The Worst Maritime Disaster, by Far, Wasn’t the Titanic

The worst disaster in maritime history took place on January 30, 1945, in the Baltic Sea. Thousands of refugees, including 4,000 to 5,000 children, and 1,200 German military personnel, were fleeing the Soviets on an ocean liner, the MV Wilhelm Gustloff. The ship was overloaded and was still picking up refugees shortly before a Soviet submarine shot four torpedoes at the ship—three hit. Most passengers were trapped below deck. People were heard screaming, then gunshots. The crew was behind doors that locked them inside when the bombs hit. Children were blown into the water. Even with about 1,252 saved, 6,000 to 9,000, perhaps as many as 10,000 died on the ship or in the icy sea.

This was part of Operation Hannibal, a mass evacuation of German military personnel and civilians (refugees) from East Prussia as the Soviet army advanced.

There was talk of it being a war crime, but the captain of the submarine had no way of knowing there were refugees aboard. In any case, the 1200 military personnel would have made it legitimate.

Operation Hannibal and the Misery of War

German refugees were on the road in the winter of 1944-45. Great columns of men, women, and children, desperate to flee as the onrushing Soviets overran their homes. They were making for the coast, for the safety of the ports of Pillau or Gotenhafen. Here, rumor had it, they would be evacuated to the west. The trek was a harrowing one, replete with sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and Soviet air attacks. This was human misery on a grand scale, reminiscent of what had happened to Soviet civilians during the German invasion of 1941.

The Third Reich waited until the last minute to evacuate people. Refugees fled to the safety of the sea, where they were supposed to be taken to the west. When they got to the sea, 100,000 desperate people were trying to escape the Soviets.

It is the deadliest incident of the war.

Germans don’t talk about it because of what they did in the war. Germans don’t talk about the terrible things that happened to them.