Ship Simulator

English forum => Small talk => Topic started by: maritiem on April 12, 2009, 11:30:23

Title: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: maritiem on April 12, 2009, 11:30:23

Hi

Many people believe that the Titanic was the worst ship disaster in history. But I founded something else. On january 30, 1945 Wilhelm Gustloff sank after being torpedoed, approxiomately 9,400 people died during this ship disaster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Gustloff_(ship)
Have you guys ever heard about it? 


maritiem

BTW: i've heard that they were going to make a movie about this disaster called 'die gustloff'

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: RMSGreatBritain on April 12, 2009, 11:52:17

I watched a documentary on this. People everywhere on that ship and most went down with it when it was missiled. sounds awful. :P

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: RMS Canada on April 12, 2009, 18:55:21

I know about this vessel being the greatest loss of life, far more than Titanic.

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: firestar12 on April 12, 2009, 21:59:48

That ship must have been absolutely crammed when it sank. :-\

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: Kapn Jonah on April 12, 2009, 22:01:54

I've always know Titanic as the most tragic ship wreck there ever was, but this is even worse, why have i never heard of it!??!? ??? ???

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: firestar12 on April 12, 2009, 22:08:24

Probably because Titanic was (or may have been) the worst civilian maritime disaster in history. Of course, the Empress of Ireland had a higher passenger death toll than Titanic did. Also, it was not as big of a shock when this ship sank because this ship never claimed to be unsinkable.

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: Traddles on April 12, 2009, 23:31:09

It must be remembered that this took place during the 1939-1945 world war when many ships, both passenger and cargo were sunk by torpedoes. That is the horror of war. Secrecy was such that the Russian submarine which sank her probably thought she was carrying troops who had been fighting the USSR only just previously.

Title: Re: ever heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff?
Post by: Mad_Fred on April 13, 2009, 05:19:22

Quote from: Firestar on April 12, 2009, 22:08:24

Also, it was not as big of a shock when this ship sank because this ship never claimed to be unsinkable.

Well, as far as I know that 'myth' came about after she had sunk..  They never actually claimed that, but after a newspaper article where one of the WSL top guys said that he thought she was unsinkable and could thus not believe it actually sunk, people took over this 'fact' and it grew to become this legend, or myth.. .

There were a few publications before she sank, in which itwas described as 'practically unsinkable', but the public never really thought of her like that, not untill after she sunk.