TOPICS
OF DEBATE
Controversy, Provocation and Unanswered Questions
What do
you think about the questions posed below? If
you'd like to contribute a comment, send an
e-mail. We'll summarize and publish results regularly.
If you have another topic of debate you'd like to add,
let us know too!
Was
the Gustloff
truly built as a troop transport ship in preparation for
Hitler's military campaigns of World War II? Some have
claimed that the ship was intended for conversion as a
military troop transport for Hitler's WWII agenda.
This is unlikely as its top speed was 15.5 knots (slow
by other standards). More than likely, Hitler may
have had
KdF vessels like the Wilhelm Gustloff and Robert
Ley in mind for hospital ship duty when
the need arose. It seems an unlikely coincidence
that both of these specific ships had been
"outfitted with remarkably complete medical
facilities" according to Philip Dawson's detailed
book - Cruise Ships.
| Response:
Regardless whether Hitler had ships from his KdF
fleet in mind for wartime duties, the Wilhelm
Gustloff was critical to pre-war objectives of
the Nazi government. It was a critical
propaganda tool aimed at the German public (and
world) to ensure widespread acceptance of the
National Socialism and raise the average German's perceived
standard of living while re-armament was
implemented. For the most detailed and
thorough look at the role of the KdF, procure
Shelley Baranowski's terrific book Strength
through Joy: Consumerism and Mass Tourism in the
Third Reich (Cambridge University Press,
2004). |
| This
picture has surfaced, claiming to be a rare colour
photograph of the Gustloff
docked in Oslo or Gotenhafen. Here's the problem: The Gustloff
only docked in Oslo as a hospital ship -
in which case it would have had a hospital ship paint
scheme. In Gotenhafen, it would have been in its
hospital ship or naval scheme. This photo clearly shows the ship in all-white cruise paint. Where and when was it actually taken? |
 |
| Response:
A large version of this photo appears in Heinz
Schön's book SOS Wilhelm Gustloff.
Upon close inspection, you are able to see the
faint outline of what was once the green stripe
around its hull. Thanks to comments
from Martin Cahill, we can see that the Gustloff
is more permanently docked, due to the presence of
a semi-permanent wooden platform with sentry
boxes. Therefore, this photo was most likely
taken very early in the Gustloff's career
as U-boat barracks in Gotenhafen - after the
hospital ship markings were removed, but before
the naval grey paint was applied - perhaps
December 1940/January 1941. |
If
Alexander Marinesko had not been at risk of court
martial over his “monumental bender” back in Turku, would he have dared
venture so close to German activity in the Bay
of Danzig?
Would the Gustloff have successfully completed
its journey to Kiel?
If
the 900 U-boat personnel on board the Gustloff
had reached the base in
Kiel
and its advanced “Type 21” submarines, would the
outcome of the war have been different?
| Response:
Most comments we've received agree that the new
submarines would have had little effect on the
outcome of the war. Although the submarines
were the most advanced of their time, the Battle
of the Atlantic had been won by the Allies.
Phill Massaad of Sydney Australia writes "...if
the Type 21 U-Boat came into service in 1943 it
would have effected the outcome of the war, if it
had entered service during D-Day, it might have
complicated operations but would not have saved
Germany from defeat". |
Did
David Frankfurter act alone when he assassinated
Gustloff?
If
the Wilhelm Gustloff had been named the Adolf
Hitler (as originally planned), would it be a higher
profile historical disaster?
| Response:
Here's some comments by Phill Massaad of Sydney,
Australia: "Assuming Hitler agreed to have
the ship named after himself then, Yes - the ship
would serve as a personification of Nazi
Propaganda and perhaps had a higher profile.
Hitler was very superstitious and also
irrational. In 1940 he ordered the name of
the Battleship Deutschland changed as he
couldn't bear the thought of having a ship bearing
that name sink. ... Let's assume that
war started and the 'Adolf Hitler' was not
renamed, then I think the ship would have made a
lucrative target for British & American
bombers. It would have been great propaganda value
to sink the 'Adolf Hitler'." |
|
