On January 30th 1945 the ‘Strength through Joy’ (KDF) cruise ship ‘Wilhelm Gustloff’ was transporting 10,582 refugees, soldiers, sailors and crew – including scores of sick and injured as well as women, children and the elderly across the Baltic sea. All were fleeing from the terrible fate that awaited most of those left in the wake of the Soviet advance. But the Soviet submarine S-13 sank it, taking 9,343 lives and marking its sinking as the most tragic naval loss of all of history. This is a 5th July 1938 dated dated menu/programme from this very ship. A small piece of military maritime history.
