She was the pride of the Reichsmarine and was used for training purposes between 1923 and 1932 - similar to the "Gorch Fock" today. Ultimately, the catastrophe led to the construction of a new sail training ship, the "Gorch Fock" (I) and to larger ballast as a safety reserve.
The course of events of its sudden end and the wet death of 69 of the 109 crew members is recorded in the annals based on statements by the survivors.
The "Niobe" was under full sail on a training voyage from Kiel through the Fehmarnbelt towards Swinemünde, according to the chronicle of "Crew 32", the association of survivors. The weather was fine and light. On board were the officer candidates born in 1932. Hard training was completed under the experienced commander, Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Ruhfus, the training officers and the non-commissioned officer trainers.
The ship passed the Fehmarnbelt at about 2 p.m. The maneuver was observed by the personnel of the lightship and the crew of the freighter "Theresia Ruß". At first everything seemed orderly on board. "Suddenly, around 2:25 p.m., a violent gust of wind hit the ship without any prior notice, without any recognizable sign on the water and without the wind howling beforehand," says Dr. Joachim Matz chronicled.
In a matter of seconds, the ship tilts hard to about 50 degrees. The rudder, which was immediately placed hard on the starboard side, no longer has any effect because of the heeling. The storm coming from above presses on the large sail area.
In less than 30 seconds the ship lies flat in the water like a capsized dinghy. Even through high-lying portholes and skylights, the sea invades the ship in thick torrents. Because of the nice weather they had been opened by the ship's command, a fatal mistake, as it now turned out.
The proud ship sank in less than four minutes. Those who manage to save themselves hold on to anything that floats in the water. Until help from the nearby lightship and the "Theresia Russ" approaches. 40 men survive, 69 are dragged down by the ship and drown.
33 of them are later buried in the honorary cemetery of the Kiel garrison in a state ceremony, 17 are brought home and 19 have kept the sea: they remained missing forever.
Even today, 70 years later, the question arises "Could the tragedy be averted?" The "Niobe" was considered safe, but according to experts it was completely overrigged. Skylights, portholes, ventilation shafts and companionways should have been closed for safety reasons even when the weather was fine. An eyewitness even complained that the water tanks that were supposed to keep the ship balanced were not flooded.
Nevertheless, on November 3, 1932, a naval court-martial in Kiel acquitted commander Heinrich Ruhfus of the charge of negligent homicide and rehabilitated the lieutenant captain. According to the verdict, force majeure led to the accident, and the commander was not to blame.
Translated by Google •
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