Gustav Schröder

The MS St. Louis departed Hamburg in 1939 with 937 German-Jewish passengers, steered by a captain determined to ensure their safety from the Nazi regime. Throughout the voyage, Gustav Schröder mandated that his passengers be treated with dignity, permitting religious services that stood in direct opposition to the political climate of the time.

Early Seafaring Career

Born in 1885 in Haderslev, Schröder began his life at sea in 1902 at age 16 aboard the training ship Großherzogin Elisabeth. He gained experience on various sailing vessels and served as an able seaman on the SS Deutschland, a Hamburg America Line ship known for its speed. By 1913, he worked in Calcutta, India, where he spent World War I interned as an enemy alien. During his confinement, he developed a proficiency in seven languages. Post-war demilitarisation and the Treaty of Versailles limited his career prospects until 1921, when he joined HAPAG. He eventually earned promotion to first officer on the Hansa in 1935 and master of the MS Ozeana in 1936.

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The Voyage of 1939

As captain of the MS St. Louis, Schröder faced a humanitarian crisis when authorities in Havana, Cuba, refused to allow his passengers to disembark. Neither the United States nor Canada would grant landing permission, leaving the ship in a precarious position. Schröder navigated the vessel toward European ports, seeking asylum rather than returning his charges to Nazi control. Through these efforts, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the UK accepted most passengers. Approximately 250 individuals were ultimately unable to find sanctuary and returned to territories under Nazi occupation.

Wartime and Post-War Life

After the St. Louis returned to Germany in 1940, Schröder moved into a desk job and ceased his sea career. Following the conclusion of World War II, his conduct during the voyage was reviewed during denazification proceedings, where testimony from his former passengers helped secure his release. He spent his later years in Hamburg working as a writer. He died in 1959 and was interred at Nienstedten Cemetery.

Posthumous Recognition

The Federal Republic of Germany awarded Schröder the Order of Merit in 1957. Decades later, in 1993, Yad Vashem bestowed upon him the title of Righteous Among the Nations. His story reached a broader audience through the 1974 book Voyage of the Damned and its 1976 film adaptation. In 2000, Hamburg honored his memory by naming a street after him and installing a plaque at the city's landing stages.

Fast facts

Born: 1885, Haderslev
Died: 1959, Hamburg
Military Rank: Captain
Primary Occupation: Ship captain
Notable Recognition: Righteous Among the Nations (1993)
German Federal Order of Merit awarded: 1957
Burial Site: Nienstedten Cemetery

Questions readers ask

What happened to the passengers of the MS St. Louis?

Most were eventually granted asylum in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the UK, though 250 returned to Nazi-occupied territories where they were killed.