photo #39: Gangdienst in Hamburg 3.42.
Corridor-Service in Hamburg.
Some kind of oversight / guard service on Board.
Photo #80: Willi & Walter - Gotenhafen, Dez 42.
Photo #82: Willi: Meine Seele im Morgenrot. Translated: My soul in aurora. Gotenhafen 12.42.
Photo #84: Hans v Willi. Gotenhafen 12.42.
Photo #39: Gangdienst in Hamburg 3.42.
Corridor-Service in Hamburg.
Some kind of oversight / guard service on Board.
Photo #80: Willi & Walter - Gotenhafen, Dez 42.
Photo #82: Willi: Meine Seele im Morgenrot. Translated: My soul in aurora. Gotenhafen 12.42.
Photo #84: Hans v Willi. Gotenhafen 12.42.
Of the officers in photograph #45 at the Christmas Party, I was told: From left to right:
The guy on the far left with both hands visible has the Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon.
The guy next to him in the middle of Hitler’s picture has the Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon and on his right hand side and a decoration I can’t identify. It could be a Spanish Cross or a German Cross.
I am not sure which other decorations were worn on that side but there weren’t many. He also has another decoration on his left hand side but it could be any of 6 decorations I can think of.
The guy on the far right with his eyes closed has the Minesweeper War Badge. It is also possible he is only a Petty Officer. The others are of course officers.
Once again, A special thanks to all of those who contributed to the story of this album. Quotes from the left have been taken directly from these forums to help tell the story. The full forums, as well as other research information on u-boats can be viewed at the following sites: ubootwaffe.net, ww2f.com, uboat.net, & u-historia.com.
The guy on the far left with both hands visible has the Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon.
The guy next to him in the middle of Hitler’s picture has the Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon and on his right hand side and a decoration I can’t identify. It could be a Spanish Cross or a German Cross.
I am not sure which other decorations were worn on that side but there weren’t many. He also has another decoration on his left hand side but it could be any of 6 decorations I can think of.
The guy on the far right with his eyes closed has the Minesweeper War Badge. It is also possible he is only a Petty Officer. The others are of course officers.
Once again, A special thanks to all of those who contributed to the story of this album. Quotes from the left have been taken directly from these forums to help tell the story. The full forums, as well as other research information on u-boats can be viewed at the following sites: ubootwaffe.net, ww2f.com, uboat.net, & u-historia.com.
Onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff - 2.U.L.D. Gotenhafen 28.3.1943
Soup Bowl & Side Plate from onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff
Taken off the ship in 1944 during her last few months afloat.
Bottom marked with the Nazi Eagle, M, KPM, 1941
Taken off the ship in 1944 during her last few months afloat.
Bottom marked with the Nazi Eagle, M, KPM, 1941
History by written letter:
The accompanying plates are from the estate of my father who passed away in October 2008 and he was a thoroughly enthusiastic marine collector and has been since about 1950. In Europe, he had developed contacts with other collectors and from this passion came to have a very close friendship with the former owner of these plates, a Kriegsmarine captain of a huge and exciting collection of marine artifacts who had lived on a small East Frisian island and died there several years ago.
These plates are from the ship "Wilhelm Gustloff" and he was, in 1944, onboard this ship for a few days to visit a comrade. Professionally, he worked in Berlin during this time. From his tales proving the ship as he had the first class and wonderful already in memory. These plates were kept until his death in a display case next to a new and completely unused photo album of the Wilhelm Gustloff. This kind of album you could then purchase from the Wilhelm Gustloff. The captain lived in this house in the dunes with his memories and his desire for many recollection pieces went over to my father.
It is from his son which I purchased these plates in November of 2010.
The accompanying plates are from the estate of my father who passed away in October 2008 and he was a thoroughly enthusiastic marine collector and has been since about 1950. In Europe, he had developed contacts with other collectors and from this passion came to have a very close friendship with the former owner of these plates, a Kriegsmarine captain of a huge and exciting collection of marine artifacts who had lived on a small East Frisian island and died there several years ago.
These plates are from the ship "Wilhelm Gustloff" and he was, in 1944, onboard this ship for a few days to visit a comrade. Professionally, he worked in Berlin during this time. From his tales proving the ship as he had the first class and wonderful already in memory. These plates were kept until his death in a display case next to a new and completely unused photo album of the Wilhelm Gustloff. This kind of album you could then purchase from the Wilhelm Gustloff. The captain lived in this house in the dunes with his memories and his desire for many recollection pieces went over to my father.
It is from his son which I purchased these plates in November of 2010.
Speisekarte Letter from onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff
Written onboard, March 26th, 1942
Written onboard, March 26th, 1942
Very odd find showing one of the crew members onboard using a blank Triple Nazi Flag menu cover and inside as a creative letter from the accommodation ship. Still untranslated.
Knife and Fork from onboard the Wilhelm Gustloff
Taken offboard during her time as an accommodation liner.
Taken offboard during her time as an accommodation liner.
Here is a knife and fork that was taken off the Wilhelm Gustloff by one of her engineers during her time as an accommodation liner. The engineer, from Zwickau, Germany, nabbed them as souvenirs during the time and kept them along with a photo album and one of his boarding passes. When his effects were broken up some time later, a Gustloff collector purchased them and I through him. Stamped HL or HHL, Rostfrei. Knife dated 1941 and both pieces with the eagle on swastica and M.
2. WK Besteck Gustloff
Hier dieses Besteck Set eines Maschinisten der Gustloff.
Wurde damals als Andenken nach der Zeit auf der Gustloff mitgebracht.
Es sind original Stücke aus der Zeit des 2. Wk, beide haben den selben Hersteller und sind gestempelt.
2. WK Besteck Gustloff
Hier dieses Besteck Set eines Maschinisten der Gustloff.
Wurde damals als Andenken nach der Zeit auf der Gustloff mitgebracht.
Es sind original Stücke aus der Zeit des 2. Wk, beide haben den selben Hersteller und sind gestempelt.
Collection Postcard
Wilhelm Gustloff Small Souvenir Photo Album
Dated May 1942 out of Pillau - 33 total photos.
A very interesting photo album from wartime. The first few photos are what appear to be family vacation photos from a German family. Then there are four photos onboard the Type II U-62 out at sea. During May of 1942, she was a school boat based in Gotenhafen, so probably taken between the two cities in the Baltic. The remaining photos are of various Kriegsmarine members, and one outfit I am not familiar with.
There are two souvenir photos of the ship, but it is not the Wilhelm Gustloff, rather the Robert Ley. All the handwriting on the backs of the photos are the same person. Whether the sailor was onboard both ships, or just one... one never knows.
Dated May 1942 out of Pillau - 33 total photos.
A very interesting photo album from wartime. The first few photos are what appear to be family vacation photos from a German family. Then there are four photos onboard the Type II U-62 out at sea. During May of 1942, she was a school boat based in Gotenhafen, so probably taken between the two cities in the Baltic. The remaining photos are of various Kriegsmarine members, and one outfit I am not familiar with.
There are two souvenir photos of the ship, but it is not the Wilhelm Gustloff, rather the Robert Ley. All the handwriting on the backs of the photos are the same person. Whether the sailor was onboard both ships, or just one... one never knows.
Sinking and Wreck
