Name the greatest ship disaster in history

The torpedoing of the Wilhelm Gustloff by the Russian submarine S13resulted in over9000 tragic deathsAstaggering figureBYany comparison.Heartbreakingly,estimates have indicated that up2half of those who perished were children,many suggestions have been made as2why it is largely anuntold storytoday;in no particular order:
1)Occurred during wartime
Many view wartime disasters as lesstragicthan those occurring during peacetime.Perhaps it is because those trapped in a wartime environment should expect the potential for danger.
2)Happened to thelosingside
Since the dawn of time thelosingside of any war suffers a loss of historical documentation and profile of their own eventseven tremendously tragic ones.
3)German war-guilt has repressed the disaster
Over the last 60years,numerous Germans have felt war-guilt for their countrys role in WWII.Many would have hesitated to mourn,lest they be accused of equating German suffering with Nazi atrocities.There are signs that enough time and healing have passed in Germany for proper acknowledgement of this tragedy.Günter Grass tremendous bookCrabwalkdeals with this issue in a sophisticated&coherent manner.
4)Russian retribution for Nazi occupation
When the Nazis broke their pact with Stalin and invaded Soviet Russia in1941their tactics were often brutal and cold.Hitler himself made it clear that this was a war different from that waged in the West.He called it a"war of extermination.When the tide eventually turned and the Soviets were marching toward Berlin,the Red Army had no mercyand exacted horrific revenge.Since the Soviets were the only Allies in control of the Bay of Danzig both near the end of the war and for many years after,they were not about to mourn the loss of life on any enemy ship.
5) World sentiment regarding Nazi atrocities
As the world learned more about Nazi war-crimes and systematic genocide-above all the Holocaust,subdued global reaction to a disaster on this scale is understandable.Under other circumstances,4,000 innocent children dying in a single disaster would certainly be mourned by almost anyone in afriendlyorenemynation.
6)Ship was named for a prominent Nazi leader
Wilhelm Gustloff was leader of the Nazi Party(NSDAP)in Switzerland before his assassination.One wonders if the profile of this sinking might have been higher if the ship had been named after a city or non-Nazi figure.Ironically,the ship was originally to be called the Adolf Hitler,which may have repressed this disaster even more.
7)Soviet Submarine S-13 Captain Alexander Marinesko
Had a different submarine with a different captain sunk the Gustloff,the story may have received a much higher profile in the Soviet Union.Unfortunately for Marinesko,his reputation and indiscretions on land made his character incompatible with the Soviet ideal.His reputation was eventually resurrected many years later by the Soviet Government,but only as a hero who sunk a fascist ship filled with military personnel only.
8)Demise of so many refugees(mostly women and children)
For months,the disaster remained largely unreported both inside and outside Germany.Inside the imploding Nazi-Germany,Hitler wanted to suppress awareness about the death of so many(especially occurring on what once had been the flagship of the KdF and symbol of unity among the German Volk).With the western Allies,it would not have made for a popular news story involving the deaths of so many women and children.
9)There is noAmericanconnection or Hollywood profile
Since comparisons are inevitable,we can see how the Titanic profile was raised even higher worldwide with an Academy-Award winning movie from Hollywood.Unlike the Titanic,the Gustloff was not sailing toward America,nor did it have any American passengers on its decks.This may very well change in the near future as more learn about the scope of this tragedy,and the incredible story that surrounds it.
10)No world-renowned celebrities or citizens were on board at the time of the disaster
In another inevitable comparison to the Titanic,none of the Gustloff passengers on the fateful voyage were rich,world famous or of societys elite.Most were refugees simply trying to escape a terrible situation.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• it's
• largely
• AN
• untold
• story
• TODAY

[Spideyfan276653]

The ships that blew up during Halifax explosion Is bigger! Second biggest explosion in history next to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

[ChrisIIIcube]

@Spideyfan276653 This disaster... was the largest loss of life at sea.

[bluensunshine]

The Nazis invaded Russia amongst most of the countries in Europe ~ so what is all this disaster stuff ~ just apologists for Nazism.

[ChrisIIIcube]

@bluensunshine

There were no soldiers on this ship.

[reduolf]

@McLarenMercedes fair enough it's still very tragic and by far the most famous

[McLarenMercedes]

@reduolf

Mostly because the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and most of the passengers died because there were not enough life boats to save even half.

In 1987 the Dona Paz sank in the Philippines, killing 4375 passengers. This is the biggest marimite disaster in peacetime. The M/V Joola sank outside Senegal in 2002, killing around 1800 people, more than the Titanic. How many have heard of that one?

If tragedy is measured by human lives Titanic is NOT the most tragic sea disaster.

[McLarenMercedes]

@ChrisIIIcube

Neither were the civilians that got executed by their tens of thousands by the nazis in the occupied part of the USSR.

It was an unholy war, and with the nazi brutality and ruthlessness it's hardly surprising those that fought against them replied with the same coin.

How many soldiers were there in Dresden when it was firebombed by the Royal Air Force, bomber command??

Not defending killing civilians, merely that the nazis started it and the others followed suit.

[jndp43]

@crossleydd42 Thanks for the information you provided. I wouldn't have known about it if you hadn't posted about it. I'll be doing some investigation into the RMS Lancastria. You're spot on when you say it's barely mentioned.

[crossleydd42]

One tragedy, rarely mentioned, is that of RMS Lancastria, a Cunard liner sunk on 17 June 1940, whilst taking to England British troops & civilians who'd been stranded in France after Dunkirk. Bombed by Junkers 87's at 15..50hrs, it went down in 20 minutes. It is said that there were as many as 9,000 on board by the time the Lancastria was bombed, others estimate 7,000. What is known is that some 6,000 were on board by 13.00 hrs, and that many more arrived after that. Only 2,447 arrived home.

[reduolf]

This may be the largest loss of life at sea - but I still think that the Titanic is the most famous and tragic sea disaster ever!!

[wesmovies]

and i thought titanic was bad =0



[ChrisIIIcube]

@sergeontheloose This was the largest ever 'loss of life' at sea. That's a fact.

[sergeontheloose]

@Radagis2

What are you fucking crazy? That's not propaganda, that's the truth, that's how SS einzats gruops battled with belorussian partisans, by killing everybody in the vicinity of the forests.

What the fuck are you talking about?

Gustloff was a military target and therefore a successful kill - it is not the biggest disaster, Titanik is.

[Radagis2]

@sergeontheloose Thats propaganda 627 with their inhabitans dream on, dont watch to much j-wood movies. go to tho the archievs at russia their you can read the truth. I could they the same about stalin why fought over one million real russian with the germans, ukrain, baltic and so on, stalin let killed a lot of the own people, of course there were worse crimse by the germans to, but they were hanged and so on for those, but yout war crrimers became heros.