Grashopper
22nd July 2013, 23:03
My mom used to live with her little sister and my grandma in a little village in West Prussia. Like so many other Germans, they had to flee in 1945 when West Prussia became Polish again. As my Mom just told me when we were skyping, they actually had tickets for the Wilhelm Gustloff. You might have heard about her. The Gustloff was a cruiser that was supposed to transport thousands of German refuges from West Prussia to Kiel in Germany.
Apparently, so my Mom has been told, she fell into a bomb crater and getting her out delayed the family so they did not make it in time till the closing of the gates. The Gustloff left without them. The cruise ship, with estimated 10,600 refugees on board, was sunk by a Soviet submarine before it could reach safety. An estimated 9,400 people died and it was largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history. My family managed to get a spot on one of three minesweeper boats that left afterwards to Denmark. It was the only minesweeper that made it; the other two were hit by torpedoes and sank.
I still have goosebumps thinking about this.
Apparently, so my Mom has been told, she fell into a bomb crater and getting her out delayed the family so they did not make it in time till the closing of the gates. The Gustloff left without them. The cruise ship, with estimated 10,600 refugees on board, was sunk by a Soviet submarine before it could reach safety. An estimated 9,400 people died and it was largest loss of life in a single ship sinking in history. My family managed to get a spot on one of three minesweeper boats that left afterwards to Denmark. It was the only minesweeper that made it; the other two were hit by torpedoes and sank.
I still have goosebumps thinking about this.