The Cap Arcona was a German luxury liner that was sunk in the last days of WWII in one of the most tragic naval disasters of the entire war. The history of the ship and the story of its sinking is little known today.
The Cap Arcona was a German Turbine Steamer (27560 BRT) that was launched by the Hamburg-South America Line on May 14th, 1927. The ship was named after Cape Arkona which is on the Baltic Sea island of Rügen in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It was completed on October 29th, 1927, and made its maiden voyage on November 19th, 1927 from Hamburg to La Plata. In 1940, the Cap Arcona was taken over by the German Kriegsmarine for use as a naval accomadation ship in the German controlled Baltic port of Gotenhafen (Gdyina). Specifically, the ship was under the control of Festungkdt. Gotenhafen (Fortress Commander, Gotenhafen) known as a Kasernenschiff. In 1941, it came under the control of Kübef. Mittlere Ostsee (Coastal Control Officer Middle Baltic). In these roles, the Cap Arcona played the seemingly unimportant part of providing housing and living space for Kriegsmarine sailors. It lay at anchor in Gotenhafen for the majority of WWII in this role.
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