The Wilhelm Gustloff was initially launched as a cruise liner in 1937, part of the Nazi regime's efforts to promote German tourism. However, as World War II intensified, the ship was requisitioned for military use and transformed into a floating barracks and hospital for the German Navy. By January 1945, as Soviet forces advanced into Eastern Europe, the ship was tasked with evacuating German civilians and military personnel from East Prussia amid increasingly perilous conditions. On January 30, as the Wilhelm Gustloff set sail from Gotenhafen (present-day Gdynia, Poland), it was heavily overcrowded, carrying an estimated 10,000 to 11,000 people, far exceeding its safety capacity.As the Wilhelm Gustloff sailed into the Baltic Sea, it was spotted by the Soviet submarine S-13, commanded by Captain Alexander Marinesko. In the early evening, the submarine fired three torpedoes at the vessel, two of which struck the ship. The ensuing chaos led to a rapid sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff within approximately an hour. Survivors faced the bitter, cold waters, with only about 1,200 people managing to be rescued. The event underscores the desperation felt by German civilians caught in the throes of war and the tragic losses suffered during this tumultuous period. The wreckage remains a somber reminder of the war's human cost.