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END of the Baltic Commercial Fleet

by Ton Hulkenberg
BUNSCHOTEN, THE NETHERLANDS

In Danzig Report No.88 there was an interesting article about the famous ships of Danzig. Not ment ioned was the fate of the ship Hansestadt Danzig. her sistership Preussen, and the flagship Tannenberg of the Seedienst Ostp ressen. Perhaps this information will fill in the blanks as to what happened to these famous ships.

On the ninth of July, 1941, all three ships were returning together from a journey to Finland and came near a Swedish minefield south of the island Oland. The Swedish navy sent out a warning which was not followed. A short time later, all three ships steamed into a minefield and were sunk. Lost were 600 crew members, and only twenty-four were saved.

How could this have happened? Here is the background.

At the start of the war, the Tannenberg and the other ships of the Seedienst Ostpreussen ‘ were transformed into minelayers. Tannenberg received three 15 cm guns. light AA guns and 460 mines, stored on the decks. In June of 1941, she was in the eastern Ostsee (Baltic). After some time, the Tannanberg, Preussen and Hansestadt Danzig were ordered back to Swinemünde. They were not informed of the minefield south of Olan.d. Sweden officially informed Germany about the minefield, but the German Marinekommando did not send this information by radio to the ships’ group leader but sent it by post! Due to this neglectful action, all three ships were lost on the 9th of July, 1941.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 91 - April - May - June - 1996,  Page 26.