German cargo ship Hindenburg flying naval ensign in July 1939

The American Naval attaché at Berlin reported on 17 July 1939 No. R-439 that at Stettin, Germany was the German cargo ship Hindenburg (1) tied up to a wharf between the Stettiner Oderwerke and Gotzlow. She was flying the naval ensign despite that there were no naval ratings were sighted. The ship was fitted out with an unusual amount of life rafts piled on deck and was loading an unknown cargo. Built in 1921, displacement 7,880 tons, dimensions 468.68 x 58.25 feet, 3,700 hp reciprocating propulsion and a speed of 11.25 knots. Just below her were the cargo ships Levante, Anhalt and Antares tied up, all three flying normal flags and not loading or unloading.

Note

1. The Hindenburg built by Bremen Vulkan, Vegesack, Germanyin 1921, call sign DHLB, gross tonnage 7,880 ton, under deck 7,384 ton, net tonnage 4,836 ton and as dimenisons 468.8 x 58.3 c 32.7 feet?

Source

National Archives USA. Record Group 38: Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Series: Secret Naval Attaches Reports. selected naval attaché reports relating to the world crisis, 1937-1943. Probability of an Outbreak of War (pt.). Berlin. Roll M975-003.