*Transport ships of USSR in 1941-1945 - any info!!

[BIGpanzer]

Hello, guys!

I would like to know at least any info about Soviet civil transport ships, were used for military cargo transportation during the WWII. This is the topic I know almost nothing about. I only have superficial knowledge that USSR had quite large merchant navy in 1930s, the majority of those ships were mobilized during the war and used in convoys or separately for military cargo transportation. Many of civil transport ships were sank by German bombs and torpedos.
But I am going to find any info about the types of Soviet transport ships, their amount and their losses. Could anybody adviсe me the literature or Internet site on this subject.


Thanks in advance, BIGpanzer

[Tiornu]

You can try SOVIET PASSENGER SHIPS 1917-1877 by E. A. Wilson (World Ship Society, 1978) and THE WORLD’S MERCHANT FLEETS 1939 by Roger W. Jordan (Naval Institute Press, 1999).

[BIGpanzer]

Thanks, Tiornu!
I will try to get those books.

I found some info about Soviet large double-decker cargo boats of “Max Hölz” type. They were built in 1931-1936 by North yard (Leningrad) in four series (I and II – “Max Hölz”, “Jean Jaurès” “Friedrich Engels”, “Mayakovsky”; III and IV – “KIM”, “Komsomol”, “Litvinov”, “Cheluskinets”). Those eight cargo boats were used at Black sea-Baltic sea route in 1930s for different cargos (cement, flax, sugar and salt, tractors, machines, etc.) transportation between Soviet Union, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Baltic and Scandinavian countries.

Specifications: I and II series: 8300 t; 111,4 m; 1800 hp 4-cyl. diesel; 10,5 knots; 36 men crew.
III and IV series: 10910 t; 121,2 m; 2700 hp 6-cyl. diesel; 11,5 knots; 36 men crew.
The cargo boats of III and IV series were larger, had additional tanks for vegetable oil transportation and ice lining.

It was hard to find any info about the fate of all 8 cargo boats of “Max Hölz” type, but fortunately I found something.
Much more hard is to translate the info from many Russian sites, so enjoy, please

“Max Hölz” – was used for the military cargo transportation from USSR to Spain during the Spanish Civil War and was captured by Nationalists Forces. The crew was arrested, but later liberated. No more information.

“Jean Jaurès” - it made cargo navigations to USA, Italy and Germany in 1930s (grain transportation). During WWII “Jean Jaurès” was used as military transport ship (armed with several 45mm AA gun) on Black Sea. In January 1942 it participated in large Kerch-Feodosya landing operation (23000 soldiers, 34 tanks, 233 guns, 2 cruisers, 7 destroyers, 6 mine-sweepers, 15 anti-submarine boats, 14 transport ships, including “Jean Jaurès”). 4 January 1942 it was attacked by German bombers, damaged, but was repaired in several days. “Jean Jaurès” was blown up on magnetic mine 16 January 1942 at a range of 850 m from Feodosya port (depth 17 m), carrying 122 & 152-mm howitzers, trucks, fuel and wounded soldiers (all landing troops were already landed successfully). The crew could repair the heavy damages in 5-6 hours, but German coastal artillery began to fire on immovable ship. So the captain of “Jean Jaurès” received the order to sink the ship and prevent its capture by German and Romanian troops. Crew and wounded men were saved by Soviet motor boats and mine-sweeper, but 40 were killed during the mine explosion. Also ammunition, 40 trucks and 6 heavy cannons were sunk (some of them were raised after WWII). Also 6 another Soviet transport ships were sunk during the landing operation. Now “Jean Jaurès” is a popular object among divers from all over the world, but it is still dangerous because of ammunition on board. Its masts were removed by rescuers after WWII to free the navigating channel. Probably, “Jean Jaurès” will be raised soon to clear the area near the big port and popular resort, but it will be very hard because of its large dimensions and destroyed stern.

“Friedrich Engels” – was moved to the North during WWII. It was used for military cargo transportation consisting of British and USA polar arctic convoys, also transported wounded men. 3 June-21 August 1942 it made alone the first navigation from USA to Soviet polar port Dikson through the Denmark Strait, meeting in fog the German heavy cruiser “Admiral Scheer”, which avoided the contact. Later “Friedrich Engels” moved to Far East and was unsuccessfully attacked by Japanese submarine (by the way, Japanese submarines sank 20 Soviet civil cargo boats during WWII).

“Mayakovsky” – in 1939 was moved from Black Sea - Baltic Sea route to Far East. It was captured together with several another Soviet civil cargo ships by English/French warships (as UK and France were the allies of Finland and Poland, fought with USSR) in the end of 1939 and was escorted to Saigon. In May 1940 “Mayakovsky” was released from custody, but French administration plundered all cargo (coffee and ore). The ship survived the war and was scrapped after it.

“Komsomol” - was the most famous ship among those cargo boats. In 1933 it opened the first regular route between USA and USSR (Black Sea line). During the Spanish Civil War it was the first Soviet cargo ship, delivered tanks (50 T-26), petrol, ammunition, trucks, cannons and Soviet volunteers from USSR to Spanish Republican forces (15 October 1936). Two months later “Komsomol”, carrying the manganese ore, was sunk by 35 hits from the Spanish heavy cruiser “Canarias” (14 December 1936) in Mediterranean Sea near Algeria during the route from USSR to Denmark. All Soviet crew with captain G. Mezentsev was arrested, tortured and was in Spanish captivity 9 months (some sailors even 3 years) until liberation. This caused the great international scandal. Many patriotic songs about “Komsomol” and special memorable badges appeared in USSR after the sinking of “Komsomol”. Spanish republicans collected money to build a new one. AFAIK Soviet large cargo boats made near 30 runs to Spain in September 1936 – May 1937, 3 ships were sunk (“Komsomol”, “Blagoev”, “Timiryazev”) and 5 were captured, including “Max Hölz” (all didn’t transport military cargos at that moment).

“KIM” – made the navigations to USA, Germany and Great Britain since 1933 (Black Sea line). Later it was moved to Far East. “KIM” as one of the best cargo boats on Far-Eastern route made the dangerous navigations from USA and Canada to USSR with strategic cargos during the whole WWII. It was unsuccessfully attacked several times by German and Japanese submarines and torpedo bombers, but many others Soviet cargo boats were sank on those routes. One black page of the Soviet regime connects with “KIM” – in winter 1947 it transported several hundreds of prisoners to Siberia concentration camps and the prisoners rebelled. So all holds with prisoners were filled with icy water……… For many years after WWII “KIM” was used as civil cargo boat on routes to Japan, Korea, Canada, and South America. In March 1970 the ship was given from Far-Eastern State Shipping Company (DGMP, DMP) to Primorrybflot (fishing fleet).

“Litvinov” – was used for the military cargo transportation from USA to USSR during WWII (Far-Eastern route?). Was sank (German submarine?), but I couldn’t find any additional info about it.

“Cheluskinets” – was built in 1936, circumnavigated the globe before WWII, and made the navigations to Antarctica. In March 1940 during the navigation from New York to Leningrad came across with the stone shoal near Tallinn (Baltic Sea) and was broke into two parts by the storm. The bow was found at a distance of seven miles from the stern. Soviet sailors joked that “Cheluskinets” was the longest ship in the world . It was successfully raised (which was almost impossible) and repaired in Leningrad during the hardest conditions of winter blockade. Soviet Baltic Sea line had 20 new large-capacity vessels in 1940, but in February 1944 only four of them remained in quite bad technical condition – turboelectric ship “Vyacheslav Molotov”, steamships “Otto Schmidt”, “Kazakhstan” and motor ship “Cheluskinets”. They were completely repaired by spring 1945 for the first peaceful navigation after WWII. “Cheluskinets” was used as civil cargo boat after WWII till late 1960s on Baltic Sea.

Does anybody know the further fate of "Max Hölz", "Friedrich Engels", "Mayakovsky", "Litvinov"?

http://www.sovr.ru/images/collection/nu ... znach1.jpg (memorable badge in honour of "Komsomol")
http://www.sebastopol.ru/content/images/88.jpg/420.jpg (blueprint of "Jean Jaurès")
http://union.yalta.crimea.ua/images/jorezl.jpg (modern picture of sunken "Jean Jaurès")
http://www.dive-magazine.ru/files/1116320970.jpg (modern underwater photo of "Jean Jaurès")
http://www.dive-magazine.ru/files/1116320898.jpg (modern underwater photo of "Jean Jaurès")
http://www.dive-magazine.ru/files/1116321111.jpg (modern underwater photo of "Jean Jaurès")



Photo of the Soviet cargo ship of "Max Hölz" type (8 copies, 1931-1936)
is from http://www.dive-magazine.ru/files/1116320945.jpg
This is "Jean Jaurès"

[BIGpanzer]

Losses of Soviet large civil ships during WWII:
1. 21 ships were sank by its crews in 1941-1942 at harbors to prevent the capture by Germans.
2. 35 ships were captured in June 1941 at foreign ports and at sea by Axis.
3. 22 ships under repair were captured at Soviet harbors by Axis.
4. 251 ships (698300 t) in addition were sank during 1941-1945.

Total losses: 329 civil ships (41 - North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean; 140 - Baltic Sea; 111 - Black Sea; 14 - Caspian Sea; 23 - Pacific and Indian Ocean) or were sank: 107 by aviation, 36 by submarines, 16 by warships, 41 by mines, 10 by coastal artillery, 7 by many reasons, 21 by navigation mistakes and storms, 13 by unknown reasons, 35 were captured at foreign ports, 22 were captured at Soviet ports, 21 were exploded by their crews at harbors.


Regards, BIGpanzer

[BIGpanzer]

Could anybody provide me with the short info about other types of Soviet transport ships, were used during WWII?

[varjag]

The NKVD-owned and run slave-ships should never be forgotten. Most notorious of them m/v DZHURMA (ex Brielle) that got stuck in the ice near Wrangel Island with 12000 prisoners, most of which starved to death. Three more, m/v DALSTROI & KULU (ex Almelo & Batoe) and FELIX DZERSHINSKY (ex Dominia) were also employed in this horrible traffic. Most of it from Nahodka and Soviet Harbour to Magadan and for the prisoners - the GULAGS of Kolyma. One source claims that these ships were also maintained, free of charge, at US shipyards during the war. Little did the American shipyarders know, what their 'normal cargo' was!

[varjag]

Some Soviet merchant ships in the Baltic, postwar - included steamers OTTO SCHMIDT, PEREKOP and CHARKOV. All three were old ships and would have been in Soviet ownership 1941-45. The last pair - were of a type mass-built in the US during WW 1 (though I don't know a name for the type). They were unusual - by having (square) masts of riveted plating - instead of the usual drawn-pipe type.

[Tiornu]

I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel. There was a booklet issued by the WSS in 1978 called SOVIET PASSENGER SHIPS 1917-1877 by E. A. Wilson.
The US Navy Dept put out some intelligence books covering Soviet merchant ships. This was the ONI 208-R series, including RUSSIAN MERCHANT VESSELS and RUSSIAN MERCHANT SHIPS IN THE PACIFIC. These would be no more accurate than any other wartime intelligence publications.

[RoW]

Hi! Firstly, interesting link for BIGpanzer - http://tetis-yug.ru/book2/1-2/ It's a refererence book for drivers with descriptions, histories, maps, photos and other data about the ships which were sunk in Black Sea during 20th century. Majority of ships - victims of WW2, including Soviet transport ships. Sorry, but only in Russian. And question... Few weeks ago I talked with Soviet veteran. He voyaged from Petropavlovsk with caravan of 2 vessels: Sovet and Smolniy. One vessel was torpedoed by Japanese submarine, but veteran was on another (he does not remember which ship was sunk and which has survived). Anybody knows something about these 2 ships?

[Tiornu]

I don't see anything resembling this in Rohwer's Axis Submarine Successes.

[BIGpanzer]

Hi, Varjag!

The story about "Dzhurma" is a very well known fake, but as me seems you don’t know about it. Well, the fake and popular in USA of 1930s-1970s story was that NKVD-owned “Dzhurma” with 12000 prisoners started the navigation from Far-Eastern Vladivostok through the Bering Strait to Kolyma in summer 1933. The ship was clamped by ice for 6 months and it reached the destination port in spring 1934 without any prisoners, who were died and threw overboard. Later this story was cited by many Soviet, American and British anticommunists.

The real story is that Soviet ship “Cheluskin” with polar scientific expedition was clamped by ice in February 1934 and USA suggested the help to evacuate the expedition by airplanes to Alaska. The Soviet government rejected the American help because of the presence of powerful native ice-breakers and quite well-equipped Soviet polar aviation, which successfully saved the expedition in April 1934. American press didn’t like the fact that Red Russia had good airplanes and ice-breakers and completely had no need in American help, so the story about a Soviet large ship for transporting the prisoners immediately appeared in American newspapers in 1934 as the reason of rejection the help. As if that ship was located not far from “Cheluskin” and American pilots could see the dead bodies of many prisoners on ice. Later the name "Dzhurma" appeared as the name of that ship. In actual fact (and British and even American naval historians proved this later) “Dzhurma” (built in Rotterdam in 1921 as "Brielle", 7000 t, 123 m) was bought by USSR only in 1935! It couldn’t carry 12000 prisoners (outside its carrying capacity) in 1934, that's for sure.

“Brielle”, “Almelo” and “Batoe” were bought by Soviet NKVD (Department of the Interior) from Amsterdam steamship line in 1935 for the cargo transportation (wood, goods, prisoners) at Far-East. Why NKVD didn’t like to use native modern ships, but bought old Dutch steamers, I don’t know. Probably, because they were old and cheap, and modern ships were used on international cargo routes.

I found the info, that steamer "Dzhurma” was really used for the transportation of prisoners at Far-East in 1938-1941 (usually several hundreds of criminals – murders and robbers together with political prisoners, who hated each other, of course). The ship transported the prisoners and their small baggage in holds, equipped with wooden plank beds. I couldn’t find the info about special NKVD-owned ships for the transportation of only prisoners, but may be several sea ships existed at Far-East for such purposes (but I think they transported additional cargos - for example, logs and equipment for saw-mills and open-cast mines together with prisoners). Sometimes the usual cargo ships during the navigations were used for the prisoners transportation in one of the hold. During WWII “Dzhurma” was used for the Lend-Lease cargos transportation from USA to USSR and as civil cargo ship till 1960s.

“Dalstroi” (previous Dutch “Almelo”) was one of the largest ship of Dalstroi – the organization of developing and exploitation of Far-Eastern lands (with the “help” of the prisoners from Kolyma camps ). “Dalstroi” was used for Lend-Lease cargos transportation during WWII and participated in landing operation during the war with Japan in 1945, when it was damaged by mine explosion and repaired in Canada. “Dalstroi” was exploded on 24 June 1946 at Nakhodka port with 400 t of explosives for mining industry (its captain found some mistakes in loading of explosives, but had no possibility to stop the loading), which caused many victims, destroying the port and large ecological catastrophe .

As for the “Felix Dzerzhinsky” – I couldn’t find any info about such ship at Far East. But cargo-passenger ship “Felix Dzerzhinsky” served on Baltic Sea (built in Leningrad in 1928. 5560 t, 2200 hp, 12 knots) In 1939-1940 it was reequipped as minelayer (264 mines, 4 x 100mm, 4 x 45mm, 2x12,7mm MG) and renamed as “Ural”. Several German and Finnish ships were exploded on its mines. After WWII “Ural” was used as training ship till the late 1950s.


As for the post-WWII cargo ships, were used on Baltic Sea. As I mentioned in my previous letter, USSR had near 20 native modern ships on Baltic Sea in 1939, served on international routes. Only 4 of them survived the war. But in addition to those 20 large ships, there were many small ships and old steamers (foreign and Imperial Russian), also ships from Baltic countries (since 1940) used on interior routes. I can suppose, that some of them also survived the war and were used until the Soviet shipbuilding industry could be repaired and produced new modern ships.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any info about ship “Perekop”, served on Baltic Sea. I found the mention that cargo boat “Perekop” (2493 t) was used at Far-Eastern routes and was sunk on 12 December 1941 in South Chinese Sea by Japanese bombers on the route from Vladivostok to Java. Survived Soviet sailors on life-boats could reach the island Natuna and lived there more than one year ! Then they arrived at USSR through Singapore, Hong-Kong and Harbin in November 1943.

Also nothing about “Kharkov” (“Charkov”?) on Baltic Sea. I found the short info that small ship “Kharkov” was used on Ladoga Lake (Baltic Sea region) during WWII, also one “Kharkov” (cargo ship, 6689 t) served on Black Sea and was breaked in two parts by reefs because of navigation mistake of the captain in fog before WWII, later it was repaired, was captured by Germans in 1941 and renamed as “Boy Feddersen”. It was sunk by Soviet submarine D-4 on 10 August 1943.

“Otto Schmidt” was really used as cargo boat on Baltic Sea, was damaged by German bombs and repaired by Leningrad Shipyard. It was used for transportation the military cargos and soldiers together with other 14 ships and ice-breakers to Oranienbaum beachhead by night under German heavy coastal artillery fire.

That is all, I could find. But this is not so few info, how do you think?
Best regards, BIGpanzer

[BIGpanzer]

Tiornu!
Thank you very much for the references.

I hope I will find some info about Soviet transport ships of WWII with your help! That is really quite hard – to find it.

I also would like to note that because we discuss the topic about Soviet civil ships, were mobilized during the war, many people lives should be remembered – the thousands lives of Soviet infantry and marine infantry soldiers, landed from unadapted to landing operations liners and bottoms under the strongest fire; the lives of thousands civilians and wounded men, as well as lives of medical staff, were evacuated by hospital ships under German bombs; the lives of unknown political prisoners, were transported in holds of cargo ships to Far-eastern ports and the lives of many Soviet civilian sailors, served on cargo ships and tankers, which made dangerous transport navigations separately or in convoys during the war! Also the lives of British, American, Polish and other sailors, served on transport ships and delivered the military cargos in convoys to North Russia during the war should be remembered!

During the last weekend I found in my sources the information about Soviet mail-freight-passenger ships of “Abkhazia” type (displacement 5770 t; carrying capacity 1100 t freight + 522-980 passengers; crew 76 men; length 112,1 m; 2 x 2000 hp diesels; speed 14,5 knots).

Those ships were built by Soviet Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad (“Abkhazia”, “Adzharia”, “Armenia”, “Ukraina”) and Deutsche Werft in Hamburg (“Gruzia”, “Krym”) in 1926-1931. The Soviet project was very successful, so Deutsche Werft built two additional identical passenger ships for Spain (“Canarias” and “Balearis”). Also two quite similar, but smaller ships were built in USSR for Caspian Sea (“Daghestan”, “Turkmenistan”).

All six comfortable liners (the best Soviet passenger ships of 1930s) were used on Black Sea (Crimea-Caucasus resort route: Odessa-Batumi) and on Mediterranean Sea before WWII, but in first days of the war they were mobilized, equipped as military transports and armed with AA guns and machine-guns. They participated in heroic evacuation of Soviet Seaside Army from Odessa under heavy bombing as the military transports of Black Sea Navy, carrying cargos, wounded men and civilians.

“Adzharia” (military transport ship of Black Sea Navy since June 1941) was sunk on 23 July 1941 at Odessa port during the unloading by German bombers (2 attacks) despite the flood control by its crew and the help of two rescue vessels. 4 men were killed. During the next 10 days Soviet divers could raise almost all military cargos. The ship was raised after WWII, probably.

“Armenia” was the main hospital ship of Black Sea Navy during WWII, having 119 men of medical staff in addition to the regular crew. It made near 15 runs and evacuated more than 15000 people. “Armenia” was sunk on 6 November 1941 near Aj-Todor cape (depth 450 m). Approximately 7000 wounded men, civilians and almost all evacuated medical staff of Black Sea Navy were killed during the bombing of “Armenia” by German bombers – that was the largest catastrophe on Black Sea , only 8 men survived. That was a very mysterious catastrophe – despite the fact that there were several another hospital ships in the port, the captain of “Armenia” received the order to take all medical staff (!) from the hospitals of enclosed Sevastopol, also many officials from the evacuated organizations in addition to thousands wounded men. Destroyer and many patrol ships should escort the overladen “Armenia” for good AA defense, but at the last moment the captain of “Armenia” received the order to start on its last journey only with two small patrol boats………………….

“Gruzia” (hospital ship) was sunk on 13 June 1942 near Sevastopol, carrying 1300 t of ammunition and 4000 soldiers. At first it was heavily damaged by German bombers, but could reach Sevastopol with the help of escorting destroyer. Near the harbor it was attacked again and was sunk after 2 hits of bombs and ammunition detonation. The majority of the crew and infantry soldiers were killed. When it was raised in 1949, the rescuers found many gas (yperite) shells and bombs in the stern hold, evacuated in 1942 from the naval depots. So the dangerous ship was sunk again. In 1956 the Soviet divers tried to raise the “Gruzia” ones more and to utilize all chemical weapon, but the heavily damaged ship broke in two parts during the raising. So many gas ammunition still located at the Black Sea floor.

“Ukraina” (hospital ship during the WWII) was sunk together with several other civil ships and warships on 2 July 1942 during the massive attack of 54 Ju-88 of Novorossiysk port. It was raised in 1947 and utilized in 1950.

“Krym” transported the soldiers of Soviet 157th infantry division to Odessa during the landing operation in 1941. It was heavily damaged by bombs and torpedoes in July 1942 and was towed to Batumi. “Krym” was repaired after WWII and used as passenger ship on Black Sea and Odessa-Beirut Middle East route, since 1970 it was used as floating hotel.

“Abkhazia” as the navy hospital ship made near 35 dangerous and desperate runs (transported 32355 wounded men, 9500 were operated on board + 65000 civilians), despite the daily pursuits of German bombers. German pilots nicknamed “Abkhazia” as “difficult to catch ship”. It was sunk by 9 direct hits of heavy bombs from Ju-87s on 10 June 1942 at Sevastopol berth during the loading.

The similar liner “Daghestan” was used as military transport ships together with another 18-20 ships on Caspian Sea during the Soviet landing operation of 105th mountain infantry regiment with 563th artillery division (first Soviet big landing operation in WWII) to Iranian port Hevi on 25 August 1941. “Turkmenistan” was used as military transport ship (transporting soldiers, ammunition, tanks and Lend-Lease cargos from Iran) on Caspian Sea during the whole WWII.

I found also the info that German bombers also attacked the hospital ships “Chekhov”, “Kotovskij”, “Dnepr”, “Lvov” on Black Sea in 1941. “Dnepr” (12589 t) was sunk by one of six air torpedoes on 3 October 1941 (“Abkhazia” could avoid the same attack at that moment), 40 men were killed, 163 survived.
“Lvov” (2468 t, 76x11.1 m, two diesels 1500 hp total, 12.5 knots, 4650 miles range, 108 men crew, previous Spanish ship, was built in 1933) avoided 900 attacks of German bombers (730 bombs + 26 torpedoes !) and destroyed several of them with its 7 light AA guns and several MGs during the dangerous 125 raids in 1941-1944. "Lvov" was the single Soviet mobilized civil ship, decorated with Red Banner Order during the WWII. It is used until now as the base ship of yacht-club.
The picture of hospital ship "Lvov" (during combat with German bombers): http://shipandship.chat.ru/foto/k/102.jpg

When the Soviet sailors realized that large red crosses on white sides and deck of hospital ships mean nothing for the German pilots , all ships were repainted to masking colors.

Photos of the cargo-passenger ships of “Abkhazia” type:
http://www.bz.ru/images/shukrain.jpg (“Ukraina” before WWII)
http://www.bz.ru/images/shabhaz.jpg (“Abkhazia” before WWII)
http://www.artabkhazia.info/foto_notes/ ... /ship8.jpg (liner "Abkhazia" in 1930s)
http://www.artabkhazia.info/foto_notes/ ... /ship9.jpg ("Abkhazia" at Sukhumi port)
http://www.bz.ru/images/sharmen.jpg (“Armenia” during the launching)
http://www.riverstar.ru/albums/album15/ ... .sized.jpg (“Armenia” before WWII)

Photo of the Soviet mail-freight-passenger ship of "Abkhazia" type (6 copies, 1926-1931)
is from http://www.bz.ru/images/shadgari.jpg
This is "Adzharia"

[BIGpanzer]

Hi, RoW!
As I understand - the link is excellent. Thank you very much! Will try to translate some parts of it soon.

As for your question: I found the full list of Soviet civil ships, were sunk during WWII - there were no names "Sovet" and "Smolniy" in it. Probably, they were renamed during WWII? Or Soviet veteran forgot their correct names............
I found only the info that ship "Smolniy" served as Soviet scientific expeditionary vessel in Pacific Ocean in 1941 and really could meet Japanese warships, but without any accidents.

[varjag]

Hi BIGpanzer....thks for your mail about the DZHURMA. I am aware that the ship could not have been involved in any disaster in 1934. But could the name DZHURMA be so prevailent in the GULAG-literature if not something terrible had happened to the prisoners on this ship? Soviet denial of assistance at sea - was always standard procedure and it seems - motivated by 1) Soviet secrecy and 2) Soviet reluctance to accept 'salvage bills' from other countries.
You used the word 'anti-communists' for those that have written about/ believe some or all of the DZHURMA-drama. IF such a disaster had befallen one of their slave-ships - wouldn't Moscow do it's darndest to conceal the facts? Lastly - a few words about her 'carrying capacity'. I don't know if you have spent time aboard ships of her size and vintage - I have. I agree that - even given drastic modifications to her holds and twin-decks 12000 prisoners - seems very high.
BUT - adapting the same density and ignorance of human dignity that was typical on the rail transports 'to the east' for the masses of slaves - I would not hesitate to say that a ship the size of the DZHURMA could 'accomodate' between 7000-9000.

[BIGpanzer]

Hi, Varjag!
Thanks for the reply!
I wrote in my post all info about "Dzhurma" I found, so I don't know anything in addition. Yes, I already wrote that this steamer was used for the transportation of political and criminal prisoners to Kolyma labor camps. So, probably this is the reason that this name is often mentioned in GULAG-literature, or may be one (or more) authors of such kind of books was also transported by "Dzhurma" to Far-Eastern ports as prisoners in 1930s. Probably, nothing very horrible was happen, I don't know, just this ship was used very widely. But the fact of transporting the political prisoners together with criminals in bad conditions is the terrible fact itself . As for the "Dzhurma" carrying capacity, probably, you are completely right - it could transport 6000-7000 men, but in summer and for very short distances, as you understand. Transported the prisoners during the winter frost on the decks, not in the holds lead to deathes in several hours, but they intended for work in labor camps and had official stretches (usually 25 years AFAIK), so nobody from NKVD administration did this.
I believe that we don't know many facts even now about some accidents were happen with Soviet ships. For example the explosion of "Dalstroi" in 1946 at Far-Eatern port Nakhodka (see one of my previous post) was hided from the Soviet and foreign press for many years because of many victims and ecological oil catastrophe.

I don't have the info in my sources abourt Soviet denial of assistance at sea, because I never interested in such topic. I only know that Soviet civil crews helped the foreign ships during the storms and other accidents quite often. But this is completely another story, as you understand. I can only suppose that distressed Soviet ships sometimes rejected the help from foreign crews because not of special secrecy (I mean usual civil cargo ships, not warships, of course), but because of political reasons. After returning home those saved Soviet sailors could be accused of cowardice, quick leaving the ship or becoming the foreign spies after the contacts with foreign crew, so they were afraided this. I think after the death of Stalin the situation became less strict.

To be honest I am not interested very much in politics (but I read several books about the Soviet labor camps in Syberia to imagine the possible life of my grandfather, who was arrested in 1939 by Soviets as Polish artillery officer), so this is only my suppositions, sorry. Much more I like the technical descriptions of different vessels and their fate. Lets discuss the use of Soviet civil ships for the Lend-Lease and other cargo transportations during WWII or the quite interesting info about ships, I already posted here.
I knew almost nothing about the types of Soviet ships before I started this topic. BTW, I found the info that cargo-passenger ships "Felix Dzerzhinsky" and "Smolny" (were mentioned in previous posts) concerned to the one type of the Soviet ships, were used widely during WWII for military cargo transportation and other purposes. Do you know something about them?

Regards, BIGpanzer.