Around the time this issue was released, Blohm & Voss was being given the official order to begin work on the Adolf Hitler (the ship to eventually be known as the Gustloff).

On the cover is the stern of the Oceana - another KdF ship.  It is filled with soldiers and workers heading out to a cruise to the fjords of Norway.

An insert with 'latest news' indicates that this particular issue was distributed on August 8, 1937 for passengers on board the Monte Olivia.

The cover displays the Gustloff under construction at Blohm & Voss Shipyard #511 in Hamburg.  Inside an article references the new look of the coming KdF ships.

Appearing near the back of the newspaper, the title for the one-page spread on the new KdF ship translates loosely as "Thus the KdF travels continue".

There is also information and photos regarding the launching of the Robert Ley, the Gustloff's sister ship.

Sailing down the Thames from Tilbury to a point outside the 3-mile limit, the Nazi flagship acted as a floating polling station for some 2,000 Germans and Austrians living in Britain.  Article claims that "God Save the Queen" and the German National Anthem were played on board after the cruise ended with a 99.4% "Yes" result.

Germans and Austrians living in England were ferried over to the ship in order to cast their votes on Austria's annexation into the Nazi empire.

Travel content focusing on Lisbon and Madeira replaces much of the propaganda and occasional anti-Semitic article (characteristic of the standard editions).  However it remains consistent at a standard 30 pages in length.

The oversized "magazine" appears ahead of its time in terms of style and layout.   It is filled with Nazi propaganda (with an emphasis on alignment with Mussolini's fascist Italy) obviously intended to impress the sixty nations attending the conference.

Front, back and a couple of selected spreads are shown.

Translates roughly as "Latest Information" and provided some very basic (and strictly controlled) news from the world. 

Interestingly contains a note at the bottom informing passengers that they can 'telephone home' at a cost of 5 RM for 3 minutes.  Considering a standard weekend cruise cost about 50 RM, this was quite expensive!

In addition to a welcome by Hamburg Gauleiter Karl Kaufmann, it contains tourist information, a map of Hamburg's core and data on the harbour and number of KdF travellers.

The article on the Wilhelm Gustloff is entitled: The Flagship of the 'Strength through Joy' Fleet.  How long, how high, how big is the "Wilhelm Gustloff"?

Good detailed information on the technical specifications of the ship including deck plans and cabin layout diagrams.

About halfway in to the booklet (about 44 pages in total), details for a trip aboard the Gustloff are provided.  At a cost of 85 Reichmarks, KdF members in good standing can participate in the May 12-21, 1939 Norwegian cruise.

Also includes information on many other excursions available (including the Robert Ley).

The page with the photo of the Gustloff explains that the dates for cruises aboard KdF ships have not been set as of yet.  However, it states that the "newest and most beautiful" of the KdF fleet - the Robert Ley is available to Gau Halle-Merseburg.

On the cover, sister ship Robert Ley cruises the Canary Islands. 

It is rare to find articles published during the Gustloff's stint as hospital ship Lazarettschiff D.

In this publication (translated as The New Line), we find such a rarity over a 2 page spread.

Die Neue Linie was primarily a fashion and style magazine - somewhat of an odd place for a story on a hospital ship!

However, intrigue over the former cruise ship's role in the war obviously held some value to the publishers.  The inevitable brush of propaganda displays life as carefree and even relaxing on board.

This particular edition in French features an article on the "marvelous workings" of the Nazi Party.  The Wilhelm Gustloff featured prominently as not only a flagship of the KdF fleet - but as a symbol of Nazi power and ideology.  Of course, the article fails to mention that at this point, the naval grey painted Gustloff is permanently docked in Gotenhafen (Gdynia) as an accommodation ship for U-boat trainees.

Note the Volkswagen 'Beetle' within the article.

Nachrichten für die Truppe (News for the Troops) was produced from April 1944 until the end of the war in Europe.  Up to one million copies of each edition (measuring approximately 8x13 inches) were dropped over enemy lines.  Unlike other propaganda intended specifically to deceive, this newspaper provided relatively accurate news reporting to gain the confidence of German soldiers.  Of course, it was not all that difficult to report Allied successes during the final months of the war.

"Sonnenrad" - a synonym for "Swastika" has its roots in the Norse meaning for sun.  The intention was clearly to draw attention to the KdF logo (note the prominence of the logo on the funnel of a KdF ship on the dust jacket).

The book is structured to cover each of the fundamental areas of the KdF (and make comparison's to supposed "dismal" life before the Nazi's came to power).  Numerous photos of the Gustloff appear throughout the book.

The photo of the funnel on the dustjacket cover is that of Gustloff "sister" ship, the Robert Ley.  Since this book was published in 1938, it must have been taken before the Ley was delivered, but just after the funnel was installed (late 1938).

Attached to the inside of the back cover is a fold-out map that is intended to impress with the reach of the KdF and all those who have participated in KdF travels.  This map claims 540,073 cruise participants (on ALL KdF ships) between 1934 and October 1938.

Not only does this book come with its original dustjacket in reasonably good condition - it has the original customized box used for storage.  Very rare indeed.

Seefahrt ist not! was #135 in a series of similar bound books (emblazoned with the KdF logo) of literature approved by the Nazis that best exemplified "German" ideals.

Originally written by Gorch Fock in 1913, it told of his experiences as a deep sea fisherman.  Nazi Germany used it as one of the many propaganda tools in furthering the cause of a strong Imperial fleet.

Below the images of the book is a photo of the library on board the
Robert Ley.

72 pages. Contains a number of Gustloff photos including Hitler and his cronies attending the 1937 launch of the Gustloff.  Also has a great photo of the props being installed.

There is no date of publication but based on content, it is estimated to be spring/summer of 1939.

One can be sure that many of these would have made their way on board the Gustloff and other KdF ships.  Singing nationalistic songs like Deutschland, Deutschland über alles was part of regular daily activites.

A forward by Adolf Hitler includes quotes from Gustloff's memorial service.

The photo shows the cover and selected pages from the book.

Ludwig does not outright condone the assassination of Gustloff.  However, he does go to great lengths to provide context and justification for the act by diving in to David Frankfurter's troubled youth and drawing comparisons to other historical acts of defiance.

The authors make the case that the 18-year sentence imposed on Frankfurter is far too harsh - of "unheard severity", due to the political (vs. personal) nature of his act.

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