In 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse, like other
German luxury liners, was converted to an Armed
Merchant Cruiser with the outbreak of war. The ship
stopped and boarded British liners, but seeing women
and children on board chivalrously allowed the ships to
go free. When the British began using passenger ships
as a ruse to fire upon such German vessels, the policy
had to be discontinued. In that time, however, she did
manage to sink three vessels.
German luxury liners, was converted to an Armed
Merchant Cruiser with the outbreak of war. The ship
stopped and boarded British liners, but seeing women
and children on board chivalrously allowed the ships to
go free. When the British began using passenger ships
as a ruse to fire upon such German vessels, the policy
had to be discontinued. In that time, however, she did
manage to sink three vessels.
The Kronprinzessin Cecilie (Crown Princess Cecilie), a twin of the Kaiser Wilhelm II, had an even
more illustrious tale: Carrying a cargo of $10,000,000 in gold and $3,400,000 in silver consigned to
British and French bankers, with an estimated value of over $5,000,000 in herself, the luxury ship
constituted probably the finest sea prize open to capture. She was half-way across the Atlantic Ocean
when war was declared in 1914 enroute to the Fatherland. Her Captain turned around in mid-ocean
and headed back to the U.S.A. rather than face all but guaranteed British capture. Some passengers
were dismayed and a few American millionaires even offered to buy the ship so as to fly the U.S.
flag legitimately, but her Captain had crew members painted the tops of the ship's funnels black to
disguise the ship as White Star's Olympic just long enough to deceive any passing merchant ships.
more illustrious tale: Carrying a cargo of $10,000,000 in gold and $3,400,000 in silver consigned to
British and French bankers, with an estimated value of over $5,000,000 in herself, the luxury ship
constituted probably the finest sea prize open to capture. She was half-way across the Atlantic Ocean
when war was declared in 1914 enroute to the Fatherland. Her Captain turned around in mid-ocean
and headed back to the U.S.A. rather than face all but guaranteed British capture. Some passengers
were dismayed and a few American millionaires even offered to buy the ship so as to fly the U.S.
flag legitimately, but her Captain had crew members painted the tops of the ship's funnels black to
disguise the ship as White Star's Olympic just long enough to deceive any passing merchant ships.
In bad condition and with a sick crew after a lengthy cruise and
various battles, Kronprinz Wilhelm, also a converted luxury
liner, sailed through patrolling British cruisers and made a run
for Norfolk, Virginia in the still neutral USA on April 10, 1915.
When the U.S. entered the War, she was taken and renamed
the Von Steuben and served as a troopship for America.
various battles, Kronprinz Wilhelm, also a converted luxury
liner, sailed through patrolling British cruisers and made a run
for Norfolk, Virginia in the still neutral USA on April 10, 1915.
When the U.S. entered the War, she was taken and renamed
the Von Steuben and served as a troopship for America.
The Kronprinzessin, known as the 'Kaiser's Treasure Ship',
thereby vanished according to newspaper headlines. In reality,
after help from an American banker/yachtsman, the Captain put
into Bar Harbor, Maine. Residents of the fancy 'playground of
the rich' awoke to find the Kronprinzen moored in their harbor
under its fake name 'Olympic'.
thereby vanished according to newspaper headlines. In reality,
after help from an American banker/yachtsman, the Captain put
into Bar Harbor, Maine. Residents of the fancy 'playground of
the rich' awoke to find the Kronprinzen moored in their harbor
under its fake name 'Olympic'.
The ship's real identity was quickly discovered and the ship with her refreshed and amused crew was
escorted to Boston where they were interned. The Kronprinzessin was also taken and used as an
American troop ship renamed the Mt. Vernon. She was torpedoed but stayed afloat.
escorted to Boston where they were interned. The Kronprinzessin was also taken and used as an
American troop ship renamed the Mt. Vernon. She was torpedoed but stayed afloat.
| Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse |
While the seized ships were being guarded against sabotage and prepared for war on the side of the
Allies, the Bureau of Immigration arranged for the internment of the crews who were not technically
considered prisoners of war, but rather "illegal aliens from an enemy country". At first the men were
detained in the ports where they were seized, but the Bureau soon located a hotel in Hot Springs,
North Carolina which could hold the 2,000 or so detainees. They were soon joined by 300 other
German seamen and aliens brought into custody under the President's Alien Enemy Proclamation. In
1918, the Department of Labor relinquished its control to the Justice Department and the men were
placed within the War Department's regular camps for all alien enemies. Some of them were
eventually paroled and allowed to hold jobs.
Allies, the Bureau of Immigration arranged for the internment of the crews who were not technically
considered prisoners of war, but rather "illegal aliens from an enemy country". At first the men were
detained in the ports where they were seized, but the Bureau soon located a hotel in Hot Springs,
North Carolina which could hold the 2,000 or so detainees. They were soon joined by 300 other
German seamen and aliens brought into custody under the President's Alien Enemy Proclamation. In
1918, the Department of Labor relinquished its control to the Justice Department and the men were
placed within the War Department's regular camps for all alien enemies. Some of them were
eventually paroled and allowed to hold jobs.
In 1917, the Americans entered the war on the British side and all German ships in American harbors
were confiscated including the Kronprinz Wilhelm, the Kronprinzessin Cecilie and other luxury
liners. In the months immediately before the United States' entry into the war, government officials
took inventory of German merchant ships trapped in American harbors. The internment of these
ships, coupled with the Royal Navy blockade of the Central Powers, limited the ability of Germany
to acquire munitions from the U.S. and transport them across the ocean. There were not
corresponding limitations on the Allies buying and transporting such materials. As these were not
warships, the Navy would had no authority over their crews but suggested that the Labor
Department did have authority here because of its responsibility for "immigration" matters. Wilson
directed the Bureau of Immigration, in coordination with the Customs Bureau, to prepare to take
custody of the officers and crew members of the German ships, and one minute after war was
declared, Wilson had the waiting Customs Bureau officials cabled with authorization for taking
charge of German vessels and their crews.
were confiscated including the Kronprinz Wilhelm, the Kronprinzessin Cecilie and other luxury
liners. In the months immediately before the United States' entry into the war, government officials
took inventory of German merchant ships trapped in American harbors. The internment of these
ships, coupled with the Royal Navy blockade of the Central Powers, limited the ability of Germany
to acquire munitions from the U.S. and transport them across the ocean. There were not
corresponding limitations on the Allies buying and transporting such materials. As these were not
warships, the Navy would had no authority over their crews but suggested that the Labor
Department did have authority here because of its responsibility for "immigration" matters. Wilson
directed the Bureau of Immigration, in coordination with the Customs Bureau, to prepare to take
custody of the officers and crew members of the German ships, and one minute after war was
declared, Wilson had the waiting Customs Bureau officials cabled with authorization for taking
charge of German vessels and their crews.
Some of these beautiful ships faced slow deaths. The massive 54,000 ton "Vaterland" was the largest
liner afloat in 1914. Just as she was ready to leave New York for her July 31 eastbound voyage after
only seven Atlantic crossings, officials cancelled the trip. England declared war on Germany on
August 4th and the ship was trapped at her Hoboken pier and totally immobilized. For the next three
years, this magnificent ship was not officially interned but "still awaiting orders". The New York
Times spread rumors that the ship was ready to carry 10,000 German sympathizers willing to go to
war against England and head for German waters. In the next few months, meanwhile, over half of
the crew refused the chance to return home and opted instead to loyally stand regular watches. They
even hosted concerts on shore in order to raise funds for the German relief effort.
liner afloat in 1914. Just as she was ready to leave New York for her July 31 eastbound voyage after
only seven Atlantic crossings, officials cancelled the trip. England declared war on Germany on
August 4th and the ship was trapped at her Hoboken pier and totally immobilized. For the next three
years, this magnificent ship was not officially interned but "still awaiting orders". The New York
Times spread rumors that the ship was ready to carry 10,000 German sympathizers willing to go to
war against England and head for German waters. In the next few months, meanwhile, over half of
the crew refused the chance to return home and opted instead to loyally stand regular watches. They
even hosted concerts on shore in order to raise funds for the German relief effort.
The "Vaterland" was seized when the United States declared war
on Germany on April 6, 1917. The 300 man crew was taken to
Ellis Island and offered American citizenship. Their ship was
renamed the "Leviathan" by Woodrow Wilson and used as a troop
carrier, making 19 round trips until the end of the war. After the
war, the worn out ship was at first laid up for a couple of years,
then converted to an unsuccessful passenger liner renamed the
"Leviathan" and then reduced to being a cruise ship until 1934
when she was laid up for four years in Hoboken, where she had
previously spent six wasted years, before being sailed away in
January 1938 to her death in a scrap yard in Scotland.
on Germany on April 6, 1917. The 300 man crew was taken to
Ellis Island and offered American citizenship. Their ship was
renamed the "Leviathan" by Woodrow Wilson and used as a troop
carrier, making 19 round trips until the end of the war. After the
war, the worn out ship was at first laid up for a couple of years,
then converted to an unsuccessful passenger liner renamed the
"Leviathan" and then reduced to being a cruise ship until 1934
when she was laid up for four years in Hoboken, where she had
previously spent six wasted years, before being sailed away in
January 1938 to her death in a scrap yard in Scotland.
The Hamburg-Amerika-Line's "Bismarck" was another unfortunate German ship. Her launching on
June 20, 1914 was only eight days after Sarajevo. The massive ship was not even completed when
war broke out. The "Bismarck", intended to be the world's largest ship and the flagship of the
German merchant fleet, rusted away in the shipyard. Hopes that the liner would be finished after the
war to reactivate German transatlantic service were shattered by the Treaty of Versailles which
arrogantly ordered the Germans to complete the ship and hand it over to the British government! It
took until May 1922 to finish the world's largest ship, partly because the workers were so angry and
disgusted at the humiliating demand. When the "Bismarck's" new owners, the staff members of the
White Star Line, arrived in Hamburg to fetch their bounty, they found the funnels painted in
Hamburg-America colors and the name "Bismarck" on the bow. The shipyards workers had
converted the captain's cabin into a garbage storage closet. Finally, she sailed away under the new
name the "Majestic". Her White Star running mates included other German war-prizes. She was
eventually sold for scrap, but then converted into a training ship for the British admiralty and
commissioned as the "Caledonia" in 1937, but she burned in 1939 and was scrapped in 1940. World
War One effectively ended German competition at sea forever.
June 20, 1914 was only eight days after Sarajevo. The massive ship was not even completed when
war broke out. The "Bismarck", intended to be the world's largest ship and the flagship of the
German merchant fleet, rusted away in the shipyard. Hopes that the liner would be finished after the
war to reactivate German transatlantic service were shattered by the Treaty of Versailles which
arrogantly ordered the Germans to complete the ship and hand it over to the British government! It
took until May 1922 to finish the world's largest ship, partly because the workers were so angry and
disgusted at the humiliating demand. When the "Bismarck's" new owners, the staff members of the
White Star Line, arrived in Hamburg to fetch their bounty, they found the funnels painted in
Hamburg-America colors and the name "Bismarck" on the bow. The shipyards workers had
converted the captain's cabin into a garbage storage closet. Finally, she sailed away under the new
name the "Majestic". Her White Star running mates included other German war-prizes. She was
eventually sold for scrap, but then converted into a training ship for the British admiralty and
commissioned as the "Caledonia" in 1937, but she burned in 1939 and was scrapped in 1940. World
War One effectively ended German competition at sea forever.
She was caught refuelling off the shore of Rio de Oro in western Africa by the British cruiser HMS
Highflyer. Badly outgunned, when the ship ran out of ammunition the crew abandoned and scuttled
her on August 26, 1914 and she became the first passenger ship sunk during World War I. Other
German liners did not share in the same fate.
Highflyer. Badly outgunned, when the ship ran out of ammunition the crew abandoned and scuttled
her on August 26, 1914 and she became the first passenger ship sunk during World War I. Other
German liners did not share in the same fate.
| Knocking out the Competition |
Federal officials and military personnel henceforth took possession of 91 German-owned vessels in
American waters with a combined displacement of about 600,000 tons. 27 of the vessels were in
New York harbor and the others were scattered in ports on all three coasts and in several overseas
possessions. The German ships seized were worth a fortune equivalent to an estimated $100 million.
American waters with a combined displacement of about 600,000 tons. 27 of the vessels were in
New York harbor and the others were scattered in ports on all three coasts and in several overseas
possessions. The German ships seized were worth a fortune equivalent to an estimated $100 million.