HITLER'S LOST STATE:THE FALL OF PRUSSIA & THE WILHELM GUSTLOFF TRAGEDY

摘要

This volume examines the lives of those who lived in East and West Prussia during the Nazi era. The authors start by outlining the historical role of Prussia prior to, during, and after the First World War as well as the subsequent "descent into madness" during 1918-1933. Thereafter they describe the attempts made by brave civilians, as well as military personnel, determined to overturn the evil regime they had made an oath to serve and the desperate evacuation of refugees to the West in one of the greatest exoduses ever seen, told by those who were there. The WILHELM GUSTLOFF's story begins with the "Strength Through Joy" organisation instituted by the Nazis in 1933 as a recreational and propaganda tool. Launched by Adolph Hitler on 5th May 1937 the cruise ship WILHELM GUSTLOFF had cabins of identical size and specification which added to the ethos that she, and the other "Strength Through Joy" ships, were without social class. The ship, which was completed on 24th March 1938, made some 50 cruises, transporting about 65,000 holidaymakers before the outbreak of war in September 1939 when she was requisitioned into the Kriegsmarine for service as a transport and hospital ship. Subsequently, in January 1945 the WILHELM GUSTLOFF was involved in Operation Hannibal, the evacuation of German civilians, military personnel and refugees from East Prussia, Courland and the Polish Corridor to the West to escape the oncoming Red Army. The authors devote two chapters to this operation and the sinking of the WILHELM GUSTLOFF on 30th January 1945 at the hands of the Soviet S-13 with the loss of 9,343 passengers including 5,000 children - the worst loss of life in maritime history, six times greater than that in the case of TITANIC. This well written book concludes with an account of the Russian "liberation" and their post-war ethnic cleansing of the region. Well worth reading.