Operation Hannibal was initiated in the winter of 1945 as the Eastern Front collapsed and Soviet forces closed in on German-held territories. Admiral Karl Dönitz, who had taken over leadership from Adolf Hitler, recognized the critical need to evacuate as Allied forces rapidly advanced into East Prussia and Pomerania. The operation specifically targeted the evacuation of German troops, their families, and civilians from the Baltic ports such as Gdańsk and the coastal regions being overrun by the Red Army.

Over several weeks, numerous vessels, including warships and civilian cargo ships, were mobilized to transport approximately 2 million people. They embarked from various Baltic ports in an attempt to reach the relative safety of German soil. The operation was fraught with challenges, including severe weather conditions, attacks from Soviet naval forces, and logistical difficulties in accommodating the vast number of evacuees. Many vessels sank under the strain of overcrowding, while others were targeted by enemy forces, resulting in significant loss of life.

Despite its ambitious scale, Operation Hannibal was a desperate measure to mitigate the overwhelming losses faced by Germany during the final stages of World War II. It illustrated both the harrowing plight of individuals fleeing the war and the determined yet failing efforts of the German command to preserve its military and civil personnel. This act has become emblematic of the chaos and human tragedy that characterized the last months of the conflict in Europe.