Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
Part of the Frankfurt-class cargo ships consisting of the Frankfurt, Chemnitz, Erlangen and Frankfurt built for the Norddeutschen Lloyd for the shipping on Australia and New Zealand. Launched by Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany with yard number 485 on 3 October 1929 and commissioned on 30 November 1929. She steamed also towards the USA and the South American West coast. With a deadweight of 9.690 tons, gross register tonnage of 6.040 tons and as dimensions 449.6 (overall, 143,25 metres) x 57.8 x 26.3 feet The one set turbines delivered 3.800hp allowing with her single screw a speed of 13,25 knots.
Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
On 1 September 1939 invaded Germany Poland and the Second World War was a fact. Tow days later declared France and the United Kingdom war on Germany. The Goslar with as master Berghoff left in the end of August the USA and received orders from Bremen to seek at one refugee in a neutral harbour. Berghoff choose for Paramaribo, Surinam where probably none warships of the enemy was to be expected. In the meantime was the ship some disguised by changing the name and repainting the funnel. Further more were preparations undertaken to scuttle her if necessary. In the night of 5-6 September she arrived at what would became her final destination. On board were 15 German and 49 Chinese crewmembers. Some troubles among the crew soon appeared. The newspaper De Surinamer dated 9 September 1939 reported that something went wrong on board of the recently arrived Goslar. The major part of her crew consisted of Chinese sailors who now refused to serve any longer under her master and wanted to return to China. In the meantime got the Dutch police involved in this affaire. De edition dated 20 September reported that the Chinese sailors were released from detention [in Fort Zeelandia] and went on board again. The newspaper Suriname: koloniaal nieuwsblad dated Wednesday 27 December 1939 reported the departure on Sunday of the Chinese sailors with the Italian ship Ratio. The Ratio was with her 11.00 tons too large to enter the harbour and the Bernard was used to transport the men to their transport. On board of the Ratio were already 100 Chinese sailors coming from German merchant ships which seek refugee in the West Indies harbour. The problems on board of the Goslar in September were solved by an agreement that the Chinese sailors served on board until the end of the year as contracted and in the new year could get a new contract or permission to leave.
Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
The newspaper Suriname dated 22 January 1940 reported that the harbour was busy where and that moment six large ships were berthed including the Goslar which was now accepted as a permanent guest. Although the war went on, nothing really changed in the Dutch colony. Times were however to change radically. The newspaper De Surinamer dated 24 January reported that the name of the Italian ship which took the Chinese sailors in December was called Orazio and not Ratio. She was however lost by fire near by the French harbour Toulon. When the war broke out between Germany and the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 scuttled her crew the ship in the night before. Next were they interned. Her master however protested against his internment. On 5 October 1940 wrote the governor of Surinam to the 1st lieutenant of the KNIL J.C. Postma that he did not object for a temporarily mix of people of different races and/or nations in the one and the same camp/building. There were however precautions to be taken to prevent any unwanted contact. The letter of the German master is however lacking. The ship was in the same month declared prize.
Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
A letter dated 17 February 1948 to the counsellor of the Department of Finance made clear that a salvage was out of the question so she was to be broken up, estimated costs around 500.000 Dutch guilders. Not the Dutch government but Surinam would have pay for this. Already in 1940 wrote the Dutch shipping company K.N.S.M. that the revenues of her sale would probably not be enough to compensate the costs of salvaging her without breaking up. Another tender came from the Bruynzeels Bergings Maatschappij in March 1948. They asked ƒ 563.225, but lacking permission to finance this project was in April this firm answered that nothing was to be done.
Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
The newspapers of the next years continuously reported about the wreck. De West dated 15 September 1950 reported that the Minsiter van Verkeer en Waterstaat stated that it was in fact a Surinam problem while his colleague of Uniezaken en Overzeese Rijksdelen claimed that salvage was technical and financial points of view impossible and nautical point of view not necessary. De Surinamer dated 14 November 1953 reported the arrival of the diver Jack Donald Smith an that the salvaging efforts were expected to be hurried up. With rough weather was sighted that the wreck moved. Het nieuws dated 18 November 1954 reported the arrival of Percival Beam, a merchant in scrapped iron on Trinidad for negotiations with the Alcora Corporation over breaking up her wreck.
Paramaribo, Surinam 24 April 2019
The results can clearly be shown in the photographs of the Goslar also known as Van Beekeiland made by Henk Huitsing (thanks!).
Sources
Several newspapers as mentioned in the text
Archive Gouverneur van Suriname. Geheim Archief (Nationaal Archive, The Hague) inventory numbers 818 and 893.
