The MS St. Louis was a diesel-powered ocean liner constructed by the Bremer Vulkan shipyards in Bremen, launched in 1928. She measured approximately 174.9 meters in length and 22.1 meters in beam, with a gross register tonnage of 16,732 GRT. Powered by four MAN double-acting six-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines, each producing 3,150 horsepower, she achieved a top speed of 16.5 knots. The vessel was built for both transatlantic passenger service and leisure cruises, serving primarily the Hamburg to North American route, including Halifax and New York, as well as cruises to the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Morocco. The ship's service included a notable 1939 voyage under Captain Gustav Schröder, carrying 937 passengers, predominantly Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. During this voyage, the MS St. Louis became historically significant due to its attempt to find asylum for its passengers. After being denied entry in Cuba and subsequently in the United States and Canada, the ship returned to Europe, docking in Antwerp with most passengers disembarked across several European countries, including the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Despite efforts to secure refuge, many of these refugees later fell victim to the Holocaust, with an estimated 255 of those who returned to Europe murdered during the war. Throughout the Second World War, the MS St. Louis was repurposed as a German naval accommodation ship from 1940 to 1944. She was heavily damaged in 1944 during Allied bombings but was later repaired and used as a hotel ship in Hamburg in 1946. Eventually, she was sold and scrapped in Bremerhaven in 1952. The vessel remains a powerful symbol of the plight of Jewish refugees and the international failure to provide sanctuary, inspiring memorials, exhibitions, and official apologies recognizing her historical significance.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.