On January 30th, 1945
The Wilhelm Gustloff, a Former Cruise Liner, Now Carrying Over 10,000 Refugees Fleeing the Invading Red Army, Was Struck by 3 Soviet Submarine Torpedoes.
Resulting in over 9,400 Men, Women and Children Losing Their Lives.
Nami...
Word of the Sinking began making its way to land; (mainly to Germany and the rest of Europe) from survivors and German coast guard rescuers; but mainly from the front page of the German allied propaganda newspaper called- Nachrichten für die Truppe Which is translated as News for the Troops. This is considered the only large scale news of the Sinking of the time- but even so, the newspaper only reported the deaths of the German passengers (and crew) and as a German tragedy- the death toll only ranking a some 7,000, when the casualty count was, later found to be, far more than that. The newspaper also left out what attacked the ship. (though the Nazi's themselves were unaware of what targeted the ship, either.)
Once the newspaper reached the Baltic States and other countries to the East of Germany, friends and family of the victims were outraged that the foreigners' deaths were not counted; and filled with sorrow; not only for their dead loved ones, but for the rest of those that also died as well- for those that had no family or friends, hope for starting a new life, only to die a terrible, terrible death.
Some (eyewitness) reports stated that they saw a Soviet submarine some 50-70 feet from the Gustloff; then to retreat after the boat began sinking. However, this went largely unaccounted for by both sides.
That is, until 1960; when Alexander Marinesko, the Red Fleet (Soviet Navy) captain of the S-13 Soviet Submarine, finally got his much-wanted recognition of sinking the Wilhelm Gustloff. After finally acknowledging the eyewitness reports that were sent in by survivors, Soviet Submarine S-13 was considered the culprit. According to Marinesko, at 9:16 PM on January 30th 1945, He shot 3 missiles- 1. For the Motherland
3. For the Soviet People
4. For Leningrad
at Gustloff's Bow, Deck, and Engine Room; causing it to sink within 2 hours of initial impact. Apparently, he attempted to shoot
2. For Stalin
At her propeller-area, but it failed to launch- and if the sub jolted even once, the sub would have been blown to smytherines, and, even though some may have wished it, the world may never have known what sank the Gustloff.
Marinesko also reportedly/took recognition for sinking the General Steuben- a German refugee ship- On February 10th, 1945, resulting in another some 4,000 deaths. Despite his atrocities of killing more than 10,000 people- he is still regarded today as a Russian War Hero; receiving the honorary
Hero of the Soviet Union in 1990- Some 30 years after his death from cancer in 1963- age 50.
Even though the original death toll, including the foreign refugees on the ship, were some 5000-6000
Recent reports claim the death toll is a total of 9,400 -more than a quarter of the original toll.
However, despite utmost tragedy, despite heartbreak beyond comprehension- a single miracle was left, by what some assume to be, God.
A baby in a woolen blanket was found floating in the water, screaming, but alive.
The water was -24 degrees farenheit, and the air was -45 degrees celcius.
There should have been no way a baby, in just a woolen blanket, could have survived the harsh conditions- large waves, floating chunks of debris and ice, -50 degree windchill, etc; but nevertheless, it did.
It was picked up by a German rescue vessel, only being drawn to the child because of the cries- it was found with little to no injuries- besides mild hypothermia.
The crew were mesmerized by this little thing, how it managed to live through both the most devastating shipwreck of WWII, and the fact that it managed to stay afloat with NO floatation devices; so many other possibilities that only offered death- but it lived. Through the impossible, it seemed.
