Cap Arcona

The Prison Ships on the Baltic Sea

Since he had no more “reception camps” for the prisoners from the main camp at his disposal, the Hamburg NSDAP Gauleiter (regional party leader) Karl Kaufmann requisitioned ships berthed in Lübeck. More than 9,000 prisoners were then taken to Lübeck and put on board these ships. The prisoners were crammed into the holds, where they suffered from hunger, thirst, and disease. Many of them died. On 3 May 1945, during a British aerial attack intended to stop German forces from retreating across the Baltic Sea, the ships “Cap Arcona” and “Thielbek”, which were lying at anchor just off the coast at Neustadt were bombed and set on fire. Almost 7,000 prisoners drowned, were burned alive, or shot dead while trying to save themselves. Only 450 prisoners survived.