Dear friends:
During 1944 the Sailboat "PASSIM" (Hilfskriegsschiff "PASSIM") left Arcachon, France with a mission for the "Abwehr". It picked up in the La Plata area (Argentina), two secret agents and a civilian, ex-crew member of the "WINDHUK" Passengership, which had been interned by the Brazilian authorities in Santos harbor. This ex-crew member was disenbarked secretly near Vigo, Spain.
Does anyone know the name of this individual and what happened to him after landing in neutral Spain. Thank you. Walter Godinho.
SAILBOAT "PASSIM".
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Walter Godinho
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Enrico Cernuschi
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Hello Walter,
unfortunatly I do not know anything about this episode but I'm very interested about any German sailing ship despathc mission on the oceans as everything I was able to find were two lines by Ruge in his Seekrieg whese he spoke about voyages in Ireland, Latin America and Africa.
May you or some other reader help?
EC
unfortunatly I do not know anything about this episode but I'm very interested about any German sailing ship despathc mission on the oceans as everything I was able to find were two lines by Ruge in his Seekrieg whese he spoke about voyages in Ireland, Latin America and Africa.
May you or some other reader help?
EC
Enrico,
The Passim was captained by Heinrich Garbers, who was awarded the Ritterkreuz. Here is a website (in German) that may be of interest, which describes his accomplishments with a sailing vessel.
http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/ Kriegsmarine/Garbers-Heinrich.htm
The Passim was captained by Heinrich Garbers, who was awarded the Ritterkreuz. Here is a website (in German) that may be of interest, which describes his accomplishments with a sailing vessel.
http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/ Kriegsmarine/Garbers-Heinrich.htm
Cheers,
Patrick
When I was single, I had three theories on raising children. Now I have three children and no theories.
Patrick
When I was single, I had three theories on raising children. Now I have three children and no theories.
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M.S.Laarman
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Walter Godinho
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SAILBOAT PASSIM
Dear Enrico:
References to the "PASSIM" are found in three or four books. However the whole story is covered in Saint Loups book "Les Voiliers Fantome D'Hitler" -1973, which was translated to German as "Yachten in geheimer Mission" -1988. The book covers the trips of of all four Sailboats:1940 "SOIZIC", 1940 "ANNI BRAZ BIHEM, 1941 "KYLOE" and the three trips made by "PASSIM", between 1942 and 1944. The Captain Heinrich Garbers (Leutnant zur See) was awarded the Knight Cross by Admiral Doenitz on November 1, 1944. Keep in touch. Walter Godinho.
References to the "PASSIM" are found in three or four books. However the whole story is covered in Saint Loups book "Les Voiliers Fantome D'Hitler" -1973, which was translated to German as "Yachten in geheimer Mission" -1988. The book covers the trips of of all four Sailboats:1940 "SOIZIC", 1940 "ANNI BRAZ BIHEM, 1941 "KYLOE" and the three trips made by "PASSIM", between 1942 and 1944. The Captain Heinrich Garbers (Leutnant zur See) was awarded the Knight Cross by Admiral Doenitz on November 1, 1944. Keep in touch. Walter Godinho.
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Walter Godinho
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SAILBOAT "PASSIM"
Dear M.S. Laarman:
Interesting! We covered the same subject only 8 minutes apart! Take care. Walter Godinho.
Interesting! We covered the same subject only 8 minutes apart! Take care. Walter Godinho.
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M.S.Laarman
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Enrico Cernuschi
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book
Hello @ all!
Well, my edition of the book mentioned above is a paperback, called
Die Geisterschiffe Hitlers
Segler im Dienste der Abwehr
published in 1978!
... and it´s really a nice little book about a nearly unknown part of the sea at war!
Greetings from Austria
Peter K.
Well, my edition of the book mentioned above is a paperback, called
Die Geisterschiffe Hitlers
Segler im Dienste der Abwehr
published in 1978!
... and it´s really a nice little book about a nearly unknown part of the sea at war!
Greetings from Austria
Peter K.
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Walter Godinho
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- Location: Holiday - FL - USA
SAILBOAT "PASSIM"
Dear friends:
My message of November 02 resulted by now in 8 comments. This is much appreciated. However no comment has been received about my question: Who was the "Windhuk: crew member picked up in Argentina and landed near Vigo, Spain?
I am very interested in ALL matters related to the Passenger Ship "WINDHUK". Any comment about this matter is welcome. Thank you. Walter.
My message of November 02 resulted by now in 8 comments. This is much appreciated. However no comment has been received about my question: Who was the "Windhuk: crew member picked up in Argentina and landed near Vigo, Spain?
I am very interested in ALL matters related to the Passenger Ship "WINDHUK". Any comment about this matter is welcome. Thank you. Walter.
WINDHUK
Hello WALTER!
Unfortunately I can´t help you with your specific question, but here are some details about the WINDHUK´s history ...
WINDHUK (16.662 BRT, building year 1937) captained by Kapt. BRAUER, was a well known ship on the route to South Africa.
On 19.08.1939 the ship left Lourenco-Marques for Capetown. There the captain tried unsuccessfully to get 400 t of oil, because the remaining 1540 t of oil and 1575 t of water will only reach until Las Palmas. WINDHUK left Capetown on 25.08.1939 at 23.00 o´clock with 74 passengers still on board. Since 26.08.1939 only one boiler was used to save oil!
On 27.08.1939 WINDHUK changed the course for Lobito as the nearest neutral harbour and the funnel was camouflaged with the sign of the Union Castle Line. On 30.08.1939 the ship anchored at Lobito.
Also the German steamers ADOLF LEONHARDT (2.990 BRT), ADOLPH WOERMANN (8.577 BRT), WAGOGO (3.118 BRT) and WAMERU (4.076 BRT) were located at Lobito.
On 05.11.1939 5 crew members of WINDHUK (Gerhard Trantow – 2.Offizier, Günther Albrecht – 3.Offizier, Wolfgang Gramberger – Matrose, Hans Günter Ellerbrock – 3.Ingenieur, Willi Leineweber – 2.Funkoffizier) left secretly the harbour with a motor rescue boat and managed to reach Las Palmas on 20.01.1940, only with a short stop on the island of Annobon for taking water, but provided with food by the Portuguese sailing ship SAGRES on the way!
On 16.11.1939, 21.00 o´clock, WINDHUK left Lobito for Santos with 1080 t of oil, 1550 t of water and 29 t of diesel oil available. The ship was now camouflaged as the SANTOS MARU of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha and reached the Brazilian coast 100 nm south of Santos on 07.12.1939. The WINDHUK anchored at 10.48 o´clock with 300 t of oil, 1000 t of water and 18 t of diesel oil remaining.
Further unsuccessful efforts were made to sail for Germany the following time until May 1941.
Starting in December of 1941 the crew destroyed the complicated machinery (high pressure boilers) and on 27.01.1942 WINDHUK was seized by Brazil authorities. The yard at Santos needed full 3 months only the repair the emergency rudder! Later the ship was completely repaired in the USA, where it received also new boilers.
Finally WINDHUK entered service as US troop transport LE JEUNE.
… another short note:
Sometimes after 20.12.1939 20 German sailors of the steamers MONTEVIDEO and WINDHUK were sent with a Brazil steamer from Rio de Janeiro to Bahia, because the crew of the steamer MACEO laying there was down to only 16 men. Unfortunately this Brazil steamer was inspected by a British warship at the height of Victoria and the Germans were taken as prisoner.
sources:
Ludwig Dinklage/ Hans Jürgen Witthöft
Die deutsche Handelsflotte 1939-1945
Cai Boie/Bernd Oesterle
Die deutsche Handelsschiffahrt bei Kriegsausbruch 1939
Perhaps something useful for you ...
Greetings from Austria
Peter K.
Unfortunately I can´t help you with your specific question, but here are some details about the WINDHUK´s history ...
WINDHUK (16.662 BRT, building year 1937) captained by Kapt. BRAUER, was a well known ship on the route to South Africa.
On 19.08.1939 the ship left Lourenco-Marques for Capetown. There the captain tried unsuccessfully to get 400 t of oil, because the remaining 1540 t of oil and 1575 t of water will only reach until Las Palmas. WINDHUK left Capetown on 25.08.1939 at 23.00 o´clock with 74 passengers still on board. Since 26.08.1939 only one boiler was used to save oil!
On 27.08.1939 WINDHUK changed the course for Lobito as the nearest neutral harbour and the funnel was camouflaged with the sign of the Union Castle Line. On 30.08.1939 the ship anchored at Lobito.
Also the German steamers ADOLF LEONHARDT (2.990 BRT), ADOLPH WOERMANN (8.577 BRT), WAGOGO (3.118 BRT) and WAMERU (4.076 BRT) were located at Lobito.
On 05.11.1939 5 crew members of WINDHUK (Gerhard Trantow – 2.Offizier, Günther Albrecht – 3.Offizier, Wolfgang Gramberger – Matrose, Hans Günter Ellerbrock – 3.Ingenieur, Willi Leineweber – 2.Funkoffizier) left secretly the harbour with a motor rescue boat and managed to reach Las Palmas on 20.01.1940, only with a short stop on the island of Annobon for taking water, but provided with food by the Portuguese sailing ship SAGRES on the way!
On 16.11.1939, 21.00 o´clock, WINDHUK left Lobito for Santos with 1080 t of oil, 1550 t of water and 29 t of diesel oil available. The ship was now camouflaged as the SANTOS MARU of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha and reached the Brazilian coast 100 nm south of Santos on 07.12.1939. The WINDHUK anchored at 10.48 o´clock with 300 t of oil, 1000 t of water and 18 t of diesel oil remaining.
Further unsuccessful efforts were made to sail for Germany the following time until May 1941.
Starting in December of 1941 the crew destroyed the complicated machinery (high pressure boilers) and on 27.01.1942 WINDHUK was seized by Brazil authorities. The yard at Santos needed full 3 months only the repair the emergency rudder! Later the ship was completely repaired in the USA, where it received also new boilers.
Finally WINDHUK entered service as US troop transport LE JEUNE.
… another short note:
Sometimes after 20.12.1939 20 German sailors of the steamers MONTEVIDEO and WINDHUK were sent with a Brazil steamer from Rio de Janeiro to Bahia, because the crew of the steamer MACEO laying there was down to only 16 men. Unfortunately this Brazil steamer was inspected by a British warship at the height of Victoria and the Germans were taken as prisoner.
sources:
Ludwig Dinklage/ Hans Jürgen Witthöft
Die deutsche Handelsflotte 1939-1945
Cai Boie/Bernd Oesterle
Die deutsche Handelsschiffahrt bei Kriegsausbruch 1939
Perhaps something useful for you ...
Greetings from Austria
Peter K.